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If you have an excellent idea for an app, hiring a custom mobile app development services provider is the next logical step you should take, right? Well, it turns out there are quite a few things you’ll need to do to create a successful product.
The following guide will take you through every step of this process and offer all the resources you’ll need. Then, armed with a plan of action, you’ll create an app that will turn in profit while helping people.
Now is a great time to get into custom enterprise application development. The industry is piping hot, and the number of app users is growing fast. In addition, smartphone users today spend close to three hours daily using different apps. With the smartphone penetration rate growing rapidly, you shouldn’t miss out on the chance to launch an app that will become the next big sensation. Mobile app development is the future, so act on your ideas fast.
Custom Mobile App Development Services: Going Above and Beyond
Why having a great idea for an app is not enough
Mobile and web apps are popular, everyone knows this. But have you ever thought about exactly how popular they are?
In the last quarter of 2020, over 3.14 million apps were in Google Play Store and over 2 million in App Store. However, bear in mind that those aren’t the only app stores on the Web. Also, there are specialized custom apps that only work within enterprises or businesses. Therefore, the actual number of unique applications is enormous.
It shouldn’t be a surprise as the mobile app revenues are projected to reach over $935 billion by 2023. So naturally, everyone wants a piece of that pie.
All things considered, even if your idea is unique and lucrative, getting noticed will be tough. That’s why you need to think well beyond end-to-end application development. You’ll have to finance, market, and support your product to give it a chance at success. Moreover, you’ll require assistance from experts in various fields. It can make the difference between launching a breakthrough product and failure.
Follow the steps below if you are hyped up and sure that your idea has a fighting chance.
Before You Get to Custom Mobile App Development Services
Conduct a thorough market research
When you get an idea for an app, the first thing you should do is research the market. Questions you need to answer:
- Who is your target audience?
Decide who will use your app. First, you need to understand these people’s age, gender, and education level. Also, research the apps they are using already. Finally, find out what devices they prefer. - How is your app going to benefit people?
- Are there already apps similar to the one you have in mind?
If yes, how is yours going to be different? - What are the current trends in custom mobile app development services?
- What apps are most popular now?
What’s unique about their design or functionality? - Who are your future competitors going to be?
- What do those companies and their products offer to customers?
- How can your app be better?
- Should you look for end-to-end application development or a different type of development service?
Quality market research takes a lot of time and effort. However, any business that wants to succeed today must be built on relevant Big Data analysis. You can’t create a project using only conjectures, rumors, or subjective opinions. Therefore, you’ll have to do dozens of searches and study multiple industry reports.
Develop your USP by studying future competitors
As an aspiring app creator, the primary source of information on mobile application development solutions should be your competitors. As Mark Twain said, “there is no such thing as a new idea.” Therefore, there’s a high chance that a product similar to the one you want to launch already exists. You’ll need to study all these solutions to make sure that your own stands out. That’s how you’re going to develop a unique selling proposition (USP).
In case you have the incredible luck of being the first, study the apps most popular with your target audience. Then, install those yourself and analyze them thoroughly.
Analyze the following:
- What kind of UI/UX design do they have?
- What features do they offer?
- How do they benefit the user?
- Why do you think people like them?
If you have direct competitors, you’ll need to do your best to find out everything about their products.
- What programming languages did they use?
- How do they market their products?
- What kind of monetization strategy do they use?
- What are the exact features of their apps?
Also, you should take the time to go through reviews of your competitors’ products on AppStore and Google Play. Take notes of the features users like and their most common complaints.
Finally, analyze all this data and highlight the weaknesses and holes in the strategies of your competitors. Then, start building your own plan by turning those issues into your product’s strengths. Again, the enterprise mobile app development company you choose should help you with this.
Create an app monetization plan
Obviously, the app you are building should bring profit. And to do that, you need to decide precisely how you are going to monetize it. This decision will be an essential part of the business plan you’ll use to obtain financing. Therefore, be sure to think about this carefully and compare the pros and cons of every method. In addition, take a look at how your competitors monetize their products.
The most common mobile app monetization strategies are:
- In-app purchases.
The number of purchases made through mobile apps keeps growing steadily. So, this can be an excellent option for many industries. However, if you plan to use this method, you’ll need to discuss it closely with your end-to-end application development team. They will need to create this type of functionality for your product or integrate a third-party payment provider. - Data monetization.
You might not require any additional custom mobile app development services if you choose monetization through selling data. Of course, you’ll have to be upfront about this and ensure complete confidentiality. If you can do this, selling some types of user data to third parties can be highly lucrative. For example, this information can be used in market studies, like the ones you used to develop your business plan. - Subscription plan.
Use the freemium model if you want to go with a subscription plan. You should either offer a free trial of the app or make some of its basic functionality free to use. So people will be motivated to try it and see if they want to buy the product. - In-app advertising.
