The launch of a mobile application for a website is always a period of doubt and hesitation, where we don’t know if everything has been done to make it appealing and attractive to Internet users.
To fight as much as possible against these uncertainties, it will be necessary to take advice from Magento development or e-commerce development company.
At the very least, it will be necessary to be very specific and focus on each point that could create or destroy value for the person who downloaded the application (convince), or who would be likely to download it (seduce).
Whether it is through understanding the market, the graphics and technical design of the application, or the permanent evolutions that a mobile application requires, many points must be taken into account.
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Why develop a mobile application?
With the increase in the number of smartphone users, it has become almost natural for a company to look for mobile solutions that are compatible with the interests of mobile users, but also with their new habits.
Thus, using new mobile technologies, especially applications, to bring a different value proposition to the market has become a priority for many companies in order to stand out and attract more customers.
Ergonomically and graphically, a mobile application allows smooth navigation and simple use while offering various functionalities such as alerts or the use of the full capacity of the phone (GPS, compass, camera, contacts, calendar, etc., unlike a simple website.
The web apps
Web apps represent websites designed on the basis of web technologies such as HTML5 or CSS3. They do not just work on mobile devices, but they are compatible with all browsers.
How to choose the right type of applications?
For the choice of the type of a mobile application, we find among other things the following criteria:
- The objective of your application and the need to satisfy.
- The skills available in your company.
- The time and budget allocated to the completion of your projects.
What are the steps to create a mobile application?
If you are looking to turn an idea into a useful application, you should know that the mobile development of an Android or iOS application follows the same pattern, namely design, development, verification and publication.
Design phase
An idea, however good it may be, is not enough to move on to the realization of your work and make it a success, you must first of all devote a brainstorming session at the very beginning of your project, in order to gather as much information as possible about the use of your application. This includes a phase of studying the needs of its future users.
At this stage, it iation (type of applications to be developed, design, definition of the target, functionalities of the application…).
- Prepare the deployment of the strategy used throughout the mobile development process.
- Draw up the business necessary to be able to:
- Write a specifics plan and financing possibilities.
- Think about a marketing plan in case of monetization of your application.
- Set objectives to be achieved.
Prototyping step
Once the first bases of your application have been determined on the specifications during the design phase, take the time to draw the different screens that will give life to your project, by freehand or using appropriate software. These are MockUps or Wireframes.
This operation will allow you to have a high-level view of all the navigation in your application.
Development stage
If your application is native to Apple, iPhone, iPadou iPod touch devices, you must:
- Prepare the appropriate hardware to be able to successfully develop your mobile, namely a Mac and the iOS SDK.
- Write or have written the lines of code using Objective-C or Swift languages under Xcode.
On the other hand, if your native application is intended for the Google platform, regardless of your machine’s operating system (macOS, Windows or Linux), the mobile development of an Android application for tablets or smartphones requires:
- The installation of Android Studio and the associated SDK.
- Learning the basics of Java or Kotlin.
If you are used to other programming languages such as JavaScript or are looking to save time and money, hybrid apps are a good solution for creating applications that are compatible with multiple OSs based on the same code.
If you lack time or experience, you will benefit from the services of an independent developer or a specialized agency. Depending on the complexity of the functionalities of your application and the availability of your internal technical teams, hiring a team of professionals would be a possible solution.
Verification stage
If you have completed the development of your program, don’t be happy about it! There is no guarantee yet that it is error-free, hence the importance of this verification step.
To ensure the proper functioning of your product, Google and Applem provide their developers with tools to simulate the application’s behavior on a smartphone and correct certain errors.
You can also deploy the program directly on your smartphone and test it in real time.
This test phase is extremely important; you will achieve a good result by following usage scenarios and a detailed test booklet.
Publication stage
At this stage, you had to test and finalize your mobile application before offering it for sale on Google’s Play Store or Apple’s App Store download platform.
A paid developer account must be valid, as well as the information you will provide to the moderation service when submitting your application.
An application available in the blinds, and then?
Far from being an end in itself, publishing on blinds does not mean the end of the adventure. On the contrary, it is a starting point in the life of your application. The challenge will now consist of finely analyzing the behavior of its users in order to identify the areas for improvement. The solution is provided by specialized tools called App Analytics.
Here are the tips for what to do when developing mobile applications…
1. Know the market of mobile application development
The most important thing for a mobile application development professional is to know what’s going on around him. Whether it is a development company with a large team or a freelance developer, it is essential to know the application development sector to be up-to-date, stay competitive and be able to offer an updated and innovative product. Whether in the areas of technology, design or mobile marketing, not being up to date can be fatal for your business.
Indeed, even in mobile design and marketing, you have to be up to date. Even if you are responsible only for mobile application development, it is recommended to know the trends of other disciplines in relation to the mobile applications sector. It may be sufficient to follow the mobile application development trends that resemble his own Apps.
