The Top 10 Mistakes Businesses Make While Building an App

Thinking of building an app? Don’t make these mistakes.

When you get it right, a successful app can streamline your business, support your customers, and boost sales. But get it wrong and you’ll be investing a significant sum of money into something that isn’t functional.

So before you create your app, learn the top 10 mistakes businesses make, and how to avoid them.

Your app shouldn’t be a replica of your website design; it needs to serve a unique purpose. Without that, there will be no incentive for your audience to download it because they can use your website instead. They’ll get all the same features without taking up precious storage on their phones.

It’s also a waste of money and resources to make an app that mimics your mobile website. Apps are only useful if they add value to your business. If it’s not adding value, you would be better off investing the money elsewhere in your business rather than creating an app.

Users expect a different user experience and journey with apps compared to mobile websites, in terms of both appearance and features. Mobile apps give you an opportunity to engage your audience in new ways. Don’t miss out on that opportunity by mimicking your website.

Before thinking about building an app, you need to do substantial market research to determine if your app is even needed.

What is the main purpose? How does it differ from your website? Who is the target audience?

App creation is a large investment, so researching online isn’t enough. It’s important to speak to your target audience directly and invest in quality research. There are market research companies you can hire to help with this.

When it comes to testing, test your app often on different platforms and devices. During development, test with real users and get honest feedback on the app and take action on it. This ensures that your app will be a good fit for your audience when it’s released.

Which platform will you create an app for? Choosing too many platforms can add a lot of extra time and money to your project because each one will need separate development.

The most popular are iOS and Android, so consider the pros and cons of each one for the specific app you’re trying to create and your target audience. Consider things like tech specs, pricing, design, and the geography of your audience. A development team may be able to help you decide this, and focusing on one system-specific design will save you both time and money.

It’s recommended to start with one platform and expand to more later once the app is successful. If you intend to expand, communicate this to your development team early on, and they can take the steps to make sure this will be easier in the future.

Make a detailed cost breakdown before starting the app development process, and remember it’s better to overestimate than underestimate. Get quotes from multiple parties to get an idea of the cost, and you’ll start to see a common theme.

The cost depends heavily on the features you want in your app and the platform you intend to use. Plan this and commit to it early on, because if it changes down the road it will affect your budget.

Be aware that app development may take longer than planned, or you may have to involve additional parties like more developers, designers, and marketers to reach your goal.

Allow a budget for maintaining your app after its release, as app updates and marketing costs can add up.

Successful apps have fewer features. If there’s too much stuff going on, it starts to become cluttered and not useful. People need to understand the purpose. Always remember the adage: jack of all trades, master of none.

These days there’s an app for everything, so if it’s not clear specifically what your app is for, it will end up unused and deleted.

Clearly define the unique selling point of your app from the start and the main features that make it stand out from competitors. You can ask your audience which features they would find the most useful to be sure your app will be valuable to them later.

Some app features are expected as default like user-friendly design and accessibility, but everything else is your decision.

One of the most common reasons for app deletion is a bad user experience. If you’re going to build an app, UX design should be one of your top priorities. Make sure your developers value the front-end development of your app, not just the back end, or outsource this to an experienced UX designer.

User experience isn’t all about visuals; it’s about flow and ease when using the app and having a clear user journey. Things like intrusive ads and popups, or asking users to log in or take an action excessively make the app undesirable to use.

The app should be easy to navigate, clutter-free, and easily readable. Test this on multiple devices and always get your target audience’s opinion.

Before hiring an app developer, make sure they are experienced and look at their reviews and feedback. Do they have specific expertise in what you want to do?

Once you’ve made this choice, developers need to be briefed on exactly what you want, and you need a minimum viable product to be working towards. The app can always be updated later, but communicating an MVP is an important starting point.

Look into agile methodologies and ways of working. Many developers use agile or scrum as a way to work and communicate, and knowing this can make app development easier on a day-to-day basis. It helps to set clear roles for everyone involved and to plan consistent and effective communication.

Always remember that app development is a continuous process after the app is released. Successful apps typically release updates every 12 weeks, which may seem like a lot, but it will be simple and straightforward when you’re working with the right team.

You may want to add or change features, especially if you didn’t get to add everything you wanted at the beginning or you’re experiencing negative reviews. Bug fixes are another common reason for changes, and they are often caused by updates to phone operating systems.

From time to time, you may want to completely overhaul your app to keep up with the competition or to give it a visual refresh. Neglecting these crucial updates could hurt your app’s performance in the long run.

Think about how you will market your app in the build-up to its release and following its release. App stores have high competition, so unfortunately your app won’t sell itself.

Marketing an app is all about how you communicate its benefits to your target audience. Your app can be promoted in the same ways you promote other things in your business. The most important things are being consistent and focusing on the app’s beneficial features.

As well as a marketing strategy, you may want to have a monetization strategy too.

Will you run ads in your app? Will your app have paid features or a subscription model? These things are important for financial planning.

When choosing app developers or app builders, don’t focus on saving money at the expense of creating a quality and valuable app. With these things, you often get what you pay for.

Mobile app development is an ongoing process involving multiple revisions and updates, so it’s important that you like your team and get results with them because you’ll likely be working together for a long time.

The right mobile app is a growth opportunity for your business in many ways, but only when done correctly. Before building an app, spend a lot of time planning the purpose of the app and who it’s for.

At EB Pearls, we offer a wide range of solutions to meet your app development needs, from design to development. Were #1 in Mobile App Development in Australia and are recognized globally with 72 international awards.

Book your free consultation today to find out why we’re the perfect partner for your project.