In the modern information age, the usage of smartphones has become pervasive. From something trivial like a to-do list app to complex enterprise-level applications—there is a mobile application for everything.
If you have an app idea distinct from everything else out there, or you have a business that will be well-complemented with a mobile app, then custom mobile app development is the right choice for you.
With a well-built mobile app, you’ll have many opportunities knocking at the front door. From maximum exposure to profitable openings, customer retention, new customer acquisitions, and flexible scalability to constant business growth with robust security—the sky is the limit!
Now the question is: how to build a custom mobile app? Let’s answer this query by discussing some crucial tips for developing a bespoke software solution giving you a concise and definitive idea on taking this challenge and succeeding.
Steps For Building A Robust Custom Mobile App
Develop A Strategy For Your Business
A strategy is the first and foremost step when initiating custom mobile app development. The product strategy works as a roadmap, and you need a roadmap to get to your goals.
There are countless apps available on mobile app marketplaces that no one has ever heard of. The reason is simple: ineffective or no strategy planned for the app’s development, deployment, and promotion. And since competition is getting stiffer by the second, product strategy is more vital than ever.
One of the ways to succeed in this domain is by clearly defining your aspirations with the app. You need to be articulate with the idea when announcing your mobile app development strategy. Your app must have a unique purpose that conveniently solves the problems of the users, or provides value to the user in a significant way.
Hiring The Right Talent
Hiring software development professionals is the next phase after acing the product strategy. It is challenging to hire a good IT expert for your project development, let alone an entire team of software development professionals. But there are multiple avenues you can take here. Let’s discuss them.
In-house Team
First is in-house team hiring. You can pick and choose whom you like. But there is a catch: it can take a lot of time, and you can never be too sure that the person you are hiring is the right one for the job, especially if this is your first time hiring an entire team.
Furthermore, it can add more items to the billing list. You’ll need more space, furniture, pieces of equipment, etc. Additionally, you have to take care of the employee’s well-being and smartly allocate personnel to the project – taking into account their strengths and weaknesses. Plus, there’s always a chance of some key person leaving the organization – in which case the project’s progress may be impacted.
Freelancers
Next is hiring freelancers. You have more flexibility with freelancers as compared to in-house developers. But they also present their own set of challenges. Since freelancers work remotely from all over the world, it is hard to locate their actual position, and a difference in time zone may cause hindrance in communication and impact the project deadlines.
Furthermore, they may face some limitations with the software tools and frameworks - as access to some tools is limited or unavailable in certain regions. And there is always a danger of scams as well. So, be careful in your vetting process when hiring freelancers.
Outsourcing Software Development Firm
Last but not the least is outsourcing your project to a good custom mobile app development company When you receive custom mobile app development services from a software development firm, you eliminate the hassle you face working with an in-house team or freelancers.
If you decide to outsource your project to one of the custom mobile app development companies, be careful with your search. Always look at their credentials; see who they have collaborated with and how many projects they have worked on.
You can also set up a meeting with them via online video calls to discuss the nature of the business and what you expect from their custom mobile app development services.
Planning A Budget
Planning and setting a budget is a crucial aspect of software development. Oftentimes, applications don’t even get released because of financial mismanagement.
Whether hiring in-house developers, freelancers, or a software development agency, you need to sit down with the team (virtually or physically) and figure out how much it will cost to develop and deploy a mobile app.
Another thing to consider is the platform for which you are developing the app. Is it going to be a native, cross-platform, or hybrid app? The platform you’ll choose will eventually dictate the estimate of your project—so research and plan carefully.
Developmental Phase
This is the phase where you get to turn theory into practical application. Let’s break it down into small chunks for you to have a better understanding.
Design is an integral part of the software development life cycle. Your design is what the consumer sees. Therefore you need to be confident that it is on point with intuitive features and a friendly user interface (UI).
The next phase is development. This process usually comprises two parts: the back end and the front end. The backend development covers the application's architectural and database-related queries. On the contrary, front-end development covers the entire interaction space between a user and an application.
Testing is what you should focus on next. QA engineers should perform thorough testing on each component of a mobile app, whether it be features and functionalities, UI/UX design intricacies, security aspects, database robustness, etc.; leaving this box unticked can cause various problems in the future.
The next and last stage is deployment. Before releasing the app, make sure you have fulfilled all the requirements of the app marketplaces to avoid any inconvenience later.
Marketing And Promotion
There are millions of apps on multiple app stores. Therefore, it is not easy to stand out amongst the crowd. You need to create a strategy and marketing plan that will help you become prominent in the industry.
One of the ways to promote your new app is by creating a website, as it gives you a strong digital presence. With a website, you can elaborate on what your app can do. Furthermore, you promote your product via email marketing, social media posting, google ads, etc.
Post Release Maintenance
The software development life cycle never really comes to an end; you can always do something to improve the app and make it better than before.
Even if you have succeeded as a mobile app owner, you can never be complacent because someone with a fresher app idea is ready to replace yours.
Keep updating your app frequently to get rid of any bugs and errors. Furthermore, allow a forum for discussion where users can give feedback on how you can improve the app’s services.
Conclusion
Custom mobile app development is challenging. But with a great idea, implementation, and constant improvement, you can deliver an app that will cement itself as one of the most prominent apps in marketplaces.
If you lack experience in mobile app development, hiring a reputable custom mobile app development company is a good option. They not only provide stellar custom mobile app development services but give quality advice and post-deployment services.
So, get in touch with us today for a consultation regarding bespoke mobile app development.
