When you get an idea of your business app, there will be hundreds of questions and uncertainty popping up parallel to the idea. You don’t need to worry about these confusions as it is normal, especially the first time when you step into a tech business lineup. But if you fail to overcome it at the right time, it tends to throw you for a loop. Based on our vast experience in mobile app development, we prepared an authorized and practical approach to turn your app idea from your dreams to the actual tech market. Let’s take a look at the ultimate guide to put your thoughts in order and turn your idea into a successful trending app.
“I have an idea for an app. How and where should I start…?
Step 1: Research The Tech Market
With nearly 3.6 Million apps on Google Play Store and 2.7 Million apps on iOS App Store, it’s not at all easy to beat the competition. Here you have to analyze the comparison of your app’s utility with similar competitors’ applications. But another question that fuels up here is how you can analyze your competitors. So, you have to make list of top five leading competitor apps in your app category and analyze following things:
- Strengths, Weaknesses, Growth Opportunities and Potential Threats.
- Crucial App Features
- What attracts you to its UI/UX design? Look for original graphical elements and top notch technologies being used.
- Drawback that app faces.
- User acquisition mediums ( targeted audience, traffic resources, marketing campaigns, etc.)
- Revenue sources (free functions, paid features, monetization strategies)
- App Rating (users’ reviews, rankings, app store ratings on different platforms).
The primary reason behind the success of the mobile app is to resolve emerging issues of targeted users effectively. It is a big secret that if your app is capable of managing a particular problem better than other apps is the key to your app’s success. In simple words, you have to analyze it from the user’s point of view. Observe the problems you might face as a user, find out how the users prefer to get them solved and how much the user is enjoying your application.
“I have done the market research for my app idea. What to do next?…
Step 2: Create Your Business Plan
You are up with lots of valuable information after market research. But yet you won’t be able to clarify how to start developing an app. Rather than bitting a big chunk and chewing it, you should slice and dice your business idea on paper in the shape of a business plan. Your business plan should be shaped according to the following factors:
Explain your Proto Persona: You should compose a portrait of your target users based on your app characteristics. Also, define and classify your target active and paying users.
Sketch your App Functionalities: Make a list of features that your app should have. Then divide them into crucial parts like the features to develop first and extra features that you can update later. Moreover, make the mockups of app screens and trace the user flow through it.
Evaluate your Unique Value Proposition (UVP): Think of the unique features that will make your app superior to other apps already available on app stores. This killer feature will be that essential feature to attract your competitors’ users too. The more powerful is your UVP, the more it will enhance its power call to action (CTA).
Choose a Monetization Model: All your efforts and investments will be ruined if your app plan does not include a monetization model. There are five standard models one can use to monetize its app. You can either use more than one model at a time also.
- Advertising ( Using Ads and Banners)
- Freemium ( Combination of Free and Paid Features)
- Premium Subscription ( Member to access specific content)
- In-App Purchase ( Selling physical products, virtual goods, etc. in the app)
- Paid Apps ( Must pay before downloading the app)
Choose the Priority Platform: To reach out to maximum people, you should launch an app on Android and iOS platforms. But building two apps for two different platforms can be pretty costly. However, if you have a limited budget, consider finding out which platform is more prevalent among your intended audience.
“If I don’t know how to code, how will I develop my app?…
Step 3: Choose The Best App Developers In The Town
If you are not a technical programmer, then after business planning, you have to look for one who can execute your app idea. Whom should you hire a team of developers or a software development company? All these depend on the following factors:
- How platforms do you aim at publishing your app?
- Do you plan to develop an app from scratch, or will you go for a ready-made app with a bit of customization?
- What are your project deadlines and budget for app development?
- How many features do you want in your app, and what is the complexity level of your app?
