Development and Testing
It all started as a weekend project. I wanted to try the Square’s retrofit Android library and the result is the Hungry? application. When I shared the first private beta version with my friends they all liked it and I decided it is worth to spend some more time on this.
The first version was not impressive, nor ready for going public, but it was working and that was the most important part. I had never previously done any UI design but I wanted to give it a try. The journey was not easy because I knew how I wanted my app to look like, but didn’t know how to make that possible. Lucky for me, I have received some great tips from engineers and designers who were testing my app.
Going public
When the UI polishing was done, I published the app on Google Play and I made a post on Reddit and the number of active users and total installs started to increase. The first week ended with ~600 installs and ~400 active users. That was a lot more than I expected. I started talking with users on Reddit and Google Play, finding out what they want and expect from my app. Some of the features suggested by the users are already implemented, others are in the backlog for the next versions.
More than 50% of first 500 users were from US, even though I didn't target them or any other country specifically. The app is simply working from everywhere. At this point, I decided to spend some small budget on Facebook Ads and target US mobile users who like restaurants. With 40$ total budget in 3 targeted campaigns during 3 weeks, I made it to #3 in Top New Free Travel & Local applications in US. It’s a lot easier when you get to the Top New Free section on Google Play. Campaigns finished, but I was still getting new users and what is more important, new reviews and shares.
Currently the app has a total number of 7680 downloads and 4015 active users. I’ll continue working on this during my spare time (mostly weekends). I know it can’t be the next big thing but it’s an effective toy for practicing and learning.
Conclusion
Always build the app you want to use and never give up on your weekend projects. Early testing and talking with users is key for delivering great app to the market. Don’t be affraid to market your app when there is a chance for that. Even with small budget you are able to boost your app statistics.
