As the owner of a major ecommerce store, you must try to use your resources to appeal to as many potential customers as possible within a specific amount of time. One of the best ways to achieve this goal would be to have a customized ecommerce business app that can promote your business in the best possible manner. While at one point of time, businesses only focused on establishing a strong market name and for that they invested in having their very own website. However, the needs of an ecommerce business have somewhat changed over the years and currently it is considered a major necessity for any online store business to have a well developed mobile apps.
There are a number of factors for which you should consider having a custom built app for your ecommerce business. Some of them are discussed below in brief.
Apps For Ecommerce Business Can Help To Promote Your Company
Statistics have shown that while using their smartphones, people explore sites in browsers only for about 8% of times. For the rest 92% of cases, they prefer to use mobile apps. Hence unless an enterprise has a well developed app to represent its interests, it is likely to lose out on a major part of its business. Apps not only help to engage new prospective customers but they also help in effectively communicating with the existing customers about the central goals and aims of the business. Moreover, having an app to represent your company actually allows you to promote your brand in the best possible way. However, without the app you are actually losing out on a lot of opportunities to promote your company in a subtle but effective way.
Mobile Apps Can Boost Your Sales
It has been found that mobile apps serve as excellent ways to increase your sales figures within a short span of time. Most ecommerce companies that start using mobile apps for their business observe a sharp rise in their business figures within a short time. In many cases, the rise in sales can go up as high as 20% to 30%. Additionally, customers who shop with the ecommerce store also get back within a period of 30 days to do their next shopping with the ecommerce store. It has been found that about 62% of all online traffic that comes from smartphone usage depends a lot on the response generated from the mobile apps. Due to this reason, it is necessary that companies invest wisely and generously on creating apps for their ecommerce business.
UX or user experience plays a very critical role in making sure that the customers keep on visiting your online portal and using the products and services that your company has to offer. The sphere of digital user experience includes a number of things such as visual appeal, user features and ease of use just to name a few. You should also focus on improving the loading speed of your site as it can play a very important role in determining the success of your site. It has been found that about 40% of users are likely to leave in case the content takes more than three seconds to load. Other factors that deter customers away from using your site include complex user experience problems, limited features as well as complicated checkout process. Negative mobile experience can not only force a customer to leave your site but it can also lead them to buy their goods from a competitor’s site.
Most users prefer to use mobile apps instead of mobile websites since they are more convenient, offer great speed and an easy checkout process. They can also help to personalize the overall experience that they might have while interacting with a mobile app. Since changes and improvements made in the user experience can reduce your bounce rate, ensure optimum customer engagement and increase sales conversions, most companies nowadays choose to invest in creating apps for their online ecommerce businesses.
Ecommerce Is Categorized Into Six Major Types They Are:
eCommerce development and its applications is an unavoidable sector in the present day today life. Given below are the most common eCommerce applications.
Ecommerce Apps Can Convert Simple Customers Into Ardent Fans Of Your Brand
While you need customers to ensure greater financial returns for your company, you need to retain them for the long term if you are to make the most of what they have to offer. In fact, you need to have a proper customer base if you are looking to solidify your position in a highly competitive market for the long haul. With the help of a mobile app that represents your business, you can do just that and focus on increasing the prospects of your company for the long term. You can use your apps to send push notifications to your customers which in turn can propel them to take actions that can benefit your business enterprise.
In the recent times, it has been found that push notifications are highly effective when it comes to boosting customer retention and reducing the chances of cart abandonment rates. They can also provide customers with a potential marketing channel that they can use in a number of different ways. These notifications help to engage the buyers, propel them into buying the products that the ecommerce business has to offer and also retain longstanding interest on the brand for years to come. The ecommerce apps also serve as a great platform for studying customer behavior. The metrics obtained from studying customer behavior through ecommerce apps can help your company to come up with better methods to serve your customers.
Mobile Apps Are Now A Highly Popular Way To Promote A Business
With the widespread usage of mobile apps in the modern times, companies that do not have apps of their own seem negligible or unimportant in the eyes of potential customers. Apps can not only turn customers into loyal fans of a brand but they can also generate positive user experience for a brand and encourage more number of sales. It is in keeping with such factors that mobile apps have become so important for eCommerce businesses.
People and businesses turn on more remote and mobile communication more than ever throughout a tumultuous 2020. As the globe continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, mobile apps will again be a necessary tool for numerous uses and objectives.
Launching a mobile app can increase your brand awareness and improve conversion rates that lead to more sales and profits. Manyandroid app development companies in India, which use these to build great apps.
In this blog, we will talk about the process of how to turn your idea into a successful app. We’ll begin with a brief introduction to all things mobile apps, why they’re essential and how they can help you.
Make a Robust App Strategy
Every successful product, no matter what it does whom it is designed for, and who created it, starting with a great strategy. The mobile app strategy refers to the ingenious effort required to translate customer`s needs into an app that can be used seamlessly to achieve a specific task.
The goal of the mobile app strategy should be simple to help a user do something, quickly and effectively. And every time a mobile app can fulfill that user`s need.
Your app is poised to go down the drain, without a well-designed, researched, and implemented strategy at every level of development. This can be true if you are trying to get your feet wet in a new and upcoming industry.
It comes as a great shocker that a poor move at the strategy level is one of the key areas where apps failed. The specific reasons behind mobile app failure are:
Lack Of Market Research
If your mobile app does not address a market need, then it will not get downloaded, and if it does end up on a user`s phone. According to a report approx 70 to 80% of mobile apps end up being abandoned just after their first use.
The market research makes it imperative that you clearly define your target and investigate further about them. Similarly by learning the ins and outs of the market, as well as getting an in-depth understanding of your specific users. And you most likely create an app that is tailored to what they are looking for.
Lack Of Clearly Defined Goals
In the planning phase of your app creation, goal setting is a paramount step in the strategy. Your app is set up to fail right from the outside if you don`t hammer out clearly defined objectives. It is necessary for the grand scheme of things when it comes to marketing your mobile. And you will easily map out your strategy on how to get there when working on defining your goals.
Invest In Breath-taking Designs
Mobile app developers are faced with lots of risks during the design and software development phase. This design and failure issue can stall your mobile approach even before your app makes it to its launch date and they include but not limited to:
Lack of QA Will Ruin Your App
Conducting many QA tests throughout the formation of your app will help you distribute a product that bug-free and user-friendly. Various mobile developers usually take plenty of time to thoroughly QA test the app, which might end up the price more and overriding more time.
On the other hand, not QA testing your mobile app comes with awful consequences, and skipping the testing overall is often the reason why some apps go to rack and ruin.
