Have you ever wondered what separated the ‘Angry Birds’ of the app world from the ‘My Talking Angela’ apps of the world? Never heard of ‘My Talking Angela’? That’s the point. If you’re looking to make a splash with your app, it’s got to be stellar. Not just good, and certainly not so-so. Here are the primary factors that separate the good from the not-so-good so that your app developers can get it right.
1. Determine the Precise Goals of Developing the App
Be specific about the goal or goals you plan to achieve with the mobile app. Otherwise, it’s not really a goal.
Unfortunately, ‘Everyone else is doing it,’ and, ‘Our boss told us to,” are really bad reasons to develop apps. Good goals include: engaging customers on a deeper level, generating more interest for products or services, and providing an easier way to receive customer service. Make specific and realistic goals for your app, and attach metrics to those goals so you know when you meet them.
2. Decide What the Trigger for App Use Is Going to Be
What makes users pick up their phones and click one of the apps they have? These things are called triggers. For example, the trigger for clicking your AccuWeather app or Fox News app is needing information. The trigger for clicking your Facebook app might be the need to connect with others socially. The trigger for clicking YouTube is probably to learn about something or to get some fast, easy entertainment. What will the trigger be for your users? If you don’t know this, neither will they.
3. Build in a Reward for Using the App
The reward is what the customer gets out of using your app. The reward might be information or entertainment or social engagement, but there has to be a reward to keep users coming back for more.
4. Engage in Thorough and Rigorous Testing
Usually, by the time an app gets to the testing phase, developers and their superiors are just ready to get the app to market, already. This is a mistake. Take the time to test thoroughly and rigorously. Address any issues, questions, problems, or concerns that arise during the testing phase. Were your testers confused about what a feature did or how to do a particular function? Fix it now, before it gets to market.
5. Keep Updating and Improving the App
No app ever rolled out perfect. Continue listening to customer feedback and making updates and changes until it’s a truly excellent app.
No app has ever been released in its perfect form. As more users take advantage of your app, listen to comments and feedback and make changes accordingly. Just avoid over-doing the changes. You don’t want to eventually un-do the thing that made your app hugely popular to begin with.
The developers at Glance have been through this process with customers scores of times. Contact us today to get started developing your next stellar mobile app!
