Things to Consider before Building a Mobile App | Complete Checklist

Things to Consider Before Building a Mobile App | Complete Checklist

By: marysmith

Adopt Adequate Security Measures“Take your Business to the Next Level with a Mobile App”.

You must have come across this sentence in almost all the advertisements of any top mobile app development agency? And perhaps you are convinced to get an app for your brand?

That’s a great decision, indeed! It will bring you closer to your audience and improve their accessibility and convenience. However, building a mobile app takes serious planning! Here’s an extensive list of the things you should know before building a mobile app.

Include a privacy policy page in the app in case it collects sensitive data from the users. Clearly mention how the data is used. Also, ensure that the security of the app is on-point. If you own an eCommerce app, this is more important. Any minor vulnerability can affect the users’ security and bring disastrous consequences to your business. It is a wise decision to secure an ecommerce website with a digital certificate. On the other hand, when you build-up a mobile app, its code integrity is essential. To preserve code integrity, a developer should buy code signing certificate that establishes the software publisher’s reputation and ensures users that app code is secure and intact.

Conduct a Thorough Competitor Analysis

Remember the time when you first started your business? You sure had to perform a deep market study and competitor analysis before introducing your products and services? Developing any and every digital touchpoint for your business also demands the same.

Conduct a thorough market research to understand the gap that your app can fill and offer a comprehensive solution to your audience. An example will clarify this. Say, you want to allow your customers to book cab service effortlessly through the app. Now, why would they choose your app over the established ones like Uber or Ola? Is your service available in places where such industry giants don’t provide a service? Is your service cheaper or more convenient than them? Find the answers to these questions and use this insight while developing your mobile app.

Here are a few things to take into account:

  • Who are your competitors and what is their strategy?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors?
  • How can your application bring a difference from them?

Define Your Target Audience and the Key Features of Your App

As you can understand, we merged two points in one. That’s because, both of these points are complement to each other. Determine your target audience and find out their requirements. Then, include features and functionalities in your app accordingly to serve them the best.

Here are a few things to consider:

  • Which locality will your app serve? What are the requirements of your target audience in that locality?
  • Which age group will you cater to?
  • What will be the key features and functionalities of your app?
  • How can you make the app super easy to use?
  • Define the USP of your business and make sure to reflect that in your app.

Select A Platform

Before getting started with the app, you need to decide which type of application you want to develop – native or hybrid. This will decide the tech stack you have to choose or impact some features of the app.

If you engage professional mobile app development services, you may intimate the experts about the type of app you want. You can also seek their suggestion. For instance, if you offer a premium service, it’s okay to launch an iOS app. If you have adequate resources, you may develop distinct apps for Android and iOS devices. Again, if you want to reach a wide audience without spending too much bucks, you may build a hybrid app.

Select a Monetization Model

When you are investing in crafting a business app, you sure want to monetize it? Generating revenue is an obvious goal for crafting an application. Here are several monetization models. Pick the one you consider to be the most effective for your business:

Paid Apps – Here the users have to purchase the app while installing it from the app store. This is not a good option if you are just starting out. With so many industry giants’ apps available for free in the market, the users may not purchase yours.

Freemium – Such apps are free to download but the users have to pay to upgrade the app and unlock some exclusive features and content.

In-App Ads – Feature ads from different companies in your app and earn once the users click on it. However, ensure not to cloud your app with too many ads as these will affect the user experience.

In-App Purchase – Encourage the users to make a purchase in your app. You can sell digital or physical products in the app.

Marketing Strategy

Even before developing the app, it’s a good idea to create a buzz about it. If you already have a website, you can display the launching news of the app. If you don’t yet have a website, it’s time to create a landing page and make a stir among the audience. You can engage digital marketing services to drive more awareness.

Also, once the app is launched, share the app link through various social media channels to encourage more installs. You can create video content about your app to evoke people’s interest.

App Store Optimization

There are over 1.96 million apps in the Apple App Store (source: BuildFire) and 2.87 million apps in the Google Play Store (source: Statista). Without proper optimization, it’s not possible for your app to stand out from the crowd. Here are a few optimization tips:

  • Make sure that the app name is easy to pronounce and stay within the character limit (30 for Android, 50 for iOS). If you develop a hybrid app, keep the characters within 30.
  • Instead of using too many small details, use a clear colour palette for the icon. Also, using contrasting colours will enhance the visual appeal of the app.
  • Take some screenshots and upload them in the app store. Make sure that the screenshots have a high resolution and explain the work process of the app.
  • Ensure to write a compelling description. Especially, the first three lines of the description (before the “More…” link appears) should be clear, compact, and display the key features. Use bullet points and a call to action.
  • You can use a short preview video. It will engage more people and increase installs.

Adopt Adequate Security Measures

Bear these crucial points in mind before crafting a mobile app and you are good to go. Hope you have found the content useful. Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.

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