This means that if you’re an Android developer, it’s a good idea to know the Android app development industry at your fingertips. You’ll need to know what the app design trends are for 2015, what kind of designs work well, how to program the app to optimize for mobile marketing strategies, and even start mobile app development by having the type of commercial model that the application will have in order to program and design based on it.
2. Be faithful to design trends but … to differentiate!
That’s exactly it. You have to pay attention to what is done in the design of applications. Lately, we are starting to see usable designs that mix intuitive designs with skeuomorphism. They confront flat design, familiar and well-known mobile application development professionals, and continues to have much influence in mobile applications. But most importantly, even if you can build on successful designs, you need to differentiate yourself. Stand out! In this way, users will be able to see your application as innovative, different and bringing something new.
3. Security, a highly valued term in the field of application development
We have very concrete data on the topic of enterprise security and mobile application development. And what is certain is that it is not given sufficient importance, which causes deficiencies in the security of applications.
An IBM study shows that 50% of companies do not devote any portion of their budget to security when developing mobile applications. On the other hand, 40% of companies do not review the code of their applications and do not investigate if there are security gaps.
In general, half of the companies do not even review half of the applications they create and 33% of them never check the security or errors that have occurred. This translates into 1000 million personal data registers exposed to cyber attacks, only in 2014.
That’s why developers and entrepreneurs need to pay attention to security and establish mobile application development so that it is not likely to be hacked and the information of our customers or users is not not exploited. In addition, it is one of the most valued criteria by users of mobile applications. The development of secure mobile applications will always be better than that of an application that can be easily hacked. If an application is private, users should be comfortable knowing that their data and personal information are in good hands.
4. Testing – Eliminate mistakes!
Before submitting a programming job, it’s important to test it, whether it’s a web page, a computer program or an application. Being a good application developer is going to be willing to provide a perfect job: this is one of the keys to success for the developer. We, as experts in mobile application development, are here to inform you that testing your application yourself is not enough. It’s better to rely on another developer who can test it or have another professional opinion that gives feedback on your mobile application development. Similarly, try to get an opinion from a person outside the world of application development, such as a user, to have an opinion that is not limited to work. Can the application be used? Are there any errors? It is only after this process that the work can be returned to the end customer.
5. Offer continuous service
A good way to make a good impression on your customer is to offer them a continuous service for your punctual work. That is to say, to maintain the functioning of the application that you have created, and this, in the long run. Mobile application development is not enough. Indeed, customers give a lot of importance to getting involved in their project. In addition, it will bring you great benefits. You will be paid a fixed salary for maintenance and if you have done a good job of development, you will only have to make small changes over time. This is an ideal measure to retain customers and that will create a good image for other potential customers.
What you should not do
1. Apply web standards
Okay, the Web is the scroll realm. But on mobile, standards differ: choose the switch between screens for your application! Think KISS (keep it smart and simple). A screen, a feature!
Also remember: forget modal pop-ups, common on the Web but deprecated on an app. They pollute the visual space. Do you have a little cousin 3 years old? He must be able to use your app. If necessary, you can offer a tutorial, in a few slides. Give the user the opportunity to play the tutorial!
2. Breaking the ergonomics and zoning
Fashion is a big smartphone screen? That’s right, but remember that these screens are smaller than those of PCs. Prioritize and organize the information that will be able to consult the users.
The main click area is in the center and bottom of the screen, within inches. Do not place anything important on the sides! Better to be sober than overloaded, simplify the menus, highlight the buttons and CTAs (for Call To Action, aka an incentive sentence for the customer).
Last tip: the user of the application must have the opportunity to change his choices in the pipe, without losing everything he has entered so far. Otherwise, you will see a drop in the retention rate!
3. Force account creation at installation
Curiosity is an essential engine. This curiosity is curbed when you force the user to create an account from the first opening: a user who discovers that he has access to any feature without creating an account will immediately uninstall the app – and becomes a customer lost, forever. Business fatality. And we hardly exaggerate!
Users like to take the time to explore their applications before creating an account and engaging with a brand, convinced by what it offers. Open access to the main features!
4. Incorrectly define user profiles
You probably have very different customer profiles. This will also be the case with your app! If you assume that all users will follow the same path, you will design a rickety UX that will discourage users, will affect your retention rate as well as your conversion rate.
The ideal? Take the time to define the different user targets. Propose an assisted control tunnel, a graphic chart, and a communication, optimized for each profile.
5. Do not make a difference between iOS and Android
The two main mobile operating systems, iOS and Android, have their specificities (security, ergonomics …). They must be taken into account when developing. Also, avoid additions of additional components. In short, do not waste time: you surely have many other things to do!
Conclusion
A successful mobile app should be thought of as such (not a web app, but a special environment that has its own identity), and not seen as an extension of the website. Ergonomics must be worked. The specifics of each operating system must be taken into account. User profiles need to be studied. Users must be able to use the app without creating an account. Do you want to know more? Why not entrust the development of your application to Magento development or e-commerce Development Company?
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