The app industry is growing at exponential rates and providing entrepreneurs with a single impactful platform that gives them access to millions of customers worldwide. Innovative, user-friendly and purposeful apps are now known to be the most efficient way for brands to go viral.
In 2015, the worldwide app industry saw a whopping $41.1 billion in revenues for apps downloaded via app stores. This number is expected to surpass $101 billion in 2020. For corporations with sufficient financial backing, apps offer a perfect investment opportunity that markets their brand, sells their products and services and eventually generates enough revenue to supersede the costly first-time investment.
Hence, we see that most companies go all out for developing winning some apps. But with a close look at the most successful app providers including Google, we can see that a huge budget is not a prerequisite to building an app that wins hearts and generates revenue.
We have outlined some important tips below that help design an app which users will love while thoroughly optimising on a limited budget.
Craft a great app
Begin with the end in mind, companies that wish to offer a top notch and popular app should spend a considerable amount of time crafting the concept of their app. We see most successful apps perform one purposeful task and they do it meticulously. This is why companies should invest time and resources to understand what their targeted audience wants, how to offer it better than the competition and how to do so along with an excellent user-experience.
Market research can equip companies with all they need to know to win hearts and it need not take up a lot of financial investment. However, it is important to make the preferences of the users your main priority.
Start simple but concrete
The key to offering a successful and profitable app within a limited budget lies in the beginning by designing a simple app that provides the core value of your product. App designers need to isolate their focus on the key feature of their app that is capable of prompting users to download it and then invest their energies in perfecting it both visually and in terms of user-experience.
Another way to save useful monetary resources is to opt for a minimalistic app design. Simple app design helps in reducing overall app load time while being easier to use by users. App designers can use bold color, large backgrounds and concise but relevant content increases the level of impact of the application.
Companies should also consider designing their app for a single platform initially. This can be done by launching an app that is meant for one unique platform either Android, iOS or Windows instead of the whole lot.
Doing so enables companies to save money which is crucial since the app is yet to be tested. To identify the platform, companies should first identify which platform their target audience uses most of all. Once the app receives popularity on one platform, it can be developed to cater to other platforms as well.
Test your waters
A simple initial version of the application should be shared with the target market to check it’s performance and appeal. This is ideal for gaining real market information that will allow app designers to rectify possible errors or modify as per users preferences quickly. Once you begin to see acceptance rising for your app, you can keep adding some engaging features. By this time, the initial version would have begun generating revenue. Moreover, consistent upgrades to an app is an extremely useful way to generate interest and anticipation in users.
Outsource
For small and medium enterprises, it may not be possible to employ the manpower or technical resources needed to design an app from scratch. Hence, it is recommended that such companies outsource the app design project to professional web design companies like Airg which know how to design apps that provide value to users. It is best to review developer sites before opting for one.
It is recommended that the developer(s) be made aware of your budget and should be requested to offer the best solution whilst remaining within it. By doing so, companies will save out the expenses associated with acquiring and maintaining an in-house app design team.
No need to reinvent the wheel
Companies should opt for library sources or SDKs that provide developers resourceful and tested shortcuts for building initial versions of applications. For instance, if you wish to include chat functionality instead of designing one, it is much more cost-effective to use third-party service providers who will provide you the service in return for a fee in a manner that appeals to users.
Inculcate responsive design
Mobile users are outgrowing PC users these days. Hence, it is impossible to adequately penetrate within your target market without incorporating a responsive design. It is imperative that companies inculcate responsiveness in their app design to enable mobile users to use their app.
Incorporate virility
These days, one of the most useful marketing tools for apps is their capability to create a sense of community amongst their users. This trend can be capitalised on by incorporating virility within the app and by giving incentives when users share these with their peers. This feature will increase the overall appeal and acceptance of the app by giving you access to users as well as their social circle.
All the above-mentioned guidelines can allow optimum usage of app budget while offering an end product that users will adore.
