Have you considered developing a mobile app for your company or business? App development has been trending, but do you really need one? Creating an app involves high cost, so before deciding, consider these five important points.
1. Evaluate mobile app usage
It is no longer surprising for businesses to own company apps, especially in retail, catering, tourism and similar industries. App functions can bring convenience to companies, improve user experience and boost operational efficiency. Having an app seems beneficial, but you still need to consider the real reason for developing one.
Usage rate reflects the popularity of a mobile app. Does your app meet public needs? Will anyone use it? These are questions you need to answer before making a decision. Without clear answers, you may simply misplace resources by following the app development trend. Competition in the mobile app market is intense, and it is difficult to stand out by only copying others.
2. Clarify the purpose of creating a mobile app
The purpose of an app is often to solve business operational problems or handle client enquiries. For example, creating an app version of an eShop can reduce staff overload because customers can place orders directly without waiting for shop owners to reply. Booking or queuing apps can improve operational efficiency by simplifying scheduling and reducing human error.
If the reason for developing an app is unclear, it may create additional expenses and time investment for the business.
3. Investigate audience interest
Will the public be interested in your app? Never assume your app will become popular immediately after launch. To avoid over-investment, test market interest first.
Market research can be expensive, especially for SMEs. The question is how to minimize cost while maximizing useful output. To understand market personas, make better use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter through polls or related content that increases relevance.
4. Attract a large user base
It may seem unrealistic to think about attracting users before the app is developed, but a comprehensive plan is what drives success. For both websites and mobile apps, higher traffic means more people know your business. After development, attracting app installations becomes the next stage.
Effective user acquisition supports sustainable development. As mentioned in previous articles, mobile apps usually have more specific target customer groups, so the benefits provided should directly match audience needs. Promotions such as lucky draws and first-time installation discounts can help, but they often require high cost. Make sure enough budget is reserved.
5. Retain mobile app users
After attracting users to download the app, you need a way to keep them interacting with it. The lower the user retention rate, the higher the operational cost, which shows the importance of maintaining a user base.
Some companies may need extra marketing effort to achieve this. For example, they may create a simple website so users can find and download the app through Google Search, increasing the chance of reaching target customers.
Think about the apps you use every day. Are they social media, news or weather apps? More importantly, how did those apps become part of daily habits? Retention comes from acquiring and keeping customers. There are many strategies: mobile games, for example, encourage users to log in for consecutive days to receive special rewards.
Designing an app is a decision that requires careful consideration. Although an app may solve operational bottlenecks, it must have a clear purpose before it can truly improve product or service sales and brand awareness.
Translation supported by AI.