If the brand owners want to reach newer heights, then they need to invest a lot more in their business.
In the current time, the best investment can be in the form of a digital platform such as a mobile app.
A good mobile app featuring your services & products can assist you in customer retention and may help out with word of mouth as well.
So, the next thing that you need to do is select a good mobile app development company.
You should also keep in mind that the mobile app development process involves a lot of technicalities.
So, in this blog, we would discuss about the complete mobile app development process.
It is recommended that you follow each step to ensure that the complete mobile app development process is smooth without any kind of problems.
- Development of Idea
To start off, you need to have a clear idea & concept that you want to offer to your target audience.
You just have to keep one thing in mind that most successful apps are the one that can solve real customer problems.
Further, once the problem has been identified, then look out for the ways it can help your target audience.
After this, you need to draw visual representation of the app that you want to develop by mentioning all the details.
When making visual representation of the app, then include all the main features in the sketch such as layout, structure, icons/buttons etc. In this way, a mobile app developer would get a lot more clarity.
Also, when you are developing your idea, then another aspect that you need to keep in mind is app monetization. This is a great way to make money while assisting the customers.
You can very well make money through the ads as well as charging for the download itself.
Other thing that you can basically do is offer a free basic version and then charge for the premium features.
Thus, look out for the monetization strategy that you wish to incorporate and modify the design accordingly.
- Ideation & Planning
Once you have figured out the core idea of the app, then the next step involved in mobile app development is identifying different elements for the planning.
There is a high probability that an app similar to your idea might already be in your app store.
So, you should not get discouraged and perhaps try to build the audience that you are targeting.
Besides, you need to make sure that your app is compatible alongside with various operating systems & devices.
Besides this, you should also research about your competitors, best design for the app as well technical specifications.
Once you have researched on all the aspects that has been mentioned above, then you can adjust the idea of your app and incorporate the features that would be appealing for your users.
You can also take feedback from various forums where you can submit your app idea & design.
- Designing
Designing plays a very important role in mobile app development.
So, you should focus on various aspects such as colors, touch gestures, UI layout, app design etc.
Additionally, you need to ensure that the mobile app is user-friendly, intuitive and perhaps works fast.
In the following stage, you also need to put your features & ideas together such that mobile app wireframe or prototype is created.
This would potentially guide you through the complete mobile app development process.
You can make use of wide range of wire framing tools that is available online.
- Building the mobile stage
This is the actual stage when the mobile app development takes place. The ideal goal should be to create the best product within the time & budget constraints.
To start off, you need to choose an app platform in which you want to build your app.
Some of these include Native apps, Web apps & Hybrid apps.
- Creating the prototype
Before the actual app launch in the app store, it is important that you come up with a working prototype that is closer in terms of functionalities & layout.
The prototype can work well in terms of pitching the product to potential buyers, investors, getting licenses, storage needs as well as defining the databases & APIs.
- Analytics
It is important that you add layer of analytics in your mobile app. In this way, the performance of the app can be monitored once it is released.
- App testing
It may not be a right idea to launch a mobile app without doing any kind of beta testing.
The reason is that you may not be able to know about how your mobile app would perform when multiple users would be using it.
On the contrary, from a beta test, your target users would provide you with feedback and you will get visibility in app stores as well. Other than this, you would also be able to fix any flaws that might be present.
So, before coming up with a beta test, define the target audience as well as eliminate the bugs that might be present in the app.
Other than this, you can ask your family, friends, experts & colleagues who are willing to give review for the beta version of the app that you have launched.
Also, you can ask them to use it completely and assist you in adjusting any designs & flaws that might be present such that you don’t have to go through costly corrections.
- App launch
The next step that is involved in mobile app development process is the launch of the app to wider audience.
You can release the mobile app on iOS or Android or both the platforms.
Besides this, you would need to follow different policies when it comes to launching a new app on these platforms. Additionally, you need to create a developer account as well.
Moreover, you can sign up on these platforms as a company or individual by paying a fee.
- Metrics tracking
Once the app is launched, then the next thing that you need to do is tracking the app performance for the same. For instance, any kind of failures a user has experienced during social shares, specific actions, tracking the users who are using the app actively etc.
- Keep upgrading
The last step that is involved in the mobile app development process is to keep upgrading your app based on the metrics & analytics that you collected.
Other than this, you need to ensure that you add new features & functionalities such that it can be a lot more appealing to the users.
What are the Features Needed for a Good Mobile Application?
- USP
When it comes to mobile app development, it is important that you offer your customers USP.
Further, you need to create a mobile app that can satisfy the needs of a customer. Hence, you need to plan your app accordingly.
You can come up with a mobile app that can resolve the pain points as well as simplify the complete process. Other than this, the mobile app that you are developing should be durable.
- Try to keep the mobile app simple
The most important aspect of a mobile app is the simplicity that is offers.
Hence, you should avoid making an app that has intricate layouts. The reason is that the users hate navigating the mobile interfaces that are annoying.
You should also understand how the data would be used and ensure that the parts of the page are of appropriate size which includes fonts, buttons, navigational bars etc.
- Responsive design
The mobile app that you are developing should have a responsive design.
Also, it is seen that responsive apps can adjust to the device easily and hence you won’t face any problems while you are switching between the devices.
