Are you a fan of startups?
Do you often admire other successful startups and wonder how they did it?
Are you constantly mulling over an idea in the back of your mind, waiting for that decisive moment to turn it into reality?
So, if you’ve hit your eureka moment, and now You face multiple challenges on how to implement what you envisioned, or whether to choose a mobile app or a web app, then you’re on the right page.
We’ll break down the steps that can help you make the cut and are crucial to successfully run a startup in the mobile app industry.
Since the world is going digital and most of the time we spend is connected to a screen, any successful small business is involved in a startup app development solution.
We netizens are well aware that the Playstore and App Store are flooded with innumerable mobile apps: business apps, lifestyle apps, educational apps, on-demand apps, etc. But it’s equally essential to realize early on that very few apps catch on.
Studies show that few start-ups are successful and most entrepreneurs tend to make some common mistakes. So the first step in your startup journey should be to look before you jump.
1. Validate your idea: Ideate, pause, rethink
We understand that it’s appealing to let your creativity flow, but it’s not. equally essential to think about other possibilities and not dive in without testing the waters.
Make a list of all your potential ideas. Not only does it give you an idea, but it provides due clarity as to which idea to pursue.
If you’re not sure if the idea is worth trying, get validation from leading experts and see if it piques their interest. One approach that the best mobile app consultants take when verifying the validity of your product is through a product discovery workshop. The 5-day workshop has been known to bring a number of successful startups in life.
Another piece of advice is to never overlook other ideas. Understand that there is always room for improvement, and sometimes the entire ideation process leads to new results.
After you decide which idea to pursue, make sure you have a comprehensive understanding of the pain point and the solution you are looking for. you’re offering.
After all, your unique idea, in addition to making you one of the most successful startups, is also solving a problem. This brings us to the next step.
2. Detail-oriented market research
No matter how revolutionary your idea is and how likely it is to transform the mobile app industry, if you don’t conduct market research exhaustive and is If you can’t establish a target audience, you’re doomed to fail.
Understanding the market and finding a product that is right for the market is a prerequisite for running a successful startup. The key is to make sure you’re solving real user problems, and while what you may be doing isn’t overtly unique, you need to find a place for yourself in the marketplace.
Study the competitive landscape and conduct a competitor audit. Download a few apps that work on similar pain points, use them yourself, and determine the extent of improvement.
Investigate the apps that failed and explore the reasons for them.
Why? Because it eliminates the chances of failure and learning from the mistakes of others is standard practice in the startup ecosystem.
Doing in-depth market research can help you find your unique value proposition and ensure that You are way ahead of your competition.
In addition, during preliminary research, surveys should be conducted to understand user demographics and engagement. Knowing what your target audience likes helps create a product they really want.
Remember, user engagement is key, and keep your niche audience in mind every step of the way.
<h2 3. Choose an ideal platform
Choosing an ideal platform for your application is the next step in your application development journey mobile.
To decide if your app will adapt to Android, iOS, or both, you need to consider a couple of factors. The key is to research which platform is ideal for mobile startups and understand what aligns with your business idea.
According to Statista, in the third quarter of 2019, Android users could choose from 2.47 million apps, while Apple’s App Store offered nearly 1.8 million apps available for iOS.This makes Google Play the app store with the largest number of apps available.
To choose a viable platform, you need to look at factors like market share and revenue for both Android and iOS. It would not be possible to come to a conclusion if you do not have in-depth knowledge of the respective game stores. Therefore, carefully evaluate the number of downloads and revenue models for both app stores.
Image source: Sensor Tower
The choice between native and hybrid applications is another factor to consider. Both come with their set of pros and cons, and factors like technicality, functionality, cost, and time all play a role.
4. Focus on designing a flawless UI/UX
One of the common elements in most successful startups is the flawless design with which the applications are made. No matter which hit app you choose (Instagram, Canva, Telegram), you’ll find intuitive design to be a part of it.
The role of UI/UX design lies not only in eye-catching appeal. The application must be usable and functional as well. In addition, you must adhere to the standards set by Google Material Design and Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines.
