8 Things to Consider before Creating an App for Your Business
From tracking steps to completing banking transactions and ordering pizza, there’s an app for practically everything these days. Businesses, especially smaller ones, can also benefit from well-developed apps. But before you get started with the app-building process, the experts at Saba SEO, an industry-leading San Diego web development company, go over some of the key things you’ll need to know first.
1. Your Target Audience
You’re not building an app for “everybody.” It has to have a specific user in mind. Take the time to really research and define your target audience. Then consider details such as:
• Whether or not you’re focusing on a certain geographic area
• What the main purpose of your app will be
• Who’s likely to find your app especially appealing and useful
2. Your Competitors
Are there any needs your competitors aren’t meeting for your target audience? The only way to know this for sure is to take a look at what kinds of apps they’re using right now. Even if your main competitors don’t yet have apps, look at their online content. Take a moment to determine if there are some gaps in customer needs you can fill with your app.
3. Your Preferred Platform
Apps can be built for both Android and Apple devices. While both platforms have advantages, it’s often best to focus on one or the other if you have a more limited budget. The biggest difference is the coding language. Android uses Java, and Apple uses its own language, Swift. If you’re aiming for wider global reach with your app, using both platforms is worth considering.
4. The Features You Want
For practical purposes, it’s typically recommended to start with the minimum viable product, or MVP, with an app. This means focusing on only the most basic features first. Keeping your features list to a minimum makes it easier to do initial testing, and you can always add more later. Plus, there’s more likely to be interest in your app if it has a smaller set of specific and useful features.
5. Your Budget
As the building process continues, the last thing you want is to find out you’ll need to start cutting corners and trimming features. It’s better to know your available budget first so the building and design process can be planned out based on what you have to work with financially.
6. How Your App Will Fit in with Your Business Model
An app needs to fit in well with what you do and how you interact with your customers. For example, if you have a physical store, you may want features included in your app that allow users to take advantage of in-store discounts when they come in with their phones. However, if you’re an e-tailer, you may prefer a more secure app that allows users to do everything they need to do with a few taps.
7. Your Short-Term & Long-Term Goals
Before you go forward with the app-building process, define your basic short-term and long-term goals. This is when you answer the following questions:
• How’s your app going to fit in with your overall marketing plans?
• Will you be using your app to generate revenue for your business? If so, how much revenue do you expect to generate with it?
• How will the app fit in with your other digital engagement efforts?
• Will you be hanging on to the app and updating it over time?
8. How Much Assistance You’ll Need
Reputable app builders or agencies are able to adapt to client needs. To make this happen, it helps to know just how much assistance you’ll actually need. For instance, if you have an in-house IT staff, you may only need an outside app builder to handle more basic elements. On the other hand, if you have no internal resources of this nature, it’s better to work with a full-service developer and builder.
If you need help creating a winning app for your business, reach out to the experienced professionals at Saba SEO, a premier San Diego SEO agency. We’ve worked with businesses all over the world to develop innovative, state-of-the-art websites, PPC campaigns, SEO strategies, and business app designs. To get started on your app, call one of our specialists today.
