Category: Mobile App Development

You‘re done with the various stages of development of your app and now are getting ready for deployment and a flashy launch. While you are overburdened with numerous issues that crop up in the testing and deployment phase, you must give due diligence to the pre-launch. 

From building dedicated websites for your application to search optimization to email campaigns, the pre-launch phase is all about presenting your fruits of labor to the right audience in the way it’s intended. 

Here are the 8 pre-launch commandments that you should staunchly follow.

1. Design a Dedicated Website

Your user should be able to access and/or interact with a website if they need more information about your application. A dedicated website/ landing page provides information and an overview of what you offer. It also acts as a gateway to your App Store page. The page should be neatly designed and highlight the main features and the value that the app provides. 

You should also have a signup form on this website, cleverly placed, always visible but shouldn’t distract the user. This is crucial because all the social media efforts and other marketing campaigns will be directing the traffic to this website. 

Here’s a website checklist to ensure you don’t miss any imperative information:  

• App logo and tagline
• A brief overview of the app
• Social Media buttons
• A Launch Notification Sign Up
• Details highlighting main features and USP of your app
• HQ screenshots and Videos of the App
• Reviews section highlighting reviews by media and influencers(Hidden until post-launch if not applicable)
• About us page along with contact us form.

If you don’t have time to develop a dedicated website, then don’t. Hastily designing a website and getting it ready for launch in a time crunch can have a bad impact on your overall promotion. It is highly advised that you partner with a website design and development agency to build this. Talk to us here.

Post-launch changes

Here are some website changes you may have to make after the launch:

• Make Reviews section visible if it wasn’t earlier
• Links redirecting to all the app stores where the app is available
• Launch notification sign up changed to a newsletter subscription for important updates

2. Publicize through different channels

Reach out to your industry-specific media outlets and influencers to get your app reviewed or feature a press release. Posts, releases, and reviews from authoritative figures can help generate an initial user base. Don’t forget to use the omnipresent social media channels to create some buzz around your app.  

3. Create a Press Kit 

Your Press Kit will have detailed information about the app which is essential for proper press coverage. This will make the promotions easier for media, bloggers, and influencers. 

Just like a dedicated website here’s your Press Kit checklist of must-haves:

• App logo and icons
• App description
• App Screenshots and video
• Links to your website and social media
• Your contact information

4. Open your app to Beta Testing

Most of the successful applications opt for beta testing when they introduce new features. While it is not mandatory, we would highly recommend it. In the Beta testing environment, the user cohort gets exclusive access to the app before it goes completely public. The user cohort is required to report bugs, inconsistencies in the UX, logic gaps, or any general feedback about the app. 

There are plenty of tools like TestFlight to host a beta test. You can choose the one that fits your needs and the scope of your app. There is one major advantage of opening your app to Beta Testing. The testing group reviews your app for the first time, and therefore, can point out issues that you may have missed in the first release. This can help you identify potential problem areas that you can address. 

5. Email Campaign

A well-written and beautifully designed email campaign can have a big impact on your launch. You can include early-bird discounts and bonuses in your emails which can, in turn, boost your downloads. 

Here are best practices for creating an impactful email campaign

• Personalize subject and greeting 
• Create a value proposition
• Place a strong CTA in the launch email
• Showcase your app through high-quality images or video

6. App Store Optimization (ASO)

The visibility of your app is crucial to its success and it can be ensured via App Store optimization. Optimization helps your app to be recommended to people who are not exactly searching for your app. To accomplish this, you’ll have to do your research about your competition and target market. This will help you identify the keywords people are searching for and which designs yield better results in terms of traffic. 

App Store Optimization includes: 

• App name with keywords
• Descriptions that attract users
• Focus Keywords for rankings
• Eye-catching app icon
• Screenshots of the five most important, unique, or interesting features of your app, with accompanying descriptive text
• Video of the app in use to show UI and UX (optional but highly recommended)

7. Integrate Analytics

We recommend that you integrate analytics in the pre-launch phase. Likely, this integration would not be an easy feat after the launch. 