Talk About Mobile App Marketing
You have to build an incredible app that is able of ranking in money. But if you don`t market it rigorously and offer effective support it might still fail. App marketing failures that you need to avoid include:
No Clear Cut Marketing Message
You need to make a crystal-clear marketing message for your app. And the marketing message, most particularly the description copy, should tell your app story, the peak is best features and also how to stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, if your marketing message is not clear enough, users will move on to the next app, leaving you high and dry.
Lack Of Reviews and Rating
It is expected for users to dig into reviews and check out user ratings before downloading a mobile app. It can be particularly painful if your app is challenging with other with lots of rating and reviews. Having many unfortunate reviews and bad ratings can do you more harm than good.
And it is not even unusual for some apps to fail just because they could not garner enough rating sudden enough. Start your app install campaigns in high gear and don`t be afraid to ask for reviews and ratings. And also make sure you have featured that encourage users to share the app with their friends and family, rate your app store, and much more.
How to Execute Correctly On Building a Great App
Various Similar Products
Approx. 2.2 million apps in the app store alone, with another 2.5 million populating Google play. There are many apps on daily basis, not to mention that some apps are not listed on these two app marketplaces.
You have some serious competition up ahead and no matter how you look at it. If you don’t have an original idea then offer something appealing to your target audience, your app won’t cut it.
So we clear a mobile app can succeed if ther3 are a lot of other players in the field. You need a unique value proposition even if the core functionality of your digital product is like to others.
Conflicting Priorities and Team Issues
It is a good chance when you are building your app with a partner with the help of your team. You should expect some sort of conflicting priorities from some key members. And if your team developer breaks down the road in front will be a tough one and you will likely flop.
Various companies of mobile app development in Indiaprovide a great app for both Android as well as iOS users. You need to make sure you do it with the people you can trust when you move forward with building a mobile app. It`s also necessary that you should be able to work well with those you choose to build with an app with.
The most successful app we have worked on was by two brothers with incredibly complementary personalities, at digital authority partners. And there were many issues along the way, by sorted them all out and the app is now worth a bit over millions.
No Idea to Monetize Your App
If don`t have a well-defined road to profitability your app will sooner or fail and the good thing there are plenty of ways to monetize your creation. You can also run paid ads and offer a paid subscription. Make sure to have the definite road to profitability strategy right from the outset. And they will make your execution level progress without any hitch.
Cash Shortages Take the App to the Next stage
Your mobile app costs money to plan, design, develop, and launch the market whole shebang. And if you run out the cash in starting, in the middle, or near the end then you are in for a big surprise. After launching and building your app, you still need some money to tide your company over until profitability. For this reason, it becomes important to have a conservative budget that is well planned and generously funded.
Engage Customers Better
Having a mobile-ready site used to be sufficient to remain mobile users engaged. You need a mobile app to offer users better appointments and Communication Avenue. And it does not matter what you are products are, your customers should have an effective way of getting in touch with you.
Incorporate a help desk, feedback, and live chat feature within your mobile app. In the way your business interacts connects and communicates with the customer, these features can make a huge difference. A customer-centric mobile app is a phone, text messaging, and chatbox and all rolled into one.
Make Your App Stand Out
Instead of iterations, there are always some core features that make your app unique. And also there are many ways to make sure your app has them. A successful app always makes the most of the latest features in both android and iOS. New features help you smooth out the user experience as people hope between system apps and your application. You can add a seek bar to an audio notification to control playback in android 10. And other additions are the dark mode and access to system settings right within your app.
Integrate With Other Apps
Another way to enhance your app is to integrate it with thyroid party apps. Users can access your app`s content like photos, from other apps and jump straight into your app to perform some actions. If you are developing an iOS photo editing app then you can make your photo filters available in the native photo app.
Log Issues And Users Actions
When you keep iterating your mobile app it will help you logging functionality in place. And the app logo helps identify bugs and expedite the whole QA process. Analytics services give you a well-mannered picture of how people make use of the app.
Select a Distribution Model
Whether you are developing an app for the general public or internal use, and it will have a different distribution model. You can build up an app by uploading it to an app store and downloaded it from your server.
App Store Distribution
When you marketing your app, you have to remember that your app available via an app store is ASO. An app store optimization is a huge topic and there are quite
Things that influence your app visibility in the app stores.
• Description and keywords
• Screenshots and videos
• Icon and the name of the app
You can choose one of the app store tracking services, like sensor tower to track the opposition and perform your app marketing strategy.
In House App Distribution
When the app goal only your employees and doesn’t have a demo account, you can still make the app available via a link. Also, you need to procure enterprise licensing for such in-house apps and make sure the app has periodic contact with the internet.
Listen to Your Customer
Whenever the app is out and people start using it you need to be ready to handle reviews. It helps if you have hooked the app with a user feedback SDK during development. And these platforms help you answer your customers` concerns before they voice them from end-to-end app reviews.
Develop an MVP
When you have validated the UX, then you are ready to form a prototype for MVP. It includes enough features to justify releasing the app into the wild and feedback that will help you iterate your app further. One of the most general misconceptions of first-time entrepreneurs is that they will make it with their business goals because they have a great idea.
We still see many entrepreneurs charge app progress companies to overbuild their MVP. Instead of overbuilding get a market as soon as possible with as few features as possible, test them out with real users, and then nimbly make changes based on user feedback. For this, we launch 10 production-ready web apps and mobile apps per year.
And we can tell that the build of the build measure learn web development cycle is always the easiest part. The harder part is that where every entrepreneur has to figure out how to stay true to their vision while listening to users and adapting the MVP into something they love.
Setup Continuous Delivery
You need continuous delivery, to get into this mentality of constant change. This continuous delivery includes methods and tools that allow your app development team to ship updates nonstop. All these features and bugs that have been confirmed mechanically become app updates with a negligible effort from developers. Therefore users get to play with new features as soon as they have been tested.
Use competitive technologies
To keep your mobile app evolving you have to ensure it’s backed by modern technologies that give you an edge. Android apps used to be created in Java, but today Kotlin is a clear winner, allowing coders to generate android apps more rapidly. You have to get sure the tour tech stack is competitive –
• Use SDKs that boost the development of boilerplate features, like authentication.
• Seek advice from your app developer on native vs. cross-platform.
• Glean from your competition by using a tool like app figures.
It’s also important to select compatible technologies whether that is python is healthcare or bank-level encryption for fintech app development. Let us take an example about incorporating AI. In 2020 there is no hotter idea than adding artificial intelligence to anything with valid reason. It’s a rare trend that already a clear value adds to everyone on the continuum.