The UI/UX design guide we follow at Appinventiv not only meets the guidelines, but also addresses a number of additional areas such as: gaining visibility, app usage time, and retention rates of users.
5. Product Development
The next step is to drive the development process and for that, you would need an application development team.
< There are effective ways to choose an app development company and watch months of planning and strategizing come into play.
To make sure your idea turns into a successful product, you need to think hard about the people you’re going to partner with.
In that context, you generally have two options:
p>
- Hire an internal team of developers
- Partner with a team of remote developers through outsourcing.
Reflect on the challenges you are currently facing.
Do you want an in-house team or are you planning to outsource?
Make a decision based on what aligns with your business needs.
While the former ensures a faster level of communication and a deep understanding of your product idea , outsourcing gives you the opportunity to hire highly skilled designers and developers.
The next question to ask yourself is whether you will be able to monitor the development process yourself. Accordingly, choose an app development company.
Before hiring an app development company, make a list of potential partners, ask the right questions, and review their portfolios and case studies. It not only documents your work, but gives you due clarity on whether the company is right for you.
Get feasible options by analyzing the cost of developing applications around the world.
Hire the best developer but be sure to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.
In addition to building a scalable application, your focus should be on providing a pleasant experience for your end users. Any user first perceives an application through the user experience. To retain your users in the long term, the
User Experience should be immersive and the UI should be modern, innovative and intuitive.
Being ambitious is great, but it hurts we suggest that you do so. Don’t get lost in a maze of features. First, focus on creating an MVP for your app, address the main pain points, and then gradually move to improved features after getting feedback from your users. The emphasis should be on “must have” features, “nice to have” features can always be added later.
Wireframing solves many problems. It describes the design of an application and plays a fundamental role in structuring the product from the beginning.
It also provides necessary information about how users will interact with your app and helps you identify problem areas.
[Also read: How to Hire Developers for a Startup? A Guide for Non-Tech Founders]6. Seek to increase investment
After spending a considerable amount of time building your app, you need to consider the problem in question- How to raise money for your mobile app startup?
Generating a large amount of funds implies a greater availability of resources and a greater chance of success.
There are several ways to generate funds.Decide the forms of fundraising that align with your business model: seed funding, Bootstrapping, crowdfunding, ICO, etc.
Create an elevator pitch and keep an eye out for potential investors. Now is the time to be ambitious. Make sure you have a product that investors will chase.
7. Create a Strategic Marketing Plan
How do you make sure that Does your app get traction? quickly and reaches everywhere?
Through strategic marketing.
Marketing is one of the key success factors for a startup that turns a regional brand into a global brand.
Through compelling marketing strategies, you can generate excitement around your app and make sure people go crazy. over it.
Use social media and public relations to gain market visibility and facilitate rapid user acquisition. Use effective mobile app marketing strategies and harness the power of app store optimization to make your app go viral.
8. Have a monetization plan in place
One of the ways to create successful startups is to decide the best monetization strategy for your mobile app.
There are a number of options for the industry to choose from: advertising, sponsorship, in-app purchases, subscriptions, and pay per download are some options to choose from. Read the pros and cons of each to understand which monetization model may be best when looking for ways to run a startup. You should aim for ways that guarantee
[Read: How Much Money You Can Make With An App]9. Update and improve your app
If you think your digital journey ends with launching your app and diving into the market, think again.
The mobile app development lifecycle doesn’t end with the release of the app. Regular updates improve the visibility of the application and ensure that it provides value to the user with each iteration.
So, for lasting success, keep improving your app with user feedback in mind. Maintenance, updates, new functionality, it’s an ongoing process. Ensure maximum user retention along with a stable revenue model. Another item to consider well in advance of execution is pivoting your startup.
10. Have an App Retention Strategy
The reasons behind uninstalling apps are numerous, as are instances of app uninstalls. Keep users interested in your app, in the presence of 50 similar apps.
Here are the different ways you can retain your customers:
- Plan the right timing of your notifications
- Be transparent about permissions and how you are going to use your data. Being transparent is still one of the secrets of successful tech startups
- Though your partner startup app development company should look out for you. But update the app only when necessary.
Here are the different ways you can make sure the startup app development business model works for you.
.