What is it that has turned smartphones into such an indispensable part of our lives? From finding the exact directions to a new bookstore to tracking and managing your finances and investments – how does your smartphone seem to have the right solutions for all your problems? Why is it that you’ve become so dependent on your smartphone for daily necessities such as calculating your expenses and setting an alarm?

The answer is pretty simple and straightforward. Two words – mobile applications.

In the absence of useful and intuitive mobile apps, every smartphone will lose its value. Whether you want to order dinner from your favorite takeout joint or host a virtual meeting with your coworkers, there’s likely an app for every need. This isn’t surprising considering that more than 2.8 billion apps on the Google Play Store and nearly 2 million apps on the App Store.

While the average American adult spends more than 4 hours with mobile internet, 88% of that time is devoted to various apps. However, despite the vast abundance of mobile apps, most smartphone users only use 9 apps per day and 30 apps per month. This means there’s a multitude of fully functioning apps that are lying unused in various app stores.

So, if you’re planning to build and launch your own mobile app, you need to ensure that it stands out from the crowd. Otherwise, it runs the risk of drowning in the endless ocean of mediocre apps. But how can you ensure that your app rises above the competition and attracts the right users?

In this blog, we’ve outlined a few useful app development tips to help you get started. Let’s take a look.

Effective App Development Tips

First things first – if you want your app to garner traction and generate revenue, you must ensure that it’s easy to use. Anyone who’s even remotely familiar with the world of app development will tell you that your app must deliver a simple and intuitive UI/UX. It should be easily navigable and accessible to all types of users. Also, you shouldn’t flood it with too many unnecessary features.

Now that the most basic app development tip is out of the way, here are some more useful hacks for you:

1. Know Your Audience

You can’t create a successful mobile app without knowing who’s going to use it. You need to have a clear idea of your target userbase including demographic parameters such as:

  • Age group
  • Gender
  • Socioeconomic background
  • Profession
  • Geographic location

Also, you should have a deep understanding of your audience’s likes, preferences, aspirations, dreams, struggles, and pain points. You can use online surveys, audience polls, and social listening for this purpose. You need to keep an eye on the latest market trends and technological advancements as well.

2. Validate Your Idea

So, you think you have a groundbreaking idea for a new mobile app. However, unless it solves a real problem in your target audience’s life, your app will fail to attract and retain users. So, how can you ensure that your idea aligns with your target users’ pain points and problems?

If you’ve performed thorough audience research in the previous step, you’ll likely have a fair understanding of their needs and struggles. Now, ask yourself whether your app addresses a real need or problem in their life. Otherwise, you’ll have to re-evaluate and tweak the idea to match your user preferences.

3. Leverage APIs

If you’re developing an app, you’ll likely want to implement various useful features such as social login, online payments, etc. However, manually writing codes for each feature can be difficult and time-consuming. You can save yourself the hassle by finding and integrating relevant APIs with your app.

An API or application programming interface facilitates seamless communication between various software applications. For instance, a weather API pulls weather information from large databases to give you access to historical and current weather data as well as hyper-accurate weather forecasts.

You can integrate a weather API into a wide array of applications, from travel booking and ride-sharing apps to specialized applications for cyclists and drone enthusiasts. You can even use it to build tailor-made apps that provide actionable and intelligent insights to construction firms and aviation companies.

In the absence of a weather API, you’d have to spend hours manually writing codes to implement weather prediction features in your app. However, while a simple Google search for the “best weather API alternatives” will reveal a ton of options, it’s important that you choose one that fits your needs. 

The same is true for any type of API you’re looking for, from social media tools and website analytics to maps and payment gateways. You should consider factors such as scope of use, compatibility, and documentation before making the final selection.

4. Build Your Team

App development isn’t a one-person job. At the very least, you’ll need a team of skilled UI/UX designers and software developers to design your app. You also need to hire writers to provide you with snappy, eye-catching, and relevant content for your app. Next, you’ll need a team of experienced marketers to promote your app and ensure that it reaches the right users.

Make sure you assemble a team of talented and hardworking professionals who share your vision for the app. Also, you need to ensure that all your team members are on the same page in terms of essential features, tools and technology to be used, etc.

5. Outline a Revenue Model

While you should focus on providing value and the right solutions to your users, you also need to generate revenue to pay your team and regularly roll out useful updates. That’s why it is essential to develop a monetization strategy for your app even before you’re ready to launch it.

While most app developers make money from advertising revenue, you can use other techniques such as subscription fees, sponsorships, in-app purchases, etc. Make sure you consider your target users’ likes and preferences before deciding on a suitable monetization strategy.

Have you used any other hacks to build awesome mobile apps? Share your tips in the comments section below.