Key Steps in Developing a Successful Mobile App for Startups
Launching new business projects brings hope and challenges. The successful realization of business plans largely depends on the moment of entering the market. The more innovations and original solutions a startup offers, the more likely it will attract consumer interest.
Developing a custom mobile app helps reach the target audience quickly and effectively. If you enter the market with an app, you have a higher chance to launch it successfully. However, app development for startup takes some time and cannot be completed in 1 to 2 weeks. Learn about the stages of mobile app development to include this task in your business plans in advance.
Why Mobile Apps Are Crucial for Startups
Mobile applications are essential not only for gaining market share. They allow a startup to save money on performing multiple tasks. By reducing costs, a business will offer its consumers a lower price than competitors. It is one of the primary factors to enter the market. Thus, the main tasks that a startup can solve with a quality mobile app are as follows:
Saving money on operating costs for businesses;
Positioning the company as a tech-savvy player focused on the future;
Getting feedback from consumers to improve your services;
Optimizing internal business processes by automating routine tasks;
Saving advertising costs when promoting new products and services thanks to direct connection with consumers.
Successful Mobile App Development for Startups Key Steps
Viso (www.viso.software) is a leader in mobile app development. Its experience creating apps for various industries shows that a visually compelling and multifunctional app attracts consumers and drives sales. However, for a mobile app to be effective, developers must pay maximum attention to each stage, not just write code. Make sure that the IT company you collaborate with follows all six key stages of app creation.
Step 1: Define Your Goals and Target Audience
The concept of the application should be based on the business goals since the IT solution depends on what you want to achieve. A simple app created for the convenience of ordering your products and services differs significantly from complex IT solutions. The latter allows for achieving multiple goals:
Analyze and predict consumer behavior;
Optimize teamwork;
Offer consumers advisory services using an AI-powered chatbot;
Automate routine business tasks;
Create a single space for communication with suppliers, partners, subcontractors, etc.
Also, you should define your target audience since the choice of IT solution depends on your consumers' demands, preferences, and level of digital literacy.
Step 2: Create a Solid Plan and Strategy
Having defined your goals, you can begin creating a plan and strategy. The more ambitious your app is, the more time development and testing will take. The plan should include the following points:
Description and documentation of application requirements;
The composition of the team of developers, testers, designers, etc.;
Deadlines for completing all tasks;
Cost of implementing each task;
Risks and ways to overcome them;
A strategy for bringing the application to the market, etc.
Step 3: Choose the Right Development Method (Native, Hybrid, or Web App)
Before writing the technical specifications, select the application development method. Consumers have different preferences regarding downloading an app to their devices. Therefore, you need to study your target audience to choose the application type:
Web App is accessible from the user's browser and does not require downloading.
Native apps are developed for each operating system and device type. Consumers can use them only after installing apps on their devices.
Hybrid apps allow you to use common code across different operating systems and reduce development costs.
Step 4: Design an Intuitive User Interface (UI)
Find a design solution that will differentiate your app from the crowd. It should be visually appealing but functional and intuitive. Users should be able to navigate all the app's features without studying detailed tutorials or watching videos.
Step 5: Develop and Test the App
The main stage of creating an application is its development and testing, which take up most of the time. If you choose an experienced and affordable mobile app development company, it will provide a complete development cycle. It includes creating the application's functionality, testing for bugs and inconsistencies, and eliminating them.
Step 6: Launch and Market Your App
Launching an app on the market is not an easy task either. To raise its reputation, a business must use the services of leading marketplaces. Therefore, from the very beginning of its development, you should consider the policies of the App Store, Play Market, and other marketplaces. After your app has received approval for placement in app stores, you can recommend it for download to your consumers.
Conclusion
Startup business mobile app development consists of several key stages. Although the main stage is the development and testing, preparatory and release stages are also critical to its success. Therefore, to achieve the maximum effect from the launch of your application, choose an IT company that provides the full life cycle of its development.