Few extra tips on selecting compatible technologies
• Explore which programming framework is best for your future application.
• Decide if machined learning is right for your enterprise.
• Learn the difference between android and iOS UI design for react-native.
• Consider a mobile-first design and development plan.
Protect Custom Data
Whatever you are developing a social media app like Facebook that shares users’ data with advertisers, privacy laws are becoming more stringent than ever. In a certain industry like Fintech and healthcare, liability is higher at the early stages. You only need to set up compliance at the early stage, encrypting data in the transfer as well as data at rest.
Most of the smaller startups we worked with had to deal with GDPR compliance. Few things you should keep on the radar when considering data security: • Using privacy as a service solution.
• Adhering to best practices like data encryption and support for HTTPS.
• Privacy legislation knowledge like HIPAA and GDPR.
There are many myriad services out there now that help app developers handle privacy and are accessible to entrepreneurial budget.
Concluding Words
Mobile app development is continuously changing. If you’re building apps today using the information of years, you won’t be able to stay competitive. As a reseller, you can treat the 2021 mobile app trends like your bible which are followed by top app development companies in India. These great tools will make your life easier when it comes time to build your app. Hopefully, this blog will be helpful for you regarding the proper guide of custom app development.
To be able to build an app might sound fancy! But unless the app works successfully either for you or for others there is no point putting in so much of an effort to build your app. Hence, it is important that you keep certain things in mind while building your first app along with the technical steps that is imminent to launch a successful mobile application. When you decide to build a mobile application the first thing that you ought to consider is the reason for building that application.
Step 1
The first step of building a mobile application is to get an idea of the problem. You must have seen that successful entrepreneurs have used their brains and come out with innovative solutions for our day to day lives. For example, for a busy person a grocery app that allows you to get your daily supplies delivered right at your doorstep makes quite a sense. Similarly, you need to make a list of the many problems that we come across every day and then shortlist the ones which makes the most sense.
Step 2
As you get an idea to build a mobile application the next step involves validation of the problem. Google keyword planner is a helpful tool that helps you determine whether people requires the solution that your app is about to provide. The validation of the idea could also be done with the introduction of a landing page that gives a broad idea of the application and you can ask people for email signup.
Step 3
Once you have received validation of the app idea the next step involves laying down the flow and features of the mobile application. It is recommended that you give a detailed idea of the features and the ways in which the users will navigate the app so that it will be easier for the developer to build your app. Unless there is clear understanding one may not be able to come out with a successful application.
Step 4
After documenting all the features of the mobile application that you plan to build it is a better idea that you remove all the non-essential features from the document. It is good to offer only the core features of the app. The features which are “nice to have” can be added at a later stage when the app has already conquered the market. This will help in keeping down the cost of building the app lower.
Step 5
As an entrepreneur when you have finished documenting all the essential features of the mobile application that you want to build, the next step involves hiring a professional who will be able to do justice to the work. At the same time, they might help you with some valuable tips.
Last but the not the least, the building of your first mobile application should have a structured approach if you want success.
Taxi booking service is mushrooming everywhere and has emerged as one of the reliable way to commute within or outside the city. When we talk about taxi service, Uber is one of the name that has become synonymous with it. Since it’s inception, Uber is pleasing users across the globe and the only point of contact between passengers and Uber is mobile app. Although there are hundreds of taxi booking mobile apps but what has evolved over a period of time, since the inception of Uber, is technology development on the booking front.
With the current scenario in the market, Uber is boosting more and more entrepreneurs with the idea to repeat its feet and create something similar. However, developing aTaxi mobile app like Uber and going live on app store and play store is just not that easy and two separate application with different functionality:
Passenger app – for those who looks to book taxi
Driver app – Get orders and they ride passenger to their destination
Its features plays vital role; let’s zero down some of the basic ones:
Basic features of passenger app:
Register/login: You can provide varied options to register like social media integration, e-mail etc.
Booking Interface: Here customer needs to add address, select a cab type and set the pickup location
Tracking: Track driver’s location, status updation during or after a ride
Fare calculator: Calculates the estimated cost from source to destination before booking
Payments: Cashless, plain cash , can pay automatically via plastic money and invoice is received to phone or e-mail
Push Notifications: Keeps the user updated on order status, estimated time, taxi arrival, car model, driver’s contact number, car number and much more
Messaging, ratings and reviews, booking history: Messaging driver for the perfect pick up, feedback and ratings given by the customer for the service provided, displays the details of previous booking
Basic features of driver app:
Register/profile/status: Required to provide extra verification details like taxi number, licence during registration, status functionality helping them to adjust the schedule and availability
Booking: Options to accept or reject the incoming order, information of customer location, booking history etc.
Push Notifications: For order alerts, taxi booking data, for order updates and completion of ride
Navigation: Google Maps integration to get optimal direction of customer’s destination
Cost estimation and reports: Provides the estimated cost with discounts and offer the insights of trip status, payroll, history etc.
Furthermore, to streamline process and driver from the central point, a web app is required to manage and review all in-app activity like interactions, ride routes, payments and much more.
How Uber Works?
Passengers let the Uber know that they need a ride; Uber asks you about the location; finds the nearby driver and notifies the duration of driver’s arrival. After completion of ride, cost is automatically charged from your card and then passenger needs to provide feedback about the ride.
So to build such paradigm, what technology stack does Uber rely on?
It relies on some giant foundations like:-
Geo-location: The cab providing service like UBER depends on GPS (Global positioning system) technology to track the current position of the customer. When Uber started its venture, the technology wasn’t that progressive, but today the things have become easier. The geo-location depends on:-
Identifying a device’s location: To identify the location of the customer, Uber app for iOS uses CoreLocation framework which provides classes and protocols to configure and schedule delivery and send location event to the server. This framework also enables the Uber to define geographic region and track the device moments as it crosses the boundary.
The Uber app for Android uses Google’s Location API which can manage underlying location technology meeting all the needs to tailor the app when integrating location-based features.
Providing the right direction: For developing iOS app, MapKit is used to display point-to-point directions on map. It registers the app as routing app then makes direction available to the Map apps and other mapping software.
For developing on Google, Google Maps Android API is used to make routes and directions possible.
Integration with mapping software: Uber implemented Google Maps for both iOS and Android version and to avoid paying Google for access of their solutions, Uber opt for mapping technology companies to solve the logistic issues.
