How to Run a Startup in the Mobile App Industry
Every startup has a story to tell irrespective of how successful they become, in fact, there lie more layers to the ones who do not attain a distinguished feat because as intense and cut-through competitive the mobile application circuit is, every business idea has a tale to tell. Therefore if you are on the path of a start-up genesis in the mobile application industry, we shall lay down how you can run it successfully.
In a digital time period where people are hooked to their mobile devices, making a mobile app seems to be the right choice for all, however, we are well vary of the fact that how the Play Store and the App Store are flooded with several applications of different categories, from food, travel, business, educational to lifestyle, it is a tumultuous job to come up with an idea which isIn this blog, you will learn 7 steps to run a startup in the mobile app industry: actionable insights, and available options to go. unique and has what it takes to beat this intense competition. Therefore, you must know the inherently vital decisions you must make to run a startup in the mobile app industry.
Steps to run a startup in the mobile app industry
1. Validation of your idea
While your creative juices are flowing with much vigour, you must ideate, pause and rethink about your app idea. This helps you reflect on other potential possibilities and prevent you from jumping without testing the water. You shall start from jotting down and making a list of all the ideas that are striking you. Do not ignore a single one, rather simply write it down. This gives you better clarity and helps you decide which idea you must pursue. You can also get your idea validated by experts so that you can know the saleability of your idea, that is whether it intrigues someone or not. Also, try to look into others’ ideas because sometimes the best innovation is yielded not by asking questions but by answering them. So rather than just focusing on your potential plan, you should also look into why other predecessors could not make it to the end. Incorporating those solutions into your ideas shall add wonders.
2. Market research
Conducting thorough market research and establishing the target audience is a must for any form of business. To run a startup, you must find a product-market-demand fit, so that you tackle real user problems and stay in the market in the long run irrespective of the uniqueness of the idea. You should start by studying the competitive landscape or a competitor audit where you install the apps present in the market, similar to your idea and use them personally, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and how you can tackle those weaknesses, gaining an edge. You can also do surveys to understand demographic engagement and the stronger is your research, the better the prospects of your mobile app.
3. Choosing the right platform
Choosing the right platform i.e to cater to android, iOS or both. Now while there are more android users than iOS, it is also noted that iOS users seemingly pay more for subscriptions and in-app purchases than android users. On the other hand, Google Play has more number of applications than Apple Store. If you choose to cater only to the audience of any one of these operating systems, your mobile app will be developed native, however, if you choose to cater to the audience of both operating systems, then you shall go with hybrid application development. This escalates your budget and therefore you must make a diligent decision on the basis of your market research.
4. Focussing on UI/UX
One of the key features of successful startups are impeccable designing and intuitive interface. It is not just about the eye-catching appeal but also about the usability and functionality of the application. In addition to that, it must also meet the requirements and parameters of Google Material Design and Apple Human Interface Guidelines.
5. Development
Now it is time to put your plan into action, that is to develop and code your mobile app with the help of an expert team of developers who can materialize your months of planning and strategizing into a successful product. You need a team of developers who can develop a scalable app, that provides a delightful user experience (UX) with immersive, innovative and intuitive user interface (UI).
6. Strategizing Marketing Plan
Once your application is ready, it is only intensive marketing campaigns that help your mobile app to soar high, if done right it makes even the regional brands go global. You can use social media, PR and App store optimization techniques to help your app gain momentum.
7. Update, Optimize and Retain
If you think your startup journey has come to an end, you are far away from the truth. The lifecycle of a mobile app does not end with the launch of the app, instead, it is only the beginning. You must keep on updating your mobile app on a regular basis as per customer feedback and the latest security measures. Moreover, to ensure your app does not incur excessive loading time, you must also keep it optimised, which also helps it with ranking on the App store. You must also think about the ways that you can retain your customers by planning your notification timing properly, and being transparent with their data usage.
Thus, your mobile app startup journey is arduous, but surely rewarding if you take the right decisions with the right diligence at the right time.