Why should you build an app for your business? And how to build an app for the business? – The ultimate questions. If these questions bother you don’t worry we will be your guide.
This article will be key to unlocking the gates for your building your business application.
Modern dynamics of business
The era of digitization is reaching a point where every individual at this time dreams of transforming a business into an application. This further extends to all the big companies.
The traditional mindset of not having an online presence of business due to various risk factors has changed in recent times. Now that, mobile application development is at its peak we can observe a shift in the dynamics of online business.
Why the sudden shift?
The surge in the number of mobile users following the applications in the market is the reason behind the sudden shift. To put it another way, 7.1 billion people use mobile phones, so it is safe to assume that those devices have different apps installed as well.
The buzz- Build an app for my business
Basically, any organization or shop looks to maximize their reach by using technology, given that it’s fair to say they all looked up to mobile app as a solution for their business problems.
Should I build an App for My Business?
The sooner you get an answer to this question the better because you don’t want to join the race after it’s finished. Often in our analytical survey, we have observed that some of our clients delay their decision to make the app. To clarify, they join the competition late.
So, to make sure you don’t get stuck in the decision loop. Here are some important reasons to help you understand the importance of having a business application and why you should build an app for your business.
1. Business strategy
Generate New Leads and sales: Business strategy involves lots of different criteria. Mobile apps are visible to more users compared to a normal website. So, by having a business app you will be able to drive more sales compared to your previous endeavors.
2. Brand Image
Currently, branding services is a trend itself. Every startup aims to establish a brand for its services. However, they must start with developing a mobile application for their business.
The customer is attracted to your brand due to offers and schemes. So as long as you maintain that formula of delivering offers and schemes your brand image remains intact.
3. Operational costs
Operational cost is undoubtedly a key factor to consider while running a business. Many of the clients also ask us that how the business app will reduce the operational cost. We simply explain the difference between traditional business methodology and modern aspect of it i.e. Record maintaining is tough in traditional business style where staff has to hard copy for every record. While in the modern approach the application omits paperwork and is kept digitally.
4. Personalized Marketing
For personalized marketing, you need a direct approach. This will require an app for business. The application will not only provide you with direct reach but also gather data for analysis.
In addition, this data will include user sessions and behavior patterns of customer usage.
5. App store
If you are still thinking like, do you need to build an app for your business or not? Then this section will help you get the answer.
Presently, the App Store is a favorable source of earning money. So, when you build your mobile app and launch it on the app store you open a gateway to some new opportunities for earning money.
How to lure customers your way?
Firstly, you need to launch a free version of your app without premium features. This will draw the attention of various customers who are either looking for a new app or bored with the services they are using currently.
The premium features are available to customers once they pay for the subscription. Nowadays, big companies provide free-trial of premium features.
So, it’s no surprise that Netflix has an unbelievable 93% conversion rate on free trials. This is just astonishing when compared to Amazon Prime Video, which also holds an impressive 73% conversion rate.
The recent Netflix revenue statistics suggest the benefit Netflix has gained since the transition of its services through the app. It is said that it has 214 million active users in 2021 compared to 22 million in 2014.
Secondly, once your mobile app gains enough popularity you can allow other brands to run their ads so that will generate revenue which will be beneficial for business.
Thirdly, you can also ask users to pay for the download given you have a huge brand value, because, if you follow this step without established brand value you will see a decline in the number of users.
Summing up, mobile app development will help you increase the revenue for the business.
So, these were some important reasons justifying the question- why you need to build an app for your business.
By now we hope you have clarity on your thoughts on why build an app for your business.
Often we get queries like,
How do I build an app for my business? Where do I start or which is the best platform for mobile application development?
If you have similar queries and no answers then the next part is definitely for you.
How to create your own mobile app for business?
Here’s a brief answer,
Mobile application development process in 2022 follows 9 steps. However, these steps merge and form 3 phases –Research, Development, and launch.
Creating an app for a business:
⚪ Research Phase
In the research phase it is important you ask yourself the following questions
- What are the objectives of your app?
- What business goals will your app achieve?
- How will it appeal to your users?
- What problem App is going to solve?
- How will App make users’ life better?
- How will you market your app?
- Will you monetize your App?
Once you will ask these questions you will have a clear mindset to follow the steps in Research phase
Step 1: Decide Objectives
Before you jump to the step where you are directly starting with the development process hang on!
Companies spend lot of money for development of the application and the maintenance. But it’s not worth if the objectives are not clear, because this will ultimately leave you in a misery of not having your desired product.
There are many reasons to develop the app but important thing is your app must meet these two goals – user and business goal. This will help you answer the question why you want to build your business app?
Step 2: Plan Functionality and features
Once you are done with the objectives it’s time for second important thing for your app i.e. planning functionality and features. Here in this step you make a list of all the functionalities and features that you want in the application. So, the best way to execute this step will be to do market research. Yes, this will help you know where your idea stands in front of your competitors. While, researching your competitors you will also know what kind of functionalities and features you missed out on.
The only thing you need to worry about here is that you don’t add irrelevant features in the list of your functionalities and potential features.
