At Red C, we hear brilliant mobile app ideas every day. But what we have learnt over the past 15 years is that a great idea cannot succeed alone. A great mobile app idea takes a great deal of groundwork from concept to completion to be truly successful. Hence, before the development process begins, it is crucial to have a strategy that outlines key app features, a target audience and a marketing and distribution plan for potential users. With every technical choice there is to be made, these three focal points must be taken into consideration as they will largely determine the final look and feel of your app. Here are our top tips for a successful mobile app:
1. Focus On Solving One Key Issue
At Red C, we have found that clients can easily become distracted from their original app concept with the idea of added features. However, we stress that during development it is essential to stick to the original scope of work, as adding extra features too early on could make your app look busy, feel confusing and take away from its fundamental purpose.
The key to success is to focus on developing your app’s main functionality first, as other features can always be added later on in Phase 2. This way, when your app is released in the Stores, it is simple for users to understand and operate from the get-go. We ensure that each project starts with a strong motive to create a productive way of performing one particular task. This way, it is easy to form a smooth user journey from start to finish that has a clear purpose and a specific outcome.
2. Select Your Target Market
With competition tougher than ever before, it is key that your app is aimed at a target market. The more you know about your potential users, the more effectively developers can tailor your app to their needs. This requires serious research on demographics. Make sure to know the location, age, and sex of your users, as the tone of your app will depend on these factors. Also, think about what your users do on a day to day basis. Are they professionals / students / singles? And what is it they are looking to gain from using your app?
3. Outstanding Intuitive Design
A Clear straightforward design is at the heart of a successful app. At Red C, we understand that customers seek clear, slick designs that are visually striking and easy to follow. Having a design in mind is always beneficial so that your UX/UI designer has something to work with. You want to create the right look and feel for your target audience, so consider what colours and fonts will be most appealing to them.
If you’re a company, you may want to use your existing brand colours and font for consistency. However, if you’re a startup, this is a new and exciting stage that calls for a creative flare. Yet again, research is key; If your app is aimed at professionals, maybe dark colours and formal language is best? / If your app is aimed at students, maybe light colours with casual language is best?
4. Smooth User Journey
A smooth user journey is a fundamental part of your app’s success because users do not have the time or patience to figure out how to use a complicated app. The user journey must be simple to navigate with clearly laid out buttons that have obvious functionalities. Consistency in style and colours which show up well on screen are also important, otherwise, users can become frustrated and give up too soon.
5. Connected and Easily Shareable
In an increasingly connected world, users expect information at their fingertips in real time. Luckily, the power of apps lies in their capability to connect people and share data. Therefore, social sharing on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is key to the success of your app. One way of doing this is to incorporate a viral mechanism into the core functionality of your app that encourages users to invite their friends. For example, you could have a pop-up that states: “Share this on Facebook to enter our competition!” or “Invite a friend to unlock the next level!”
6. Collects Valuable Data — Analytics
Another secret to building a successful app includes collecting valuable data and listening to your customers. For example, using a tracking tool means that you can measure the activity on your app and monitor what features are the most popular. Thus, you can improve and update your app according to user needs.
7. Marketing and Distribution Plan
At Red, we have noticed that customers often make the mistake of spending all their budget on development. We would suggest leaving a third of your budget for marketing. Good marketing platforms often depend on your target audience, but social media platforms such a Facebook and Instagram are often good places to start. It is essential to attract the first batch of users to test metrics and understand the real value of each user before moving onto more systematic campaigns.
To find out more, please contact me on zara@red-c.co.uk
