What to consider before building a mobile app for your business

uilding a mobile app is an essential part of establishing a successful business nowadays, however, there are some things you must consider first to develop an app that is the most organized and tailored to your specific business. To make your app as easy-to-use and customized as possible, refer to these helpful tips to build the perfect foundation for your application, before moving forward and eventually launching in the App Store:  

‍Know the Services & Content You Want to Offer

What types of features do you want in your mobile app? What demand will your app be fulfilling for your customers? Before you begin with the nitty gritty of building the app, you should first determine its features and functions. Determine if there will be payment transactions or an e-commerce feature and start thinking about regular content you could generate for your future users. The worst thing you can do is start developing without a vision or goal in mind. Your business is likely offering a specific product or service, so your app should be designed with that specific industry in mind.  

‍Know Your Audience

When creating your mobile app, you need to put your customers first. Your app should be constantly answering the question of how you can provide a better customer experience. As a business owner, you need to know exactly who will be downloading your app. According to a study by Clutch, a leading B2B ratings and reviews firm, consumers in the e-commerce industry increasingly look for high-tech and personalized experiences from shopping apps. Customers who download your app with the intention of buying your products and services expect customization, like product recommendations, social media integration, etc.  If your app won’t feature any online purchase transactions or require e-commerce features, find out what other types of services or features your customer base can benefit from, such as business information (contact info, store locations etc.), customer loyalty programs, or even shareable content. The key is to always have the convenience and enjoyment of your customers in mind.  

‍Have an Aesthetic & Design in Mind

Having a predetermined idea of how you want your app to look, including color scheme, font, and branding, makes it much easier for whoever is developing the app. In relation to point #2, your aesthetic and design should also be relevant to your target audience. As much as possible, the design and functionality should be appealing to most age groups. Having an app that is well-designed helps make relevant information and services accessible and easy to navigate with a minimal number of taps. You should be making the user experience as easy as possible. From tech experts to grandmas, everyone should be able to quickly and easily figure out how to use your app; that is the key to reaching the most users and getting the most out of your mobile app.  

‍DIY or Go for Pro?

Another important question to ask yourself is whether you want a professional developer or agency to build your app or you’d rather just do it yourself. If you’re trying to cut costs and do it yourself, there are mobile app builders such as Mobile Roadie, Appery.io and Good Barber that are fairly easy to use. These services require monthly or yearly fees ranging from $50 to $145 per month depending on the provider. If you decide to take this route, be sure to choose a provider that offers in-house maintenance and consultation services. No matter how tech-savvy you think you are, it’s always a good idea to establish maintenance and consultation services, just in case you stumble across a problem you can’t figure out.  According to a study by The Manifest, Nearly half of the 350 small businesses they surveyed (48%) spent less than $25,000 to design, launch, and build their mobile apps and caution that spending any less can risk producing an unsuccessful product. The price range of mobile app building agencies widely vary from $50 to $250 per hour depending on the provider. Aside from the actual building and development, businesses also need to take into account regular updates, marketing, and other development-related circumstances that go along with owning an app. Whichever option you choose, expect to shell out a significant investment in the process. This may take a large portion of your budget, but trust us: it will be worth it.  

Being visible and available wherever your customers are present is essential to the success of your business. It’s not longer feasible to count on a brick-and-mortar establishment or a mobile-responsive website to provide seamless customer experiences. Creating an app can benefit your business in countless ways, as long as you optimize your app based on the services or goods your business provides, centering it around your specific business goals. It may take some time, careful strategizing, budget allocation, and careful maintenance, but in the end, if executed properly, your app will allow you to expand your customer base, loyalty, and overall happiness exponentially.

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