Micro, small and medium-sized businesses also need a frequently updated business mobile app in today’s tech-saturated world.
First, businesses should get aware of all the options for creating and maintaining mobile apps in Dubai. App stores contain millions of apps, and many relate to your niche.
It means your mobile app should be more-than-ordinary to catch consumers’ attention. App creation and maintenance have become more challenging than ever.
Small businesses often don't have skilled developers and enough money upfront to make their app projects a reality. But don’t worry, as we have created a step-by-step guide to help you in the app development process.
Steps to Build a Mobile App for Your Business
1- Conduct In-depth Market Research
Your product should solve a problem that others aren't solving fully. How would you know this? By peeking inside the app market and seeing if there is something that users need.
Your market research should revolve around:
- Your competitors and their strategies
- Strong and weak points of other app authors in the market
- Customer reviews of your competitor apps both on the app store and on social media
- Unique selling points of the other apps in your niche
2- Identify Your Elevator Pitch and Target Market
Your elevator pitch should define your app’s exact goal in easy language within one or two lines. Sounds difficult? We know that, but it's crucial to the success of your product.
Identify your app’s use cases and why it differs from your website.
Specifically, you want to get clear on these things:
- The problems your app will solve
- Its core features
- Its target users
- The reason why users would use it
- Its value as compared to a website
- The kind of users the app will benefit
- The content your app’s ideal users require and desire
You must answer all these questions as accurately as possible. It will save you from wasting money and time on useless app features or focusing on the wrong target customers.
3- Choose Your App’s Type
You should choose between hybrid, native, or web apps. Here is a quick rundown of all three of them.
If you create a gaming app or add media, native app development is perfect. Web apps are ideal for solutions that need simple maintenance but don’t need access to the gadget’s native capabilities.
As you need to create an app for your business, you should choose the hybrid app model. Hybrid apps utilize the same code base for the play store and Appstore.
Many businesses first create an app for google’s play store. Then they need to hire an expert in iOS app development to develop an app for Apple.
We recommend you choose a hybrid app type as they can access the gadget’s features. Plus, they work well for most app purposes like utility, productivity, and business apps.
4- Select A Monetization Option
Mobile apps in Dubai play various roles for companies and their revenue generation. The obvious one is to gain profits directly from the application. But, your app can also serve as an information resource for users or help in other stages of the sales funnel and boost your brand's reach.
Let's directly jump to the different app monetization methods without wasting time.
Paid or Premium Model
You need to purchase a premium application from the app store to use it. To use this model, you must create a marketing strategy to explain its superior unique value for which users have to pay.
Freemium Model
You can install a freemium app for free, but you need to purchase one to access some locked features and content.
The Subscription Model
It works like the freemium one but brings a constant revenue stream.
Sponsorships Model
This model becomes typically feasible when you have a robust consumer base since it lets you collaborate with specific advertisers and brands. Brands pay for consumer actions, and your mobile app drives even more engagement for the consumer.
In-app purchases Model
In this model, you use your mobile app as an e-commerce sales platform to sell your physical or digital products.
In-app Ad Model
It is arguably the best model for users as they don't have to pay any charges to use this app. However, you must remember never to compromise on consumer experience just to get more space to put up advertisements.
Each monetization method has its perks and downsides. You must first understand all options thoroughly and then decide on the best one for your app.
5- Create Your Application’s Marketing Plan
As with any product, you should market your mobile app to the right audience. And you should start it even before you have started your app development.
Here are some quick tips:
- Your app should have a unique logo, colors, name, and tone of content to distinguish it from the competitor apps in the market. These things should stay consistent with all your other platforms
- Find the platforms where your ideal customers hang out and promote your upcoming mobile app there
- Do some research on what kind of content your ideal customers prefer, create such content, and start sharing it on social media platforms where they hang out.
- Contact the influencers in your niche and partner with them so that they create a buzz around your upcoming app.
6- Make an App Store Optimization Strategy
We asked you to identify your app’s core purpose, perform market research and create a marketing strategy since these all impact your app store optimization strategy.
Users discover 58% of all android applications through organic browsing in the app stores. And users find 63% of iOS apps through a general search, so you should also focus on iOS app development.
Learn about both the app stores’ requirements and guidelines and utilize this as a golden chance for your product to outclass the competition with its images, unique purpose, and functionalities.
Here are the essential aspects of app store optimization:
- Choose a unique and descriptive name for your app that is easy to pronounce and spell
- Use transparent and contrasting colors in the app’s icons with a simple idea. Don't use lots of tiny details.
- You must utilize all five screenshots and make the most of caption texts to narrate a tale and determine the app’s perks, including the design.
- Use the first three lines of the app description to highlight core features, add a call to action, and bullet lists.
- Create a short and to-the-point preview video with straightforward and universal content that will work in any region
7- Ensure the Security of Your App
Data security is super important for consumers nowadays. Your business app will likely contain users’ information like their financial and personal details, etc.
Therefore, you must create a privacy policy to tell users what data your app will store and what you do with it. Nowadays, only consumer-focused products are successful and trusted by consumers.
Your mobile app is also a product, so you should not neglect the critical security features. But why should you plan this step before creating and deploying your app?
Doing so at this stage provide you with much time to consult legal experts, if needed, and plan and apply security measures inside the application.
Bottom Line
Every business is different. Therefore, every business app also has to be different. You will create a mobile app focusing on your target customers.
The key lies in starting planning in advance and for the long run. You must know your users’ needs, desires, and behaviors to understand how your app product can benefit them.
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