Remember, if you use in-app ads, make sure they aren’t annoying.
Develop an app wireframe
After settling with your idea and developing a business plan, it’s time to create an app wireframe. It’s a task for your custom mobile app development services provider.
Think of a wireframe as a blueprint for your product. Many people mistakenly believe that a wireframe must include application design. However, it’s not true. The purpose of a wireframe is to show what exactly your product will do. Therefore it must consist of:
- Page elements
- Possible actions
- Object categories
- Conversion and navigation areas
- Content prioritization
You will present this wireframe to possible investors. In addition, you’ll use it within the team to ensure everyone is on the same page about the product.
When developing the wireframe, keep in mind that it has to show every step of the user’s journey. It will also help you see whether you need to cut some of the steps. Do not forget that users prioritize convenience above all in mobile apps. Therefore, every additional click or page load might bring down your revenue.
It doesn’t really matter what the wireframe looks like. So, you don’t have to invest in designer services before making it. However, you can provide some concept art for possible designs to add to your business plan presentation.
You don’t even need to have a logo at this stage of the project. Therefore, you can use your resources efficiently to maximize app functionality while looking for financing.
Where to Get Financing for Mobile Application Development Solutions
The cost of custom mobile app development services varies depending on multiple factors. Sadly, many great application ideas never make it past that stage because people cannot secure financing.
The good news is that today, you can explore many avenues to get money for your app. So, even if you don’t have a starting capital and banks refuse you a loan, you still have options.
- Crowdfunding.
Crowdfunding is a great financing option nowadays. It’s a very effective way to fund custom mobile app development services. However, you’ll need to launch a good marketing campaign early for your crowdfunding efforts to be effective. Otherwise, people won’t know much about your idea, and they won’t have the motivation to fund it. Today’s best crowdfunding platforms are Indiegogo, Gofundme, Mightycause (for non-profits), and StartEngine. - Angel investors or venture capitalists.
Both angel investors and venture capitalists are businesses or individuals who can fund your app if they consider it promising. Angel investors usually offer funds at the beginning stages of development. On the other hand, venture capitalists are more likely to join when the app creation process is already in the works. - Startup finance programs.
A wide range of small business grants and financing programs are available in the US and worldwide. These financing options are highly versatile, and often entrepreneurs don’t know that there might be government-backed help open to them. Therefore, be sure to research these options and look up any programs available in your community. But remember that such programs and grants usually have rather specific requirements. So, you might need to adjust your product plan to make it compliant.
Custom Mobile App Development Services: How to Find the Right Developers for You
After you secure financing, you should start looking for a reliable provider of custom mobile app development services. Your development company should be trustworthy and consist of people you can connect with on a personal level. These professionals will translate your vision into a real-life product. Therefore, they must be able to assume your perspective and understand exactly what you want to accomplish.
The search for such professionals should start with studying their portfolios and case studies. It’s usually best to hire developers who have experience with the type of apps you want to create. It means that to get a fantastic online store, you should hire an experienced eCommerce application development company. This way, you can ensure that developers understand the niche and know how to overcome its challenges.
However, you shouldn’t discard the idea of hiring an enterprise mobile app development company that’s new to the niche. If the company’s case studies are impressive and versatile, they prove that these developers are skilled and creative no matter the challenge.
Overall, the qualities you should look for in an end-to-end application development provider include:
- Impressive portfolio and customer testimonials
- Willingness to sign an NDA from the start to ensure the security of your idea
- Effective project management skills
- Good communication with the customer to keep you updated about the progress
- High development and testing standards
- Wide range of QA testing measures to make sure your app performs well when it’s launched
- Putting the client’s needs and vision first
Remember, you should hire an app development team that will work with you to bring your idea to life.
Next Level of Custom Mobile App Development Services: Launch an MVP
One of the best ways to start your mobile app business is to launch an MVP to start attracting people as soon as possible. MVP stands for a minimum viable product. Basically, it’s a ‘barebones’ version of your application. However, it’s good enough for people to actually use.
An MVP of a mobile application must have all the essential features so customers can use it. Those users then can provide truly invaluable feedback. It can help you understand what works and what doesn’t. But most importantly, you will be able to see the right direction for moving forward.
Releasing an MVP is essential not only to start making money sooner. The main goal of this business model is to avoid wasting your money on developing unnecessary features. In this case, the whole process of future development is based on the feedback loop you can build with your users.
Note that your MVP can validate the very idea of your product at the starting level. After that, you will get to see the market response to it. Unfortunately, some apps never make it past an MVP. But many more undergo complete transformations as the owners adapt them to real-life user responses.
In addition, you get a chance to find some new business opportunities. The feedback you get will be much more informative than impersonal market studies. So, you’ll be able to exploit other potential business avenues in the niche.
