Developing an app has become one of the most staple strategies for organizations that are planning to increase their online foothold or existing customer base.
However, due to the sheer number of apps that are operating in android and IOS platforms, there’s one thing that has become very apparent:
Developing a long lasting app, something that can last in the market for minimum 5 years, has become a quite challenging task.
Other than having some High value and Difficult to imitate features, there are a few elements that have the potential to guarantee a long life for your new app.
Let’s have a look at four such crucial elements:
1. The Convenience Factor
How convenient and User-friendly would my app finally turn out to be??
This is a question that every app developer should ask himself.
So how does the convenience factor operate in case of app development?
In simple terms, an app is deemed to be convenient by a user when it is capable of providing highly standardized functionalities during unfavourable situations.
Some common examples of “Unfavourable Situations” in this case can be:
• When the user has to operate the app in an offline mode due to the unavailability of the Internet.
• When the user is suffering from a low battery in his Smartphone.
• When the user is using the app on a smartphone that does not have a strong or the latest processor.
Nailing the above-mentioned factors would enhance an app’s user experience by miles.
This is something that a consumer primarily considers while deciding whether to use a particular app in the long term or part ways with it within a few months of installation.
When the user is part of a specific cultural group, like the deaf community, which may require additional accessibility features. Understanding and accommodating for the specific needs of various cultures, such as the deaf culture, can significantly impact the app's usability.
This could mean incorporating features like closed captions, sign language translation, or visual alerts. By doing so, developers can ensure their applications are inclusive and accessible to all, thus fostering a more diverse user base and increasing long-term usage.
2. Choosing an app platform
Having a multiplatform approach is one of the most popular reasons behind an app fading into oblivion within months of its release.
If we look back into the history of app development, we will find just a handful of apps that have managed to carry out the multiplatform approach successfully.
Therefore it’s always a smarter option for app development companies to build on a single platform initially and then expand to other platforms when the app develops a modest name in the market.
Here a few elements that you can base you platform choice on:
The Primary goal is to have high download number for your app, and then you should go for the android platform.
On the contrary if your goal is to create maximum consumer engagement, then IOS is a better option. Here is the useful material on how to find a perfect iOS development team - https://doit.software/blog/hire-ios-developer.
The Monetisation Strategy- If you have an Ad based monetization model, then you should go for the android platform.
However, if your monetization model is based on subscriptions or In-app purchases, then IOS is the better option.
3. Taking your app’s User Experience(UX) Seriously
As mentioned in the former points, it really doesn’t matter how good your app’s features are if it’s bereft of a good UI to back it up.
The best app UXs are also the most simple ones.
Your customer doesn’t really need a flashy interface while navigating through your app.
Instead, having a plain and simple UX can make up for some inherent shortcomings of your app, namely higher loading times, or taking up a lot of device storage space, etc.
However, simply creating a User-friendly UX is never enough.
There are certain UX drawbacks that would come into light after you finally launch your app.
Carefully going through customer feedback and reviews would help you in identifying those points in your UX that is not appealing to your customers.
The best way to make appropriate post-launch UX changes to your app is to keep a separate and dedicated analytics team that can supervise and track such UX flaws.
Secondly, having an app development software can also help in tracking those points in your UX where there are high customer turnovers.
4. Managing In-App ads
This is one of the most underrated factors when it comes to enhancing an app’s user experience.
You should always carefully consider the frequency as well as the type of ads shown in the app, especially during the initial days of its launch.
Putting out numerous/unrelated ads in a freshly launched app is not something that is positively perceived by users.
And this can be a huge turn off when it comes to the user experience.
Secondly, in case of a freshly launched app, the user base is completely bereft of any emotional connect with the app.
Overwhelming the user with repeated ads in such a scenario can frustrate him easily leading to him leaving/uninstalling the app.
Therefore a relatively safer option is to not provide more than two Pay per Click ads in your app and definitely not going for time-consuming ads.
The ad frequency can always be increased when your app is a good 8-12 months old and has built a robust user base.
Concluding...
From the above-mentioned points, there is something that is quite apparent:
Your app’s User Experience plays a pivotal role in deciding whether a consumer would use your app in the long run or uninstall it within months.
Therefore app developers should make sure that they creates their app with strict adherence to the user experience and not just focus on features singularly.
Author Bio- Hi There, I am Shaun Williams, a content writer with Goodfirms, a research platform for Software development and Digital marketing companies, among many others. I enjoy communicating ideas and knowledge creatively and also ensure that the readers never suffer from boredom while reading my posts.
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