Messaging or Notification: After you order a ride, Uber sends you a couple of notifications like when driver accepts the request, driver is few miles away, cancellation of ride etc. Uber text messages are powered by the Twilio telecommunications provider and you may choose to receive these messages either via SMS or through the push notifications. To implement push notifications in the iOS app, Uber uses Apple Push Notifications Service, and for the Android app Uber uses Google Cloud Messaging (GCM).
Payment Integration: For calculating fare, Uber looks for the factors like base fare, cost/mile and cost/min. Uber promotes a cashless system which means you can pay via plastic card, e-wallets or use a promo code which removes error prone human-to-human cash transfers. Uber chose to partner with Braintree, one of the leaders in the mobile payment market, to accept card payments and also uses PayPal’s Card.io service for credit card scanning on iOS.
The iOS users can make of the Apple Pay for making the payment and the Android users can use the Google Wallet for the same purpose. It is better to collaborate with some online payment company to make the experiences better and faster.
Advantages Of Uber Like App
Reduce the number of drunk drivers
Saves your money for commuting
Provides opportunity to make extra cash for the driver
Makes the way to the customer’s destination really beautiful
Advantages Of Having Mobile App
Having a white label mobile app gives your taxi business a broad visibility and an automatic customer boost.
Reduces the overhead costs generated by managing everything manually and connecting passengers to the drivers in real-time enables the business to grow smartly in autopilot mode.
Leads to the higher profit as the taxi service provider can develop their own app and save on the commission paid to the cab platform.
Well It Depends! There Are Several Factors Affecting The Total Cost
Your budget
Number of features
Design of UI/UX
Backend development
Web development
Security
If you wish to develop a basic taxi service app then it will cost around $15,000 USD to $20,000 USD; Uber like app $20,000 USD to $35,000 USD. It takes 2 to 3 weeks approximately to design the app and 10 to 12 weeks approximately for development process. Lastly, the cost varies according toapp development company you hire to get your job done.
When you are looking to undertake a new mobile app development project, you need to find the right vendors for your project that can ensure its success. However, finding the best mobile app development company for your needs can be a challenging task, especially when so many vendors are trying to attract your attention. In order to make sure that your mobile app project really takes off, you need to get the best vendor and this is something that you can accomplish with a mobile app RFP.
The Importance Of A Mobile App RFP
The mobile app RFP basically serves as a document which is used for establishing a working relationship between you and the vendor that you choose for your project. It underlines the various requirements of the mobile app and functions as the statement for the work that is to be carried out in the project contract.
A comprehensive and well written mobile app RFP can help you to obtain accurate and reliable information about your specific project. The RFP can be a valuable document that can help you to find a good vendor for your app development project. The app development that you choose in this way can ensure complete success of your app and make it easier for you to stay away from unreliable app development companies.
Here are some of the most crucial factors that you should consider when you are trying to create a mobile app RFP.
The RFP Should Cover Diverse Aspects Relating To The App
When you write the mobile RFP, you should make sure that it focuses on multiple grounds rather than just the basic functionalities of the app. The reason for this is that when you are creating an app, you will need much more than just app development services. For instance, your app may need APIs for connecting with other tools and services. The app may require backend server support and development as well. For a high end app with specific features, you may also need effective analytics integration. You may also want to invest on full-fledged UI/UX services for your app so that it is well received. Keeping such factors in mind will help you to come up with a better written RFP that contains all the minute details and requirements of your app which will in turn help you to obtain relevant responses.
The Budget Is Going To Determine Effective Responses
In many cases, companies that are looking to develop apps are somewhat hesitant to include their budget range within their mobile app RFP. If that is the case with you, you should remember that including the budget can actually help you to select a vendor that is suitable for your job. This can also help you to save time and energy in the process of finding out a reliable app developer for your project.
Mobile app development companies vary greatly in their infrastructure, cost, scope as well as the quality of work that they are capable of delivering. Therefore when you include a budget for your project, it can actually help to eliminate vendors that are not capable to take up such a project. While it is one thing to communicate with your potential vendors, including the budget in your RFP can provide you with an idea from the very beginning if a particular app development company is competent enough to take up such a project.
Mobile App Development Projects Should Be Backed Up By Proper Maintenance And Support
A well written and detailed mobile app RFP must not only cover all the various aspects related to its development but also cover everything relating to ongoing support and maintenance. Unless you back up the main app development project with sufficient support at all times, it is going to seem outdated and unreliable in a matter of few months. Therefore you must invest wisely in maintenance and updates so that your end users have a positive experience with the app. The vendor that you choose for your project should be able to provide you with proper support so as to make sure that the app is working perfectly according to the expectations of the end users.
The Clarity Of Your RFP Is Going To Determine The Development Scale
Mobile App Development companies offer a wide range of services that are crucial to ensure the success of an app among the end users. These include consulting and app store delivery to optimization. You may also need more time to develop your app and upload it with the app store in case you have not properly scoped its development. Writing an RFP for your mobile app development project does involve focusing on a lot of detail. In case you send an RFP that only contains some general ideas instead of specific points, it is inevitably going to increase the time required for production. You may not even end up with a finished product that is perfect according to your needs. Therefore you must make sure that your RFP includes all the vital details. Some app development companies may not even respond to your queries unless your RFP includes specific details. For instance, your RF must focus on the basic and core elements of the app and the features that should be included in it. You should include your marketing and business goals and how you want it to function in the long and short term. In short, you must express your vision with your app in great detail.
Well Written RFP Can Greatly Enhance The Value Of The Project
When you write a mobile app RFP that includes all the critical features and points associated with its development, maintenance and upgrades, you are likely to have a product that can aptly match your business needs. When you include a lot of details in your app RFP, it can make the work of the app development vendor a lot easier, while at the same time making sure that the app meets the highest quality parameters.
Ultimately, the quality of your mobile app RFP will affect the quality of the responses you receive. The better it is, the more likely you are to get proposals that convey the capabilities of the vendor, include more accurate timeline and price estimations, and help you choose the company that is the perfect fit for your project.
Today, there is an app for everything, be it games, shopping, news, logistics, travel and many more things. As smartphones have become extremely affordable, mobile application development industry is booming and perhaps is one of the fastest growing industries. Analysts estimate that app revenues would triple by 2017. However, most of the apps go unnoticed and only a few of the apps are able to make their mark. So what’s the reason behind this? Well, there are a number of theories regarding this, but in this article, we would focus on UX design for mobile apps. Here are a few of the common hurdles that come in the way of success of any app:
1. Compromising UX to maintain consistency with web
Remember, mobile UX is unique and needs special attention and ux review when it comes to design. You just can’t implement your website design in the mobile application. It is true that branding is important, but putting all web UI elements into a mobile experience won’t be a good idea as it will confuse the users and put adverse effect on your mobile app.