8. Choosing the Launch Date

It might not seem that important at first but the difference between a well-timed launch and a badly-timed one is of day and night. You’d want to avoid times when big sharks like Apple, Google, and Facebook are making their announcements or launching their apps. Apart from that, you will also need to factor in the time for approval from the App Store. Your launch date and campaigns won’t make sense if it isn’t approved by the App Store. 

Lastly, we would like to close this informative piece with a stat that might help you with your launch date, a 2015 Sensor tower research concluded that weekends are the best time to launch an app. 

We know that in the pursuit of designing and developing the perfect app, the launch efforts might take a backseat, but with these prerequisites and some help from experts you can get the best possible jump-start for your app. Feel free to talk to us if you have any queries related design, development, and deployment of an app.

About Galaxy

We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with app UI/UX design in agile development environments. Our designers, engineers, and developers help improve security, reliability and features to make sure your business application and IT structure scale and remain secure.

A majority of people conduct their business on their smartphones. Moving to mobile is thus a smart way to reach your target audience. However, you must ensure that your application will be beneficial to both your customer and your brand. 

How would you know if an app is right for your company? And once you’ve made that decision, how do you decide what to include in the app? Here are the 7 signs that should tell you that your business needs a mobile app.

#1 Increase clients’ access to your brand

An app is created with the goal to increase the number of ways for clients to access the portal from any location and at any time. Furthermore, it translates into improved customer communication. Having a mobile app also covers increased attention and brand strengthening.

#2 Increasing number of e-commerce shoppers

Most businesses would benefit from developing a mobile app for their customers. People shop online all the time and more often than not using their smartphones. If you are an e-commerce business, you need to get a mobile app developed, pronto! Not having an application would result in lost sales. We recommend gathering information from your customers and competitors to determine what your mobile app requires to succeed.

#3 An app could improve your product

If you have a specific digital product offering or a physical product that can be enhanced with an app, create an app. For example, if you sell any type of recurring subscription product, an app may be useful in assisting customers in tracking orders and purchasing additional items.

#4 Grow your business with a mobile app

Businesses should consider offering an app, but only if it has the potential to help them grow their business. Your app should be linked to your business plan, and businesses should not just get one for the sake of having one. Businesses should also consider how their online audience interacts with them. What is it that is causing them to make a purchase? What role would an app play in that strategy and how would it lead to sales? 

#5 An app to complement your website

A website provides all the functionalities required for a typical small business. Many times, small businesses decide to develop a mobile app that users will not download. It is not worth the investment because the app’s functionality is already available on the website.

#6 Your competitors have mobile apps

Simply looking at the competition will reveal that all of your competitors most likely have a mobile app. Consumers and even ordinary people are increasingly connected to their phones, emphasizing the importance of an app. It would require a link to your website, push notifications, and contact and support information.

#7 Your customers are requesting one

Listening to your customers is the best way to determine whether you need a mobile app. Consumers today are very vocal about their expectations of businesses. If you’re curious, you could create a survey and post it on social media or your website. Ask users if they want a mobile app, and if they do, come up with some feature ideas for the app. Post a second survey and use the most popular responses.

How To Get A Mobile App For Your Business?

After determining whether or not your company requires a mobile application, the next step is to develop one. Developing a successful app is a journey, not a one-step process. You must understand what goes into creating a mobile app and devote time to making it better in meeting the needs of your customers. That being said, the following are the keys to developing a successful mobile application.

#1 Have a problem

The goal of any invention is to solve a pre-existing problem. Therefore, if you want your app to have an impact, make sure it solves a problem. You can consider the issues that your customers are facing and then create an app that addresses those issues.

#2 Determine a requirement

Always keep an eye out for what your customers are looking for. This way, you can be certain that you are creating an app for which there is a market. Validation can be accomplished with the help of essential tools such as the Google Keyword Planner. Alternatively, you can create a landing page where you can describe your app idea and allow your users to provide feedback.

#3 Outline the key features

You will be able to determine what your users want once you have validated your app idea. Determine which features are most important to your target audience and avoid those that aren’t. It also aids in resource conservation. You can continue to add features in later updated versions of the app. 