Step 3: Research competitors
Research always spots out the most unthinkable facts and information. Researches fill in the gaps that you leave while you are working on something. So, researching your competitors will help you bring the best out of the idea that you have.
Also, when you research your competitor it gives you a list of things that you should probably avoid while you make your app.
⚪ Development Phase
This is a crucial phase in order to develop an efficient business mobile app. This phase consists of the following 4 steps.
Step 4: UI /UX design
For companies, it’s essential to address every possible interaction of users with the app through flow diagrams. This will also give a hint to the app’s navigation structure and will be easy to get accuracy in design. The application is brought to life through this step using wireframe, style guides, mockups and etc.
✦ Wireframe
Wireframe is basically a bridge between the raw thoughts and final product. The priority should be given to optimizing the number and sequence of app screens to reach your objectives.
Check out: Difference Between Wireframes and Mockups
✦ Mockups
Mockups are the ultimate renderings of your app’s visual design. Mockup is applying a style guide to the app wireframes. Adobe Photoshop is the most popular tool for creating high-fidelity mockups.
✦ Style guides
Style guides are for strategizing the app’s design with respect to the company’s brand. A proper style guide takes productivity of the app to next level. Style guides will also with consistency in apps appearance and one should consider app design guidelines from Apple and Google.
Step 5: App development path
The actual development through front-end and back-end is likely to take place here while integrating certain API’s for fast development of the application.
✦ Front end
The front-End part is what end-users use and so it is also termed client-side programming. All the structure, design, and interactive features you observe is using Front-end programming.
For offline functionality, the local storage data is used allowing users to access the app. For the front-end, you have to choose the technology stack associated with each mobile OS platform.
For,
Android Mobile App Development: Java or Kotlin
iOS Mobile App Development: Objective-C or swift
✦ Back-End (Server-Side)
This part covers database and server-side objects for the interaction of functions of the mobile app. If using an existing database, you might need to change the configurations to achieve the desired mobile app functionality.
The configuration of components in Back-End with the objects created during development should have proper testing done.
✦ API (Application Programming Interface)
API can be considered as a mode of communication between the Front-End and Back-End. API consists of different sets of protocols, practices, and tools. APIs are also used for GUI components.
Step 6: Build your app
Building quality application will take some time. Here are some key points for you to keep in mind :
- Get rid of unnecessary elements that do not support user’s tasks. The landing page is extremely essential so remember your content is the interface for your app
- Use single inputs wherever possible
- Don’t overdo push notifications
- Future proof your app
- Make proper choice for the database for fast execution of your app. Select the database based on: Data structure, Required size , speed and scalability.
Step 7: Testing of your app
This step ensures Quality, Stability, and Security as the application goes through both functional and non-functional testing.
Test cases provide the idea of the flow in your app. The functional requirements and objectives help to generate accurate test cases. So the involvement of a QA assurance team in the analysis and design steps would boost up the application development process.
Your app should go through the following testing methods for better quality.
- White box testing – Tests the internal structures and working of the app.
- Black box testing – Examines the functionalities of the application without the knowledge of internal structure or working flow of the app. here the tester is aware of certain actions that software is supposed to do but he/she doesn’t know how.
⚪ Launching phase
Deployment: The trickiest part, the reason being the stores of different platforms i.e. Google play store, apple store.
Step 8: Launch your app
For launching your app you will require a developer’s account with both Apple app store and Google play store.
Requirements of releasing app in store along with Meta data:
- Apps title
- Category
- Description
- Keywords
- Launch icon
After the submission in respective app stores, the app goes through a review process. The review process may take more time depending on the quality of the app you have launched and the guidelines being matched or not.
Step 9 : Promotion and App marketing strategy
✦ Pre-deployment
Before you deploy the developed application it is necessary to perform the first two steps thoroughly.
- Marketing Research: see what exists in the market and change your game plan accordingly.
- Create hype around app launch: There is nothing unethical about hyping your app before its launch i.e. advertising it, spreading it across social media platforms
✦ Post-deployment
Just going through the launching process will not be enough, because post-deployment steps are actually never-ending.
- Optimization of the app: The application will be launching in different stores. So, it’s necessary for you to optimize your app as much as possible. This can improve your chances of higher rankings.
- Monitor reviews: Reviews start popping once your application gets recognition. It is important to monitor those reviews and analyze them in order to improve the application in the future.
Key points to remember before developing an app in 2022
- While you hire an app development company make sure to choose the best and most experienced app development company to save time and money.
- Constantly discuss the app development team structure to be followed in your project
- Remember, never compromise UI/UX, the longer the user stays on your app more benefits to you
- Clarify the business model and revenue generation strategy
- In order to maintain customer loyalty and trust make sure you provide regular updates to your app
Is it important to build an app for your business? – Conclusion
An app is just like a missing piece of a puzzle that once fits in makes it complete, in this case, your business. The definite answer to the question is should I build an app for my business? –yes!
Pandemic has shown us that in order to sustain the business you need to have an app so your customers can easily have benefits in tough situations.
If you still have any queries you should get in touch with our experts!
