Mobile apps have become parts of businesses both big and small. Everyone from retail clothing outlets to ice cream sellers now seems to have an app. If your company is in the process of developing or considering developing an app, here are several tips to keep in mind:
Make It Unique
Modern consumers are always on the hunt for something different, fresh and new. No one will want to use your app if it offers the same thing countless others do. Your app must be as unique as your business model. You don’t offer Thai food if the area you are in has a dozen Thai food restaurants. This business logic applies to Apps Development as well. There’s little point in developing an app unless it offers something new that the users can start liking.
Prioritise Ease of Use
Clearly, the app would have to be very easy to use to appeal to customers. Choose an elegant but minimalist layout that offers an intuitive user interface. Your app should be easily navigable to even an amateur smartphone user, like an elderly individual. Ease of use also means not stuffing your app with too many buttons and scroll-down bars.
Design Based on What Users Want
If you want people to use your app vigorously, you will have to develop it in accordance with user’s expectations. Before you come up with the concept for an app, evaluate user expectations. This is what really matters in the end, not what the business wants the app to be like. If you deliver according to user expectations, you app will of course be a success.
Eliminate App Load Time
Just like with web pages, mobile apps should not take too long to load. The app should almost instantly load once the user clicks on the app button. If too many seconds pass between opening the app and loading, you will lose users. A progress indicator will help users who have to wait. So, make sure that app you develop is speedy as it can possibly be.
Extend Usability to Offline Content
Predict in advance that users will not always have access to a network when using your app. So, your app will have an advantage if it can be used offline as well. For example, apps like Ever note are successful because they offer plenty of offline content. Keep in mind that smartphone users in particular try to save battery power as much as they can. That means going offline once in a while. These users do look for things to do when offline, so an app with offline content would be very appealing.
Optimise for Different Operating Systems
When it comes to mobile operating systems, one size does not fit all. You should optimise your app to work flawlessly on both Android and iOS platforms. This will require executing different types of code. Also, do not entirely neglect Windows and Blackberry operating systems either. If you have a significant amount of incoming app traffic from these lesser-known mobile operating systems, then you should take steps to optimise the app for those as well. Keep in mind never to ignore Android optimisation in favour of iOS. While Apple has a strong mobile market, Android is the most used platform worldwide.
Last but not least, you must rigorously test the app. Testing may have to go on even after the app has launched.
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