#4 Everything revolves around design

The UX/UI of your app is included in the design. Ensure that your app’s User Experience (UX) is satisfactory and that the app’s appearance is appealing to your potential users. These are important features that can make your app more appealing to your customers. As a result, you should understand the significance of UI UX when developing your mobile app.

#5 Seek the assistance of a developer

You can now hire an app development company to assist you in creating an app that meets your business needs. Check out their website’s reviews as well as their portfolio. This way, you can be certain that you are hiring a reputable app developer. And that they will provide you with an app that is appropriate for your needs.

#6 Create apps for Android and iOS

Android and iOS are the most popular app platforms. Developing an app that caters to both platforms is critical to ensuring that all customers can use your app comfortably. Using the cross-platform app development framework is a low-cost way to create an app for Android and iPhone users.

#7 Perform app testing

There is a chance that users will use your app in ways you never imagined. As a result, it is critical to test your app before releasing it. Allowing real users to use your app allows you to detect any flaws in the app. You can use feedback from app testing to improve your app and make necessary changes. Users can also provide insights that can help you understand your customers’ expectations.

Conclusion

Almost any business can benefit from mobile apps for business. If you’re still undecided about whether you need a mobile app, we hope the arguments in this article will help you make the right choice.

The most important thing to remember is that any product or tool must solve specific problems while also contributing to the company’s growth. With this in mind, it is necessary to plan the work and create a list of the functions that will be required for a future app.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with app development in agile development environments. Our designers, engineers, and developers help improve security, reliability and features to make sure your business application and IT structure scale and remain secure.

Once you have decided to develop your idea into a mobile application, you need to make a few important decisions. These include-

• Who will be the right mobile app development partner?
• What would be the cost of building the app? 
• How much time will it take to launch your app?
• Whether to opt for native mobile application development or cross-platform?

Identifying the development approach to choose for building your app – the native or the hybrid route is among the most important considerations. Which approach is better? What are the advantages of each? How do I choose which type of app to develop?

So, if you are wondering whether you should take the native or hybrid approach for creating your mobile app, we will try to help you get answers to these questions in this article. Let’s first understand the meaning of native and hybrid apps. 

What is a native app?

A native mobile application is a smartphone program, written specifically to operate on a specific mobile device and its operating system platforms (mainly Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android). 

It is developed considering the technical and user-related guidelines of the operating system. This type of digital solution offers a higher level of performance and reliability and hence makes it more user-friendly. However, they are developed specifically for each platform, which means that it is expensive and needs more team expertise to launch applications on multiple platforms. Native Android mobile apps are commonly developed using Java or Kotlin, while Native iOS apps are developed using Swift or Objective-C. Facebook, Twitter, Gmail are a few examples of native apps.

What is a hybrid application?

A hybrid mobile application is a software program that combines the elements of both native and website applications. Hybrid applications have been growing in popularity as they can be built and released across multiple different platforms using the same user interface. The development and maintenance of hybrid apps are faster and is cost-effective as it takes less time to develop and needs fewer developers given the need to create only one codebase. Hybrid mobile apps are developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are then condensed in a native application using a wrapper like Xamarin or Apache Cordova, or React Native. Hybrid apps then use third-party plug-ins and APIs to retain complete access to the mobile device’s features. Amazon, Instagram, Uber are a few examples of hybrid apps.

Comparing native and hybrid applications

To help you native and hybrid apps better, we have listed below a few key differences.

• Codebase

Native mobile apps have different codebases for each operating system. However, hybrid apps are developed using a single codebase and then can be run on all devices regardless of the operating system.  As a result, native app development requires separate development teams with expertise for each platform that leads to higher development costs. 

• Performance

Native mobile apps are designed specifically for an operating system and device. Native apps use the visual elements, structure, and contents that are already on the device, hence, they are faster for instant loading, more reliable, and thereby providing a seamless user experience. On the other hand, hybrid apps are slower than native apps as they have only a wrapper that is downloaded to the user’s phone (which may or may not contain all the navigational elements) with most of the data being loaded from the server. 

