In today’s modern society, we rely heavily on mobile apps in our daily lives. We use mobile apps constantly, from social media to banking to online shopping. In fact, the average UK adult spends 6 hours 58 minutes on their screens – nearly 30% of each day! The app development industry has exploded in recent years due to the rise in demand for apps. In this blog, we will cover what mobile apps are, some of their potential benefits, and the steps needed to create a successful mobile app.
This umbrella term of ‘mobile apps’ can be broken down into three types of development; native, hybrid, and web. Platform-specific programming languages like Swift and Java are used to create native apps for certain platforms such as iOS and Android. Alternatively, Hybrid apps can be installed on several platforms and are created using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Finally, web technologies are used to create web apps, which are then run in a browser and can be used from a number of devices, making them more flexible in their use cases.
By developing mobile applications, small and large businesses have the potential to reach a larger audience and boost customer engagement by being just one click from the home screen of users. Users may access information, goods, and services easily with mobile apps while they’re on the go. Mobile apps from a business may also enhance customer satisfaction, boost brand loyalty, and increase revenue if done successfully.
Let’s now examine the steps needed to create an effective and successful mobile app:
Idea Generation.
Having a fantastic idea is the first step in creating a successful mobile application. You must decide on an issue or need that your software can address. This step will lay the foundation for future parts of the app development. You should think and refine a USP (unique selling point), which will distinguish your app from similar apps already on the market.
Research, Research, Research.
After having a concept, the following stage is to determine whether there is a market for your app by conducting market research. Identify a target market for your app – may be an age range, gender, occupation, etc. This will help tailor the design process towards your target user and make an effective app interface.
Wireframes.
The process of producing a visual representation of the user interface for your app. This step allows you to outline the key features of your app and a potential user interface. At this stage, sections and pages of the app should be created, allowing similar content to be found under common, logical headers within the app.
Design (UI/UX).
The design stage entails producing the app’s visual components, such as images, icons, and logos. Your brand should be represented throughout, with matching colours, fonts and imagery all aligning with your company values as well as the values of your target market. Don’t be afraid to get feedback from colleagues, friends or family at this stage as it is beneficial to solidify your design before it is created in code.
Development.
This is the most exciting part of the whole process – your app comes to life! Using the design briefs created by your UI/UX team, the development team will purpose-build your app in code and make the concept usable on a mobile phone. This stage will likely take the longest amount of time and there is the possibility there could be bugs within the initial code – that’s why the next stage, testing, is extremely important.
User Testing.
As mentioned before, the app will need to be tested by users (preferably members of your target market) to test the functionality, useability and overall feel of the app. It is never too late to make adjustments at this stage, and it is unlikely that the app will be without fault on the first version, so don’t worry!
Launch.
The time has come! Once the app has been approved, it is time to submit the app to the relevant app stores. After it has passed through App Review (usually takes 2-3 working days), the app will be publicly available for the public to download on the stores. It is important to have a clear marketing strategy in place to generate initial traction and downloads for your new app!
Maintenance.
After your app has been released, you must maintain it by fixing bugs, adding new features, and making sure it functions properly. Failure to do this may result in your app losing traction in app stores or being temporarily removed from the stores until a bug is resolved.
In conclusion, creating a mobile app is a difficult process that needs careful consideration, planning, and execution. However, with the right development team behind you, anything is possible! At Element16 Media, we offer a holistic app-building service for an unbeatable market price. From concept to completion and beyond, we’ve got you covered. Unlike other development agencies, we throw in marketing materials, notification capabilities and small updates in for free! You read that right – free! Why not contact Element16 Media today to start your bespoke mobile app-building journey?