2. User bombarded with tutorials
One thing that most of the mobile app developers do is – they provide detailed tutorials that mention each and every thing about the app on the first time itself. While it can’t be denied that user tutorials are important, but the written information should be kept at minimum. Rather, you should focus on the navigation of your app, and if the user of your app need to go through the extensive tutorials in order to acquaint him or herself with the functionality, then I must say that your app is a complete UI failure.
3. Apps that slow down
Speed of the app is one thing that certainly should not be compromised at any cost. Mobile users these days, multitask while using your apps. They want lightening fast speed and if your app does not match up to their expectations and is slow in speed, then they would go ahead with better options. You are suggested to avoid elements such as videos, heavy images that take time to download.
4. Apps that are confusing
App Stores are full of thousands of apps and the apps that are confusing in nature don’t attract much attention. Therefore, we would suggest you to use tried and tested methods and not to experiment unless and until it is extremely important. It is important to rigorously test design elements that are likely to confuse users.
5. Develop user centric apps
You are designing an app for your users and not for yourself. Choose designs keeping in mind your target audience. Try to know the user psyche and create a design based on your market research. Show your users what they want to and what they love to see. Consider feedback as one of the most effective methods in order to bring improvement in your app.
6. Forced sign-up
I would repeat this again, but there are thousands of apps available and one of the things that most of the developers do is they make the user go through a sign-up registration process or ask for other credentials in the beginning itself. Unless and until, you haven’t shown the benefits of your app, any user won’t put his or her credentials and ultimately it would lead to the abandonment of your app. Therefore, it is advisable to have the option of guest users in your app. You can keep sign-up for later stage when users begin to take interest in your app.
7. Industry Standard Guidelines
Both Google and Apple have laid down guidelines for app makers. Those guidelines are enough for any designer to follow and make a decent app. However, in the flow of creativity, designers tend to ignore the industry standards and end up making an app with overuse of hidden menus and unknown gestures. UX designers often compromise and get the basics of app design wrong. Designers need to do rigorous testing in order to avoid huge losses.
Anteelo is one of the most sought after app development companies in India providing top grade product design services across the globe. Anteelo boasts of the best UI and UX designers who create captivating designs and are well versed with latest guidelines of all the leading App stores as well.
For every Apprenuer, building a great mobile application takes center stage. Since the startup app development process has been repeatedly talked about, a considerable amount of time and effort is spent on discovery, design, and development.
Sure, providing value to the end-users is the prime goal behind any app but pricing a digital product is an equally important aspect, one that should not be overlooked. It should be carefully determined to build a profitable and scalable mobile app business.
Product pricing strategy in marketing plays an instrumental role in getting your app the initial traction and visibility in the app store. How you determine the price of your product decides the success of your app in terms of the number of downloads and user retention in the long run.
But it is like walking on a tightrope- apps that are offered for free or at a relatively lower price gather greater market share and can penetrate in the market seamlessly while apps that are offered for a higher price have the potential to garner a good ROI.
So, how do you decide the right product pricing strategy? A lot of factors come into play when ascertaining the price for your app- market research, the value and functionality of your app, and the market competition. All this coupled with an understanding of consumer psychology is a must to run a successful mobile app business.
If you plan on building an app, or your product is in the development pipeline and you have not given much of an afterthought to this equally essential aspect, do not worry, we will break down what is a product pricing strategy, the popular pricing models for mobile apps and help you strategically determine the right price for your application.
What is a product pricing strategy?
Pricing strategy is how you make money from your mobile application. Every breakthrough idea has some business model behind it. While initially, you may only be concerned about rapidly launching a Minimum Viable Product, having a pricing strategy in place will only help you build a robust product.
Pricing a digital product may seem like an easy task, but it certainly isn’t. Play Store and App store are sprawling with millions of mobile applications and the types of pricing models for apps have evolved over time. But before we delve too deep into the types of mobile app pricing strategies and discuss their pros and cons, we would like to share some valuable insights that will help you make the right choice.
Product Pricing Strategy for Mobile Apps
1. Human Behaviour and psychology
Human psychology plays a fundamental role in determining the price of your product.
Consumers are keeping up with the rapid strides in technology. It is the growing rise in consumerism that steers the scope of advancements. Customers today are well-read, well informed and they always strive to make a conscious decision.
For every product, there are ten other alternatives available in the market, so how do you assure a customer will choose your product?
Simple, you must ensure that the perceived value of your product is greater than its price.
A customer should always feel that the price of your product is right and tapping into this segment becomes all the more easy when they do not have a reference point to begin with.
Before taking a decision, we humans tend to compare products with the alternatives available in the market and assess them for their pros and cons.
So, when determining the mobile app pricing strategy you must take into account other products available in the market, characterize your value proposition and ensure you are offering a greater value than your competitors.
2. What the market is willing to pay
The right pricing strategy should revolve around what the market is willing to pay. And to determine that, you must test your product at different price levels and see how the market responds.
An application has a recurring revenue stream. To stay competitive you need to tap on new functionality and offer regular updates. So it is essential to holistically view the recurring revenue model and not worry about the revenue per price point.
More often than not, mobile app developers offer a product for free to garner a huge user base and generate revenue from advertisements. But later on, when you offer an upgraded product for a certain price you had already devalued the product and can’t really sell it for more because the perceived value is low.
So, the ideal approach is to test your product at various price levels and see how the market reacts to it.
3. Build a product that users want
A product should be built with an aim to address user concerns and it must solve their problem. When you build something that users truly want, it is easy to decide the price. Look for factors that can enhance the value of your app- a stellar design, a splendid user journey.
To determine the mobile app pricing models you need to know the app development cost, which involves factors like the actual cost, the value the product offers and the money required to thrive it.
Having a sound knowledge of the current market trends is equally crucial and rolling out new updates and enhanced functionality is the key when opting for a penetrative pricing model.
4. Study the market and competitive landscape
Market-driven pricing is a great approach to arrive at an optimum price point for your mobile application. Studying the competitive landscape and analyzing your user base can help you discover opportunities where the competition is lacking.
For instance, launching your app at a relatively lower price than your competitors gives you an advantage in the market.
Understanding the market demand for a product and viewing it from the customer’s perspective helps a great deal in deciding the right price.
It is crucial to establish early on what makes your product special and what value does the competition in the market demand from your app.
