Synopsis: Building a mobile application is a critical business decision for companies. Applications offer awareness and recognition of your brand to customers to improve communication. This regular interaction with your target market helps build trust. Once you decide to combine your business with a mobile app, you need to do the basics.
The app development process depends on the requirements of a startup. You must be clear about some essential parameters for app development, such as your target audience and the development platform you wish to use to build your app. There are many aspects to consider when focusing on app development for a startup. We look at some of the most important factors to consider.
Active market research
A new venture involves large investments. It should start with a solid market study and in-depth analysis to prove that the idea will generate substantial sales.
The success of an application depends on a large number of users it can attract. For this, you need to research the market to find the traits of your target audience such as user identity, ethnicity, demographics and current competition. Studying app store trends, for example, will reveal which apps are the most profitable or have high ratings.
A planning session
This step begins with creating a detailed application plan that includes everything you need. It includes basic features, brand elements for CTAs and advanced features.
Planning should begin with deciding the application goals and required user actions. The next step involves figuring out what everything looks like in the application and translating the goals into various tasks.
Put the plan in writing
Now comes the application design. It starts with the icon on each page. It is ideal to sketch out the entire plan on paper to create a careful roadmap and to prepare wireframes.
Plan the entire layout, built-in page, home screen, a menu view, notification page to CTA button and logo. It will help the involved designers and developers to better understand the functionality of the application, organize the user interface components accordingly and design them delicately.
Each mobile app development process (Android or iOS) integrates technology according to the style an app is designed for. However, there is a standard set of technologies for most apps.
For native app development
A. Android
- Java
- Kotlin
- Android studio
- Android SDK
B. iOS
- Apple XCode
- iOS SDK
- Swift
C. For hybrid and cross-platform mobile app development
- Typescript
- React native
- Cordoba
- Ionic
- Xamarin
Working out UI/UX design and prototype
After completing the road map, the next step in the development process is designing the interface. A team of designers work to create an intuitive feel and appearance of the application. They design the interface by analyzing the wireframe, basic architecture, components and the interactions it requires.
After completing the design model, the development team should create an application development plan that helps understand the time and the cost to build the app. In addition, they should also create workable prototypes using online prototyping tools.
Quality analysis, testing and security
After you have completed the final development phase, the application should be forwarded for quality assessment (QA), to ensure that it runs smoothly.
Quality control is carried out in two stages: preliminary and functional. The first phase determines the target tools and future QA needs of the application, and the second phase evaluates all the key features.
Once quality control is in place, test documentation is prepared, which defines the test requirements and the number of test equipment required. It will help identify errors and correct them before an app is released.
User data security should be a top priority for your app. Users visiting your app should feel secure. Make sure that the developers follow certain security protocols for your app.
Hire app developers
When looking for a company to develop applications, choose an expert development team with excellent design talent. Research and examine their reliability as well as the applications they have already developed and successfully launched.
Browse through their portfolio. If you find yourself liking the apps they create, then this development company could be a good fit. It means that their likely outcome will be something you can use yourself.
Contact a leading custom app development company to create an app for your startup.
Funding your mobile app
Funding for mobile apps is a big challenge for startups. You need to have a clear strategy for financing your app development. You may need to find the right investor and explain to them the effectiveness and ROI of your mobile app.
Many online platforms provide you ample opportunity to raise funds for your mobile app idea and help achieve business goals.
A marketing team
You need an able marketing team to plan the launch and advertising of the application. There is a big challenge for startups in terms of marketing their apps in the current competitive market.
You must have the right strategy to enter the market and promote your app. You can seek advice from marketing experts who have prior knowledge and experience in successfully launching and promoting an app.
You can use social media and other online promotion platforms for your mobile app.
A minimum viable product or MVP
MVP is an app that has the most basic features that tells users what your app is all about. It’s not packed with features, and is rather used as an indication to find out how millions of app store users accept your idea before you invest more to take it to the next level.
MVPs give a very clear idea of the value of the app and is a critical step to gauge the possible success of your app.
Many brands such as Twitter, Airbnb and Spotify began as MVPs and have grow into immensely successful businesses.
The cost of building an application
The cost mainly depends on the features you want to have in your mobile application, the platform you want it for and so on. However, a good application can be expected to cost somewhere in the six digits.
You can find a developer who will create an application for you on the budget you are offering; but to be clear, you will get what you pay for. You need to keep in mind that it is not just the cost of building an application to invest in.
So, before you decide to build an application, make sure you are aware of its full cost.
The final word
The decision to build a mobile application is an important one. To streamline the whole process and make the result worth all the resources, time and effort, you need to hire a top application development firm.
Mobile apps act as an essential tool for startups to establish their presence in the market. Startup app development should be your top priority, irrespective of the scale of your company.
Make sure you hire the best mobile app development firm to carry out these processes and create a unique app to reflect and achieve your business goals.