In essence, launching an MVP can be considered a large-scale type of A/B testing. Therefore, use this opportunity carefully to refine your idea into a product that will truly rock the market.
Marketing: Must-Have Step for Custom Mobile App Development Services
It’s essential to understand that no matter how good your idea is or how well the custom mobile app development services company does its job, no one will know about your product without marketing. Nowadays, a good marketing strategy is not some kind of luxury for big corporations. On the contrary, it’s a must-have feature for any business, no matter how small.
Also, if you want to launch a successful app, you’ll need to think about marketing even before looking for an end-to-end application development company. It’ll be necessary to attract investors, as well as to generate some hype for the launch.
Start by creating a marketing plan for your app. You can find free templates like this one from HubSpot. While building your project, keep in mind that a marketing campaign for a mobile app should include the following stages:
Awareness generation stage: pre-custom enterprise application development
At this stage, you need to focus on raising product visibility. Therefore, it will be best to launch a social media campaign. You’ll need to establish your brand online and build up a following. Use advertisements and, if possible, influencer endorsements.
It’s also imperative to get involved in a variety of industry-specific groups. Bear in mind that you’ll need to post not only self-promotional content. To attract attention through social media groups, you’ll have to become an active member and build a reputation as an expert. Then, you can start sharing information about your upcoming product launch.
Note that these groups might help you attract not only future app users but also investors and business partners.
User acquisition stage
At this stage, your priority is to get people to download your app as much as possible. You also need to track all downloads to see which of your channels perform best. Then, focus on them to grow your user base.
Using paid ads will be very effective at this stage. However, you will also need to work on your app’s page optimization in the app store. It’s very similar to SEO, as you’ll also need to optimize the app description for searchable keywords. Your goal here is to increase app visibility on the platform.
In addition, you should try pitching your app to the app store’s editorial team to get it featured. It will boost visibility and increase your authority as a creator.
User retention stage
Having people download your app will be of little help if they don’t use it. Therefore, it’s imperative to establish communication with your users and keep them involved. You can do this through push notifications, email marketing, and organizing various in-app events and contests.
Also, be active with your social media marketing. Remember that you should communicate with users outside the app as well.
Finally, publish regular updates and request feedback. In addition, be sure to reply to all user comments.
How to Get More Downloads: App Store Optimization Tips
When uploading your app to any app store, you need to remember that these stores use an inner search protocol. It means that you need to apply SEO principles to your app page as you do for websites. This way, the chance of your app appearing in the store users’ search results will be higher. Therefore, your download rate should go up as well.
The most important thing for app store optimization is to use relevant keywords in your product description. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner to find the right keywords for your niche.
Bear in mind that you’ll also need to use these keywords in the title. The title must be compelling and stand out. After uploading it, search for your app yourself to see how easy it is to find using keywords. Compare with the other titles in your niche and think of what you can do better.
Another important part of app store optimization is choosing the images to include in the app description. From the app icon to screenshots, every image must be top quality. You also need to select the most compelling pictures to show off your product in the best possible way.
Finally, be sure to add a video as this is the most popular type of content today. Internet users prefer watching videos to get info quickly. Therefore, you need to give them a chance to see your app in action through a short clip. You can’t make it too long, so show the app’s most valuable feature first.
End-to-End Application Development Isn’t Really “The End”: Monitoring Your App Post Launch
Now that you’ve successfully built and launched your app, you need to decide what to do with it. There are two routes before you. One is to sell the project, thus entrusting its future to someone else. Or, you can keep working on it yourself.
If you choose the latter option, you’ll be in for a great ride.
In this case, you’ll need to determine KPIs to track the project’s progress. Then, perform detailed assessments, monthly or weekly, to see whether the app lives up to your expectations.
In the meantime, you’ll need to keep your iOS/Android app development company involved to monitor technical app performance. Also, a team of engineers will have to keep working on updates and improvements for the solution.
Finally, you’ll need to provide your product with maintenance and customer support teams. Luckily, these services can be largely automated and entrusted to AI-powered solutions.
It’s crucial to understand that your work as the product owner doesn’t stop at end-to-end application development. If you want people to keep using your app and spend money, you need to keep improving it. Adding new exciting features, organizing events, and tracking product performance will keep your product profitable for years to come.
Bottom Line: Using Custom Mobile App Development Services to Make Your App Idea a Reality
If you have a fantastic idea for an app, you should treat it as a full-scale business project, from creating a business plan and attracting investors to end-to-end application development. Launching your app and making sure it succeeds will take a lot of work. However, seeing the results is sure to be highly fulfilling, not to mention the product’s profit.
To bring your idea to life, you’ll need to study the market, make a great business plan, obtain funding, find a reliable enterprise mobile app development company, engage a marketing team, and ensure that your product has continuous support. The Devtorium team is ready to do all that and more! Contact us, and we’ll be happy to assist in bringing your vision to reality.