Besides, users look out for a seamless experience and perhaps a clear understanding about how they can use the application. Hence, you need to add appropriate buttons to navigate, click etc. and add instructions wherever necessary.
Further, there are billions of smartphone users across the globe and thus your app should adjust to different kinds of screen sizes.
- Search bar should be accessible easily
It is often seen that a number of business apps doesn’t tend to have a search tool.
So, irrespective how basic your mobile app is, you should certainly add a search feature in your mobile app. Also, try to keep the search bar simple, such that a lot more users become interested in your app.
Lastly, the primary goal of a mobile app is to add value. But, on the contrary, if the users are having difficulty in finding the information, then you would miss out on an opportunity to retain them.
- Intuitive UX
Every mobile app should have a simple user interface & privacy notifications should be clear.
Thus, user-friendly UX will boost the opinion of your consumer in terms of your brand as well as improve the brand affinity.
- Coding audits
You should make sure that the mobile app reliability is never compromised.
The users of your mobile app would expect it to open promptly, quickly as well as run smoothly without any kind of lag.
So, it is recommended that you conduct regular code audits to ensure that the technology that you are using is completely secure. It will also help to find any flaws that might be present in your app.
- Push notifications
Push notifications can assist you with cross-selling & upselling campaigns & also notify your customers that the product is back on your app. All of these things are done through behavioral analytics.
These push notifications can boost re-engagement & user retention while increasing the conversions with pertinent & timely marketing.
- Have a feedback system
In the mobile app development process, it is important to have a feedback system. This would provide a way for the users to give feedback.
The users should be able to request new features, report errors and offer criticism regarding your app.
- AR integration
If you are coming with a mobile app, then it is important that AR integration is present in it. In this way, users will get a lot more immersive & exciting experience.
- Personalization
If you make use of targeting techniques such as contextual, demographic, behavioral, then you would be able to provide the users with individualized experiences.
For instance, in demographic targeting, you can target the users based on their race, gender & age.
Also, it is seen that personalized experience in apps is a lot more satisfying & intense with introduction of technologies such as AI, IoT, and ML etc. Other than this, the customer experience is also improved.
Why you Should Invest in Mobile App Development?
- It can be a direct marketing channel
Mobile applications can be a direct marketing channel for a particular brand or business.
Apps provide a number of information such as dimensions of products, price, materials used, user details, news feed etc.
Further, with the assistance of push notifications, brands or businesses can come closer to the customers.
- Increased loyalty of the customer
Building loyalty can be quite tricky & crucial aspect when it comes to business marketing.
Mobile applications help to smooth the marketing process between brands & customers. This is done through constant notifications, updates, & reminders about their services, products, new arrivals, offers, deal etc.
These notifications or reminders are sent to the customers or users such that awareness is created about the offerings of a particular brand. Additionally, it also acts as a great means for the customers to make the purchases.
Lastly, offering the customers great offers, deals & discounts via notifications can very well keep them engaged. Thus, in the process customer loyalty is increased.
- It acts as a great tool for customer engagement
If you want to maintain consistent customer engagement & effective marketing, then it is important that proper communication is done between the customers & businesses.
Customers tend to like when businesses & brands give value to their concerns & complaints and perhaps resolve it in a short span of time. In this way, customer engagement is improved.
Other than this, if the products get easily accessible at a reduced price, then it can become a lot more engaging.
- Brand visibility is enhanced
Mobile applications can be a great way through which brand visibility can be enhanced. Other than this, it also helps to boost the awareness of the brand.
Also, when it comes to mobile app development, then it is important to have an attractive & feature-rich application such that user’s attention can be grabbed. In this way, brand visibility gets increased.
Lastly, if you want to increase the visibility of your brand, then make sure that the application is convenient & easy to use.
- Brand recognition is boosted
If you talk about advertising, then options such as newspaper ads, outdoor hoardings, and flashy signboards hardly works.
All of these things are now being replaced by mobile applications through which brand recognition is increased.
So, if your app fulfills the requirement needed for the customers, then you will start getting more recognition from the customers across the globe.
Lastly, evolving app trends coming up these days also helps out in improving the brand recognition of an app.
- Apps boost revenue & sales
It is seen that it is easy to use an app as compared to websites. So, if your app gets installed, then a lot more sales of your product or services would start taking place. All these would lead to increased sales & revenue.
- It will help you to stand out from your competitors
Mobile Applications are known to be the easiest & fastest way through which you can reach out to global audience.
Moreover, it can help in building a strong brand as well as increasing the user base that you might be having.
So, if you have an engaging mobile application, then it will definitely help you to stand out from your competitors.
Final Verdict
For a lot of people, mobile app development might be a very tedious & long process but with the right set of tools & training, it can be done in a very efficient manner.
Additionally, mobile apps are considered as an extension to a particular brand and it presents the customers with an exciting way through which the products can be accessed.
Also, if a mobile app is built in a good way, then it can help to boost the revenue as well build the credibility among the target audience.
So, if you are looking out for mobile app development, then it is recommended that you get in touch with a good mobile app development company.
One such experienced company is Mobulous Technologies. They can develop wide genres of mobile app at a very cost effective price. Additionally, there charges are highly affordable as well.
So, connect with them through call or email to build your next mobile app.