5. Robust marketing strategy
In today’s fast-paced environment, the power and reach of social media is expanding every day. In such a scenario, backing your pricing strategy with a robust marketing strategy is more like a necessity. Having an understanding of the current market trends along with a marketing strategy in place helps in maximum user acquisition. To retain users in the long run, rolling out enhancements in every quarter is a good strategy.
So, leverage the power of social media to create the buzz around your product and gain initial traction. Don’t be fixated on the top of the funnel, it is ideal to look at things holistically. Curating rich content for social media platforms ensures the word about your app reaches far and wide and generates the maximum number of downloads.
6. Affordability
Besides offering the desired functionality, your app should be affordable for customers. It is only fair to offer value to your customers at a decent price.
Penetration pricing strategy helps businesses attract new customers due to the low cost. It is considered a classic strategy because it uses behavioural psychology to drive customers to purchase the product. The pricing for any digital product should also take into account the sustainability of your business.
7. Understand what your product and target customers demand
It is crucial to realize early on that no one size fits all. What may have worked for someone else, would not necessarily work for you. There will be new opportunities that you can tap into to app development for startup.
Think out of the box, be unconventional in your ways, and look out for alternate models to generate revenue.
For instance, the wide pool of data generated from your app could be of value to someone. Healthcare apps generate a huge amount of data that is useful for doctors and researchers.
8. Paid vs free
Deciding, whether to launch an app for free or paid, involves a couple of factors, like the required amount of users. If you want to gather a huge user base at once, free is the go-to choice.
With paid apps, users expect more features and functionalities. They certainly do not like paying each and every time a new enhancement is rolled out.
Also, when the customers pay to avail in-app purchases, you must ensure it offers sufficient value.
Taking cues from what the competition is doing is a good practice to establish yourself in the market. You cannot choose a paid pricing model when others in your niche are offering similar functional apps for free. However, if your app has advanced functionality and a unique proposition which is not found in similar apps, users can be willing to pay more.
Types of Pricing Strategies for Apps
1. Free
We don’t usually get a lot of things for free. The ‘Free’ tag is not just a pleasant surprise but also a great tool to attract a large pool of customers. The same applies to the free app pricing model.
As the name suggests, these apps are free to download, and in most cases, the primary source of income is through advertisements. Free apps are often seen as a great tool to attract a large pool of users and retain them in the long run. They are meant to facilitate communication and customer service.
Depending on the purpose of your application, there are two types of free pricing strategies to choose from. The former is a Completely free strategy, which is used when you already have a well-established product or a service in place. In such a scenario, the app is an add- on tool for the users. The goal behind completely free apps is not to make money directly from the app but redirect potential customers to other revenue streams.
For instance, free apps involve features like coupons, discount notices and other pertinent information which encourages users to take action. The app is used to spark interest, support the marketing strategy and drive users to other revenue channels.
The latter is an In-app advertisement strategy. In this strategy, the apps are offered for free but users see adds while using the app. Primarily, gaming apps use this strategy to generate ad revenue. With in-app advertisements, the key is to ensure that the advertisements that are being displayed are relevant to the users.
There are services through which you can easily filter the ads by user relevance and format and ensure the ads in your app actually pique the users’ interest.
According to Statista, mobile app pricing statistics indicate that the distribution of free and paid apps is such that 96 percent of apps in the Google Play store are freely available whereas in iOS 90.3% apps are free.
2. Freemium
The freemium pricing model is a modified version of the free pricing strategy. This model is highly popular and widely used by businesses. Freemium apps can be downloaded for free but include limited functionality and features. To generate money from these apps, in-app purchase opportunities are created. There are three freemium strategies to choose from depending on the tiers, features, and incentives.
Two-tiered approach – It includes apps that customers can download and use for free but there is a premium functionality that can only be availed upon payment. This strategy is widely used in gaming apps where users have to buy in-app currencies, extra lives or upgrade to additional levels.
The second model includes apps which offer full functionality but only for a limited period of time. The idea behind this strategy is that users can see the vision and get familiar with the app’s utility, and after a while, they will be willing to avail the services.
The last model includes apps where all the features and functionalities are free except it comes with built-in advertisements. The catch here is that a small amount is charged from users to offer an advertisement free app.
3. Paid
The name clearly gives it away, for paid apps, customers have to pay to download the app. Due to the huge popularity of free and freemium apps, the paid model is considered least effective.
In case you opt for a paid pricing model, it is essential to back it up with a compelling marketing effort. To drive users to purchase your app over a free equivalent, you should have an effective marketing strategy in place. Besides the description of the app in the app store, a potential customer must be equipped with the value you are offering with your product.
With a paid app, users tend to have higher expectations. But once you manage to attract a user, they will turn into a loyal customer if your app offers the perceived value.
To leverage the paid pricing strategy, many brands opt for a week free trial. It is a good tactic to approach potential long-term users by showcasing what your app is all about and giving them the opportunity to make a choice.
4. Paymium
Paymium is the amalgamation of freemium and paid model. For paymium apps, the users not only pay for the app but also pay an additional cost to avail an added functionality. Although it is not a widely used strategy, it does have the potential to generate great revenue streams.
This pricing model works well for music and social networking apps. This strategy can rapidly gain traction if exciting content, unique functionality, and useful features are introduced on a regular basis.
Conclusion
The app market is growing by leaps and bounds. To penetrate in the market with ease and carve a niche, you must choose the right pricing strategy for your mobile app and take the aforementioned insights into due consideration. Pricing model plays a fundamental role in determining an app’s success. It is essential to choose the right monetization strategy as early as possible. Your product pricing strategy should meet market and user expectations, offer the perceived value and help you accomplish business goals.
The insurance sector is known to maintain multiple touchpoints with its clientele. Thanks to business models that safeguard people from unexpected circumstances, they are detail-oriented and require heavy paperwork at most stages of customer enrollment. But the rapid, and recent, technological advancement has seen the finance sector introduce fleets of new digital solutions that place them right at the fingertips of people. As a result of this wave of digital transformation, pre-existing companies and startups in the insurance sector, are exploring the prospect of mobile applications. Lest we forget to stress, aggressively. The new insurance applications, if we can call them that, would need a touch of finesse considering the diversified nature of operations. So what should software developers concentrate on when it comes to Insurtech app.
It is to answer this throbbing question that we have this mini mobile application guide ready for you to take your first steps towards creating innovation in your insurance business.
Why Does An Insurance Company Need a Mobile App?
Insurance, by tradition, has been powered by middlemen. Although taking them entirely out of the picture may not be plausible, mitigating their involvement will grow profit margins, naturally.