• User experience (UX)

UX is a crucial component in the success of any app, both app types address this. Native apps however offer the best UX in comparison to hybrid apps. To offer a good UX with a hybrid app, a good user experience architect/developer is needed so that he can integrate the different style guidelines across different platforms. 

• Development cost and time

A native app takes more cost and time to develop as it requires different codebases to be written for each platform. Additionally, developing native apps requires bigger team sizes with expertise across each platform. On the other hand, developing a hybrid app is less time-consuming and needs less effort. 

• Security

Enhanced security is one of the key benefits of native mobile apps in comparison to hybrid apps. Native apps enable developers to integrate various functions such as two-factor authentication that help ensure data safety and privacy. On the other hand, hybrid apps always have some Native code (for instance to start a Web container like a WebView), which makes them susceptible to vulnerabilities that affect web browsers. Essentially, there is more work involved in securing your hybrid apps versus native apps.

Native vs Hybrid apps – key differences

Parameters	Native app	Hybrid app
Cross-platform deployment	No	Yes
Code reusability	No	Yes
Performance	High	Slower than native apps
Design	Great user interface	Good user interface
Development	Needs skilled developers with expertise across platforms	Skilled developers are still needed but do not require platform-specific expertise
Development time	Time consuming	Faster development time
Budget	Higher than hybrid apps	Lower than native apps
Offline access	Yes	No
Security	Enhanced	Good

Factors determining the selection of Native or Hybrid

Having gone through the definitions and comparisons between native and hybrid apps, we have now listed the key factors that should determine which app would be the right selection for your business. Both native and hybrid apps have benefits and limitations, and the right selection will be determined based on answers to these questions.

• What is the objective of building your app?
• What are the key features to be included in your app?
• What is your budget to develop the app?
• How quickly do you want to develop the app? 
• Are you more interested in building an MVP across different platforms?
• Do you want to build it in-house or outsource? 

Conclusion

The debate around hybrid and native apps will continue to exist because there’s a place and need for both. Ultimately, the right app type would depend on your business needs. We know how important it is for you to get things right as your business is in question. If you’ve any doubts related to mobile app development and if you need assistance developing one then feel free to talk to us here.

What is the ballpark of building a mobile application? There are hundreds of estimates available on the web for this answer. However, they happen to be just that – an estimate. Now we know that developing a mobile application may have numerous variables. 

Your mobile application may end up costing $15,000 to $250,000 based on the features you are looking for. There are a few constants that contribute to the cost. Let’s have a look at them – 

Location of the team

Your team’s/ vendor’s location contributes significantly to your app’s development cost. The primary reason beyond this is the different wages based on the geographical location. Developers and designers have different costs across the US, Europe, and Asia. A developer in the US is paid $40-$100. In Asia, a developer with the same skill set and experience is paid $25-$35 per hour. Here is an approximate rate of Android and iOS developers across regions:

Region	iOS ($/hour)	Android ($/hour)
North America	150	168
Australia	110	110
UK	70	70
South America	43	34
Eastern Europe	35	35
India	30	26
Indonesia	11	12

Your App type

After the location selection, the second factor is the application type. There are three options here – 

Web Applications 

• They are websites with functionality and interactive elements, such as Gmail, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. 
• They can be accessed via any browser, and therefore, there is no need to download them from any app store. 
• Web apps are cost-effective and simple, primarily built using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. There are no standard SDKs for web apps. 

Native Applications 

• These applications are created using the language that is native to the operating system of the device in consideration. 
• Objective C or Swift for iOS devices, Java or Kotlin for Android.
• Their performance is par excellence. However, they are expensive to develop. 

Hybrid Applications

• A mix of web apps and native apps. 
• Helps in reaching out to a larger audience. 
• Code maintenance is lesser vis-a-vis native apps. 
• Easy access to the device’s hardware. 
• Great application performance. 

Platform Selection

If opting for a native application, you can opt to develop your application on Android and iOS simultaneously. Alternatively, you can choose to launch your application on one of the platforms and then develop it for others after some time (e.g. Instagram).