Developing a full-fledged mobile app involves many development stages, from writing code, managing data, creating the design, testing the app’s quality, and controlling team performance. If you are not familiar with coding, then the technical resources you will need are:
- iOS Developer
- Android Developer
- Backend Developer
- UI/UX Designer
- QA Specialist
- Project Manager
I have an idea for an app but no money in my hand. Can I still develop my app? If yes, then how?…
Step 4: Raise Funds
Lack of financial resources for starting a business isn’t a new story. So if you have a fantastic app idea and no money in your hand to start your business, it’s not doomsday. Here are some sources funding your mobile app startup business:
- Personal Finances
- Friends and Family Partnership
- Services and Events for Raising Funds for Startups
- Post Your Idea and Get it Fund by Crowdfunding
- Find Sponsors for your App at Accelerators
- Angel Investors Sharing Certain Percentage of Business
- Venture Companies
- Private Software Development Companies Partnership ( Clustox is also up for partnership offer to new tech startups)
- Bank Credit
If you want to increase your app idea chances to attract substantial investment, creating a demo version of your app is the best method. A working application prototype will have the power to convince people to finance your app idea. Basically, a prototype lets you demonstrate your app idea in understandable actions instead of simply showing a rough sketch on paper.
“I have secured funding for my app idea. Now, what’s next?…
Step 5: Build An MVP
Done with market research, drawing up your business plan, securing financial support, now it’s time to validate your app idea. There is no need to develop a fuller version of the app to launch it. Today, everyone follows the faster and cheaper way to assess the viability of an app idea by building a minimum viable product (MVP). As the name suggests, the MVP of an app includes a minimum set of features that your app can’t function without. However, building an MVP will solve the following tasks just in one go:
- You have to check the viability of the app idea.
- It helps business owners get early adopters and receive valuable feedback.
- Give a clear vision of the target audience.
- It keeps the development time and costs lower.
- It makes it possible to generate revenue in the early stages
- It serves as a powerful source to attract more prominent investors.
“My MVP is developed; still, I need to do more with my app idea?…
Step 6: Keep On Improving Your App
Once after building an MVP, you move to the following tasks: testing, getting feedback, fixing bugs, and advancing the application with new features. However, this cycle keeps on repeating from testing, adjusting flaws, and releasing.
“How can I take my app idea to the next level of the market?…
Step 7: Expand Your App Stores’ Presence
Besides focusing on improving your app’s functionalities, you should also focus on how to keep users using your app. Another duty that you have to perform is to figure out how to get higher-paying customers that will consistently boost your revenue. Along with increasing your revenue, you also need to implement marketing strategies to become a brand recognized worldwide. The three tasks you have to perform for increasing your app presence are:
- Ensure maintenance and support to build a successful business for a long time. Your support should include user assistance, response to requests, technical support, and regular updating of help information.
- The best way to increase user engagement and generate more revenue is to offer users something extraordinary. The more cutting-edge features you provide, the more users will spend time in your app.
- Well-organized marketing campaigns can drive ever-increasing traffic to your app and make it shine brighter than rivals. Some of these well thought out marketing strategies and tools are:
- SEO/ASO Services: Search Engine Optimization and App Store Optimization aim at a single goal – to show your app to the users searching for that specific niche. Some of the tools that top software marketing companies use for keyword research are; Google Trends, AnswerThePublic, and AlsoAsked.
- Social Media Campaigns: According to market research, it shows that social networks are the most potent resources to target audiences and post an attractive app pitch.
- Influencers: Another effective way of advertising is to collaborate with influencers who can promote your product among their millions of followers.
- App Contests: To reach out to more app audiences, you can participate in various digital app contests and competitions. To find out about such competitions and participate in them, you can check out BestMobileAppAward.
Final Words
Are you feeling excited when coming up with an app idea that can make people’s day-to-day activities more thrilling and convenient? At Clustox, we are excited to take part in creating custom mobile applications to give a digital presence to your business. Here let’s combine your app ideas with our capabilities and develop a mobile application. Ready with all the plans? Drop us a line to begin.