Mobile apps allow real-time B2C interaction, without intermediaries. The positivity also flows down to the customer experience, which can never be exaggerated. And insurtech would be too smart for its own good, not to explore this option.
There are three main components that play a vital role in formulating the proverbial pyramid of an insurance company. The pyramid. which had played a major role in helping Wefox raise $110M in 2019.
This includes first the insurer that incorporates and markets financial products. Second, are the third-party entities that provide the services covered by the insurer. And the third is the end-user, the customer who has opted in to be insured.
Mobile insurance solutions offer the following advantages to insurance companies at the top of the pyramid:
Establish Customer Contact
Buyers are more conscious of spending than before. As per stats, 85% of the customers conduct online research before placing their purchase order. Insurance mobile apps make a fine impression in convincing people of instant support in dire need. A study discovered that up to 63% of its sample population was inclined to communicate with a chatbot. Therefore we have reason to believe registered policy-holders will favor to download and track policies over mobile. Building on this, they can draw a comparison between multiple products and shortlist the ones with better benefits.
Increase User Reach
Provide good customer service and turn clients into business affiliates. Referral programs can get you more buyers to loop in provided your mobile insurance solutions are state of the art. There are dual benefits to this. First, optimizing customer recruitment cycles would free up time for insurance agents to target bigger, better clients. And second, you can advertise your mobile insurance platform in related apps to target more customers with semantics marketing.
Study Customer Data
The insurance industry can tap into mobile analytics which they can analyse to an extent like never before. Insurance applications can easily gather the following types of structured data:
Identity Data – This includes name, D.O.B, physical address, telephone information, email Id, and or links to social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Quantitative Data – This is transactional data such as bank account details, credit score, frequency of payments, etc.
Descriptive Data – Insurers may need their customers to disclose property details, car ownerships. professional standing, educational background, along with the family tree.
Qualitative data – This includes subjective/behavioral details such as favorite color, hobbies, etc.
Collecting such vivid information, companies operating in the insurance market can subsequently filter the best-fit prospects for upselling.
Facilitate Convenient Services
One of the most common KRAs of those in the finance-frontline is client visits. This could be either for background checks or personal form submission or a routine update of information. Be that as it may, the current COVID-19 crisis does not permit face-to-face screenings. Moreover, the coronavirus onset has led to a rise in demand for insurance applications. As per a study by Lincoln Financial Group, digital alternatives increase the likelihood of people opting in for life insurance. Make hay while the sun shines.
Universal Features for Insurance Apps
Anteelo, as one of the renowned financial app development company, has appreciable experience in creating cutting edge on-demand digital products. Coupling experience with client feedback, we recommend against loading an app with features just to make it look fab. There has to be synergy between the color palettes, smart use of white spaces, typographic fonts, and strategic positioning of icons and images. Only then does an app have a life of its own. After taking care of such design elements we can refocus our aim towards integrating the right feature sets.
To give you an overview of the Fintech sector that is attracting investors’ attention, there are four categories of apps that can be developed in the insurtech domain:
Life Insurance
Car Insurance
Travel Insurance
Health Insurance
Apps must have a strong backend. They should be able to withstand peak rises in traffic, or if the company decides to implement a new software system without many amendments to the architecture.
Based on our experience, we will first list the mutual features that can be found in all of the above categories. These features formulate the kernel of a general application guide for Fintech app ideas. Barring few niche specifications, the following features remain steady and ever-present especially during a fintech app development of any kind:
1. Admin Panel
This is the introductory page where the basic information about the insured person is displayed. Make sure it is lean, clean along with clear call to action buttons. Take the Geico insurance app for instance. It’s a car insurance app and hence the profile page displays information related to vehicle IDs, roadside assistance, payment buttons and an option to switch policies. Pretty simplistic.
2. Policy Details
This page displays the details of the policy, the manner, and the extent of your benefits. Continuing the same example, since Geico is an auto insurance app, it displays information about several policies that a single user could be enrolled into such as one for the car, the other for a bike, and so on.
3. Quote & Filters
A very useful feature particularly in finance app development. In the previous section, we listed the kind of data that an insurer could collect through a mobile app. The Quote-tab offers a feature where the app can fetch your data from its records and either connect you to an insurance agent or directly state the price of a policy. Assuming the company has the resources to work with Big Data, it can pitch discounted prices or more benefits to customers based on their frequency of asking/exploring new policies.
4. File a Claim
Integrating a claims-filing section remains the most prioritized stage of financial application development. The run-around days to lodge claims are a thing of the past. Submitting proofs should be as simple as clicking a picture, be it from the scanner of the app or the camera of the phone. If the entire process can be concluded on a single page, all the better.
5. Payment Gateway
No points for guessing, integration of payment gateway is super necessary for any form of finance mobile app development. The gateway should accept payments from all major network providers such as Visa, Master Card, etc. In addition to that automated billing for EMIs or a single click payment process should be integrated.
6. Customer Support
Chatbots are not extraordinary anymore. Automated responses act as a quick-fix for run of the mill questions. But what about accidental circumstances. You can’t expect a user who’s stranded with a broken vehicle to rely on pre-feeded answers. As a result, integrate a Request a Call Back or Connect with a Representative option. Such in-app call functionality will serve to make the app what it actually is, a disaster averting, quick response machinery.
7. Push Notifications
Businesses, in general, don’t miss opportunities to enter a new market segment, let alone insurance companies. The latter might even tweak its business models, should the need present itself. Whereas seasonal offers are heard of, the idea of a flash sale was experimented with by Liberty Insurance in the not quite distant past. You need an excuse for giveaways and so do the customers for buying your products. Therefore, send regular push notifications informing people of their outstanding sum and any upcoming policies they can swap their current ones with.
8. Document Upload/Storage
How would the customer upload their documents, let alone a photo, if the Fintech application development did not incorporate it? Not only must the mobile app allow document upload from local file directories but also import, if need be, from third party servers as in the case of emails.
In our lifetime, and we’ve only just begun, Anteelo – the Clutch backed top Fintech app development company – has worked with over 12 Fintech companies whose solutions facilitate a user base of over 5 million people.
Where Does Your Business Go From Here?
To the stratosphere if you shake hands with one of the most promising Fintech app development companies. We don’t like self-glorification. It would suit you more to go through our comprehensive product suit and decide for yourself. But just so we know we did our bit, if there is anything under the sun in Fintech/insurtech, that you’re interested in, we’d be happy to burn our night lamp for you.
There are two types of software projects that come to any app development agency. One which is brand new and has to be developed from scratch and another is one which already exists in the market and has to be updated. In both cases, the benefits of mobile app maintenance are manifold.