How to make the right choice –  

• Determine which platform has a greater chunk of your target audience
• What resources you have if you go for developing apps for iOS vis-a-vis Android – Resource pool, access to development tools, SDKs
• Will it make more sense to opt for cross-platform development

While there is no major difference in the cost of developing for iOS and Android, the cost will be more if you opt for developing your mobile application on both. 

Features and Functionalities

The basic features social login, push notifications, data encryption, media, messaging, search features. You will also need to decide if your application needs to be connected with the internet, payment gateway, geolocation (if required), third-party integrations, and so on. 

There will always be budget constraints. How to overcome this issue?

• Prioritize your application’s features and also remember that every new feature will need additional cost and efforts of your team.
• Determine the complexity of your app as it will have a direct impact on the timeline and cost. 

Design and Development Complexities 

The design and development complexities are a major determining factor in your app cost. Simple layouts, standard color schemes, limited options, icon and logo designs, copywriting; all are vital components of your design. And if these are not developed as you envisioned, it will lead to a lot of back and forth among teams. Make sure your developers and designers are on the same page always. 

What is the cost of building a mobile application in 2021? 

After reading this blog, we hope you know what goes into building a mobile application. You can expect additional costs to come your way as your app grows. This would include the maintenance cost, cost of additional features, storage of data, complex visuals, and so on. 

You may choose to outsource your mobile application development to experts who will help make the design and development journey smoother and swifter. 
Don’t take our word for it, Clutch recognized us as ‘Top development partner’, read all about it here. We are always open to building new relations and working on challenging projects, you can contact us here for an accurate app development estimation.

Mobile devices are an integral part of our lives. They are used to cater to different needs of the users, including business and social networking, banking, entertainment, and even grocery shopping. Mobile apps are a great way to improve your product or service and reach out to more users. One of the key differences between a successful mobile app and the one that fails are the design elements – user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). UI is the components and the layout of the mobile app with which the users can interact, whereas UX is the overall experience of the user using the app.

The UI/UX design is one of the most important factors to consider while building a mobile app. Having said that, the global trends in UX design and UI design are constantly changing and it may seem like a challenge to keep up with the latest trends. In this article, we have compiled some of the key mobile app design considerations.

Keeping the app simple

Mobile devices are short in real estate, and hence knowing what are the most important elements of your offering is crucial for a successful mobile design. Keeping the app layout simple ensures easy navigation and a great user experience. It is very important that the app navigation is easier, faster, and smoother to use. Having unnecessary features in the app reduces the app speed and leads to a poor user experience.

However, simplicity does not mean minimalistic design. The design should be creative and such that the users complete their tasks in as few steps as possible. Unnecessary steps will likely leave your user frustrated and unhappy with their experience.

Finger-friendly design

With mobile devices, we use our fingers to navigate through the app. Hence, having a finger-friendly design is a crucial consideration while designing your app to understand how your users will interact within the app. Over time, users have been familiarized with certain finger movements and these have become standard use for tasks such as swiping to go to the next page, double tap and pinch to zoom, etc. Additionally button design plays an important role in designing the app. These buttons should be adequately sized and should be located at the right places on the screen. Excessive scrolling inside an app can be frustrating and lead to a bad user experience.

Responsiveness

Mobile devices have a very wide range of sizes and your app should be able to respond to these. Additionally, each device have two different screen modes in which the devices can be viewed — landscape and portrait mode. App designers should design the app such that important elements respond to different screen sizes and orientations and are displayed appropriately. Hence, mobile responsiveness has become an integral part of the app front end development.

Consistency of design

Maintaining consistency across your app provides familiarity and ease of use for the end user. A good practice is to define your elements and then repeat them throughout the app. These elements include but are not limited to style, color, fonts, buttons, etc. A consistent app design ensures a rich user experience. On the other hand, a non-consistent hampers your app’s intuition and will mostly frustrate the user leading to a poor user experience.

Conclusion

Mobile apps are increasingly becoming part of our daily life and the focus of good developers remains to keep the user happy. Keeping the basic mobile app design considerations in mind ensures that the focus remains on the user. If you’ve any doubts related to mobile app development and if you need assistance developing one, then feel free to talk to us here.