Mobile apps
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How to Make a Successful App?

Marketing Manager

Sikorskaya Kate

Marketing Manager

January 16
2023
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Smartphone users appreciate mobile apps for being scalable, robust, and reliable, so that’s the reason why plenty of new mobile apps popping up in Google and Apple marketplaces fail to win users’ attention, and others skyrocket. And if an app becomes popular, it becomes a goldmine for whoever made it.

In case you have an app idea to launch a mobile app and wonder how to make a successful app, read this blog post!

We’ll cover some essential app development tips that should help you create user-friendly apps and win this tough digital market.

TL;DR: How to create a successful app?

  1. A thoughtfully developed feature list prioritizes the most important features, allowing for better use of resources and avoiding unnecessary expenses. This helps to increase user satisfaction and loyalty, leading to a greater chance of success for the app.
  2. Start the app development process with a project discovery phase to create a winning app with the right feature list. This phase encompasses collecting data, analysis, feature planning, prioritization, prototyping, and development planning, making it critical to mobile app development.
  3. Choose the most relevant technology stack for your app based on one of the most popular development approaches: native (for the best performance, suitable for complex apps) or cross-platform (cost-effectiveness and faster time-to-market).
  4. App design strongly impacts its success. A good app design means it is user-centered, simple, consistent, visually pleasing, accessible, and the app loads fast.
  5. A reliable development company can provide the technical and industry expertise, project management, communication, and ongoing support and maintenance necessary to create a high-quality mobile app. To make the right choice check their portfolio, client reviews, find out about the technologies and industries the company specializes in, and security practices.
  6. Ensure flawless app performance by following these tips: thoroughly test the app, optimize the app speed, monitor app performance, implement analytics to track app performance, and regularly update the app.
  7. Ensuring security is crucial for launching a successful app as it protects user data and builds trust with the app's users. Developing a secure mobile app involves implementing several security measures such as encryption, authentication, and authorization. This includes following secure coding practices, regularly updating the app with security patches, and testing the app thoroughly for vulnerabilities. Other additional security measures such as installing antivirus software, utilizing a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and employing password managers can further enhance the app's security and safeguard user information.

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What makes an app successful?

If we look at the most successful mobile apps like TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, CapCut, and Spotify, we’ll find out that all of them have some similarities. And these are the key distinguishing features that can make any application popular.

Key success factors for a mobile app:

  • Simple and appealing design
  • Carefully designed UX
  • Solves user problems fast
  • Stable and fast-loading
  • Ensures data protection
  • Easy access to help center
  • User retention features
  • Fast and hassle-free payments

How to create a successful app: 6 development tips

Below you’ll find 6 most important app development tips.

What makes an app successful

1. Start with the right feature list

Well-thought feature list is extremely important for a successful app launch. It ensures your app can solve users’ problems without exceeding the development budget for the features of low priority.

So, to create a successful app, it’s important to start your mobile app development process with a project discovery phase. It will help you create the right feature list for your future app and increase your chances of success.

The discovery phase involves collecting necessary data, lots of preliminary analysis, feature list planning, prioritization, prototyping, development planning, and more. That is why, it is a critical step in custom mobile app development.

Why should you start your project with a discovery phase?

Read the article

Key activities that help to produce the right feature list for a successful app:

  • Market research: analysis of end users’ needs.
  • Competitors analysis: deciding on particular features, USPs, and marketing tools that have the potential to compete with the existing apps and win the market.
  • Road mapping: a preliminary estimate of how much time/money is needed to get everything done.
  • Industry trends analysis: determining what can make your app unique and up-to-date both in the short and long run.

Mobile app development trends in 2023

Read the article

In sum, the right feature list provides you with a winning product vision and minimizes the risks of product failure.

2. Pick the right technology

Choosing the right technology stack for the app is one of the main ingredients for developing a successful app.

Today, there are two main app development approaches:
  1. Native app development: apps built specifically for each platform, such apps have best-in-class productivity and user experience;
  2. Cross-platform app development: apps that comprise some advantages of native app development approach while remaining cost and time effective.

If you are not a technology person, it is better to let an authoritative app development team guide you on which technology will work best for your project.

Dedicated development team: pros and cons

Read the article

3. User-friendly app design

As we mentioned above, UX & UI design is one of the most important factors that make your app popular amongst users. Turn it into a goal-driven process and make sure everything has been customized specifically to your users’ requirements and expectations.

A well-designed app with an intuitive user interface and user-friendly features enhances the user experience, leading to greater user engagement and retention. Visually appealing design elements also contribute to the app's overall attractiveness, increasing the likelihood of user downloads and positive reviews, ultimately leading to greater success for the app.

