May 3, 2018
Everything you always wanted to know about apps (but were afraid to ask)
Alessio Mazzucco from H-FARM Consultancy
Do you remember the end of Star Wars — Episode IV? The rebels led by Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker needed to destroy the Black Death before the powerful Empire’s war station hit the last surviving planet where they were based. There was only one chance to accomplish this action: shooting to the Black Death’s core through a narrow and small corridor opening on the surface of the station. Bad enough for the Rebels. The apps’ world looks almost the same.
Just imagine the Black Death as a market full of consumers, apps, advertising, preferences, trends, etc.
Then imagine you need to hit the core of the Black Death, meaning reaching the audience you want: you have a narrow corridor representing your potential customer's attention, the perceived usefulness of your app, the right narrative to make people download (and use) it. Good luck.
Take a look at these data:
in 2016, there were 149.3 billion downloads on Google Play. In March 2017, there were 2.7 million apps on Google Play. 80% of apps are abandoned by the first three months since download; 64% of apps are abandoned by the end of the first month since download. 38% of downloads are made only to complete an acquisition process, and 50% of these apps are deleted immediately after the purchase.
What can we do?
It would be wonderful to have the magic formula and find the right path for a successful app. In the meantime, here are some myths to debunk:
First myth: I need an app!
Answer the following questions:
1. Which role my app plays in my business?
2. Which is the role my app plays for my customers?
3. How does my app fit in my corporate ecosystem?
Understand the big picture first, think about an app later!
Second myth: Every functionality offered by our competitors shall be mine
Imagine you are crafting a Swiss cutter but you forget the blade. Or maybe you insert the blade… under a thousand of functionalities! Do you know the concept of the paradox of choice? It says that the more choices you have, the less happy you are. So don’t add everything, just what is needed.
Third myth: If I create an app, my customers will use it
Many companies use tricks, a good marketing approach, or just strong communication to make customers download their apps. They forget that downloading an app is not the purpose: use is the purpose. Firstly, study your potential users, their social environment, culture, habits, the average technology they use, etc.
Fourth myth: My app should offer everything that is already on my website
Take Starbucks or Airbnb, their apps offer something completely different from their websites. Look at the best practices in the market: probably, they are successful thanks to their choices.
Fifth myth: I know what my customers want, therefore I won’t try something new
A new app competes with other 3 million apps. It’s like a new song: how do you spread it around despite the competition? Disruption and freshness are key elements. And if you are not convinced, have a look at how you can disrupt an app in a sector such as the weather forecast:
Sixth myth: let’s make my app hybrid so it does work on everything
A hybrid app is a web app embedded in a frame with native mobile functionalities. Are they the future? It depends: from a technological point of view there is no big difference, but they are simpler. Look at your customers’ needs and offer the best and easiest solutions.
Key takeaways
1apps are not compulsory, sometimes they are just useless additions to services.
2if you don’t believe that sentence 1 is right, ask yourself how an app would integrate into your corporate ecosystem, what you would like to offer, and what are your customers’ preferences.
3 imagine something disruptive that can actually change your clients’ lives.
I want to thank the UX and Graphic Design teams for the data and the hints gathered for this article.