A good app design should:

  • Prioritize the needs and interests of its target audience, ensuring that the app is user-centered.
  • Be simple, with clear messaging and minimal clicks required to complete tasks, promoting ease of use.
  • Ensure consistency across the app's color scheme , typography, and layout to provide a cohesive user experience.
  • Incorporate high-quality graphics, images, and animations to enhance the app's visual appeal.
  • Load quickly, perform smoothly, and be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, to create a successful app design.
What makes a good app design

Here are some tips to ensure the design is done right:

Design for your target audience. Determine your app's target audience and their preferences: understand their pain points, what they want to achieve, and how they expect the app to work. Based on the gathered data, design your app accordingly.

Keep it simple. Ensure that the app's design is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and intuitive, with minimal clicks required to accomplish a task.

Follow design guidelines. Adhere to platform-specific design guidelines, such as Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design Guidelines, to ensure that the app is consistent with the platform's standards.

Conduct user testing. Test the app's design with real users to ensure that it meets their needs and expectations. Incorporate their feedback and make necessary improvements to the design.

4. Find a reliable app development team

There are several options to develop an application: an in-house development team, freelancers, or hiring a development agency. Since every option has its pros and cons, you should make the choice based on your requirements and needs. Check out this article to decide if you need a freelance developer or a development team.

Hiring a reliable and experienced development company can significantly impact the app’s success:

Expertise A reputable company can provide technical expertise in coding languages, software development methodologies, and app design. It results in a high-quality, stable, and secure app. Experience in mobile app development across a variety of industries and platforms can also help to anticipate and avoid common pitfalls and implement best practices.

Project management Respectful development companies have a well-defined project management process in place to ensure the timely completion of the project while meeting desired quality standards. Open communication with clients provides regular updates on the project's progress, allowing for feedback and input throughout the development process.

Support Post-launch support and maintenance are also essential components of a reliable development company. They will provide ongoing support to ensure that the app remains up-to-date, secure, and functional.

How to choose a reliable development partner?

  • Check portfolio and experience in your industry;
  • Find out what technologies the agency specializes in;
  • Check out reviews (Clutch, GoodFirms, DesignRush, etc.);
  • Assess the agency’s communication style and if you are on the same page;
  • Learn about their security practices.

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5. Ensure flawless app performance

Ensuring flawless app performance is crucial for developing a successful mobile app and delivering a positive user experience.

Here are some tips to achieve this goal:

  • Conduct comprehensive testing to identify and fix any bugs, errors, or glitches that could impact app performance. This includes testing the app on different devices, operating systems, and networks to ensure compatibility and functionality.
  • Optimize the app's speed and performance by minimizing loading times, reducing data usage, and optimizing resource usage. This can be achieved through techniques like caching, compressing data, and minimizing network requests.
  • Implement analytics tools to track app performance metrics such as crashes, errors, user engagement, and user retention. This data can be used to identify issues and improve the app's performance over time.
  • Regularly update the app to fix any bugs, address user feedback, and add new features. This not only improves app performance but also keeps users engaged and satisfied.
  • Monitor the app's performance regularly using performance monitoring tools. This allows for proactive identification and resolution of issues before they become significant problems.

Methods to improve app performance

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6. Keep security in mind

trend of mobile app development in 2023.

When developing mobile and web apps we often deal with these security threats:

  1. Man-in-the-middle attack (MitM): Hackers may place themselves between a user and a system server. Once it happens, a hacker has access to sensitive data and is able to compromise it.
  2. Advanced persistent threats (APT): Attackers gain unauthorized access to system networks or hardware to steal sensitive and private data, avoiding detection by system security members.
  3. Password attacks: A hacker may get access to the password of a user by guessing in a random or symmetric way, gaining access to the system database, or using social engineering.
  4. Social engineering attacks: This kind of attack means manipulating users in a psychological way and requires them to perform actions that give hackers access to the users’ confidential information.

You may read more about various cyber security threats outlined by 40 security experts.

The lack of safety precautions in the app poses an identity threat to users and it crushes an entire app’s system. Therefore, the app’s security measures are crucial and need lots of attention because it is the main element of any successful app out there. You have to be 100% sure you are making a secure & reliable app!

Standard security measures used for protecting mobile apps:

  • Encryption of local databases, cache, and API;
  • OWASP-recommended checkups;
  • Effective cryptographic management practices;
  • User session authorization and token validation;
  • Utilizing safe and protected communication certificates like HTTP pinning.

The truth is that providing strong and reliable security mechanisms for mobile apps can be a daunting task. And everything can get too tricky in terms of resolving safety issues. But an experienced & reliable app development company can keep you away from all this hassle.

Make sure your team does a good job of getting rid of any security threats (even any potential ones). In other words, let specialists handle security issues, and don’t let somebody steal users’ most confidential & sensitive data from your app!

Conclusion

With all that said, the secret how to make a successful app is to focus on users without trying to use it just as a money machine. Another aspect of app success is making it as easy to use as possible because users love powerful apps that are simple to use.

If you have an app idea but wonder where to start and how to make it a success, contact us for a free consultation. Our experts know how to develop a successful app!

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