While in the case of the former, you will have to spend little time in the whole update and maintenance process, the latter would require your frontend and back end team to come together and understand the product to its entirety before moving on to its updation. Either way, maintenance is a part of the overall mobile app development cost estimate.
In this article, we are going to look into the factors that make mobile app frontend maintenance cost expensive, how can the cost be lowered and ultimately move on to the steps of lowering of maintenance cost in case of Node.js, Angular, and React.js projects.
Table of Content
Why is App Maintenance Process Important?
What Makes App Frontend Maintenance Cost Expensive?
How can Project Managers Lower App Frontend Maintenance Cost?
Why is App Maintenance Process Important?
Improper mobile app maintenance plan leads to challenges in flexibility and stability, which sooner or later translates into application failure. When the code lacks quality or when developers use outdated tools, the app performance suffers and the users experience more app crashes and bugs. Moreover, it hampers app’s scalability capability and the overall next phases of app development.
In business terms, this means more technology and resources inclusion, greater cost, and delayed launch time.
Efficient maintenance, on the other hand, makes apps flexible and stable, enabling you to create new functionalities and improving the present ones. And thus, knowing when to update your app is extremely important.
What Makes App Frontend Maintenance Cost Expensive?
Besides the obvious – multiple types of frontend app maintenance, lesser app tests and absence of continuous maintenance, there are some other prevalent reasons that bring the cost of frontend maintenance up.
A. Non-Structured JavaScript
There are many ways of structuring a JavaScript project, keeping it consistent is the most important part of Android app maintenance. A well defined structure enables developers to understand what is going on in the project at the first glance without making them search a particular file for hours on end. Even when the product is based on famous libraries like Vue or React, it has the probability of becoming chaotic as it grows.
In preparation of lowering the frontend maintenance cost, you should consider defining the style guide for project structure to use as a reference for the development team.
B. Poor Code Quality
The quality of your code is very essential for defining your project’s success, even when keep aside the fact that it is a part of the list of OWASP Mobile Top 10 Risks. While things like identical file structure, consistent incidents, and semicolons are insignificant for a non-technical person, they hold great value when it comes to defining the project’s success.
This, in turn, tends to increase the app frontend maintenance cost in the future.
C. Back-Dated Third Party Packages
There is a high probability that your product uses open source libraries and third party packages. Since these external resources are updated rapidly, it is important that you too update their versions in your app in order to remove project dependencies’ problems because of vulnerabilities and issues. The new versions contain performance improvements, bug fixes, security enhancements, etc which ensures that the app is working up to its fullest potential.
D. Non Automated Build Process and Deployment
Build and deployment are the last stages before the app gets live. When they are not developed in an error proof manner, it might get expensive to kill the bug later. The absence of automated build and deployment pipeline slows down development to a great extent, while lowering the team efficiency. You should go with the implementation of a continuous integration which includes running automated tests for all the new commits. Doing this, enables you to identify bugs and solve them in real-time.
E. Absence of Readme
Readme is one the most important files of a project. It makes the project requirement, its usage, and the development, deployment process clear. If you fail to keep it updated, your development team might end up spending multiple hours in solving issues that have been solved earlier.
All the three frameworks keep introducing new versions from time to time. Ensuring that you are using the most recent ones gives you a number of benefits – increased app efficiency, long term support from the parent team, access to all the latest functionalities and features – some of the key reasons for maintaining the frontend of an app.
Ask for clear documentation
Very few projects lasts with the same developers working on it till the end. Documentation plays a significant role here in the application development services for mobile as the developer who is new to the project has a clear understanding of the project and the work status, pipeline tasks are clear to them.
Ensure compatibility with third-party modules
Making a list of third-party modules which are compatible with the chosen frontend framework can be a great start.You will have to proactively ensure that there is a plan B for the future where the modules will get a major update and it fails to be compatible with your chosen frontend.
Test before implementing new features
If you have to implement or rewrite some functionalities, first ensure that the app’s behaviour is tested in advance. For instance, if you have to rewrite a logic in your app, it’ll be easier to implement the changes when you are sure that the present functionality has been tested. This way, in case something stops working, you will know it instantly.
Use microservices
If the issue lies in the monolithic structure, you must extract microservices out of the app so that it can work separately. Every mini-app should serve its purpose right. It will, in turn, streamline scalability for you will be able to move the services around different machines and dev teams – a microservice benefit that is not possible in monolithic.
Improve the code quality
If the app works fine but the code quality seems inconsistent or low, you must start with introducing conventions. Start by clearing the file structure by dividing it into logical units. It will be good to implement the static code analysis tools and use type systems. There are other things that you should follow to ensure a sound code quality:
A properly configured Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment
Addition of linters in pipeline for ensuring poor/inconsistent codes are not put in production.
Code refactoring should be a must-have development process.
How can Project Managers Lower App Frontend Maintenance Cost?
As a non-technical project manager, you can majorly take only one step to avoid high maintenance cost in frontend – Hire an experienced frontend team which has the skillset to give you the desired quality and understand the importance of not delaying tests just for meeting deadlines. Even if you don’t have the necessary monetary resources to employ an entire team of frontend developers, you will have to at least employ one skilled resource for the task.
The other strategy to reduce frontend maintenance cost, while not so common, is building single page application.
UI design has proven to play a crucial role in mobile app success. It has positioned itself as a ladder to reach the hearts and minds of the users and customers by displaying engaging visual content and more.
But, is everyone able to relish its benefits? Do all the designers and entrepreneurs know about the best mobile app UI design tips that work in the customer-centric world?
Sadly, no.
So, with the intention to simplify their journey of figuring out what the UI of future apps look like, we have prepared a list of tips and trends that will be popular in the mobile world in 2021.
But first, let’s take a recap of the benefits of UI design.
Now that we have taken a visual walkthrough of the importance of good user interface design during app development, let’s peep into a few mobile apps that are giving serious UI designing goals to others in the industry.
Best Apps That You Can Get Inspiration From
1. Netflix
Netflix app – the one that has changed the landscape of the movie streaming industry – tops the list with its breathtaking UI design.
The application introduced incredible layout and color options to the mobile domain. It has not just worked on simplifying the navigation process but also ensured that all the reported bugs are solved in real-time. In this way, it has increased the chances of offering a positive experience to their audience.
2. Splitwise
The UI design of the application is simple, sophisticated, and pleasant. The color scheme is chosen in a way that it complements app elements as well as employs the center of the device effectively.
3. Spring
Spring, the popular shopping app, is also a good option to consider while looking for design tips for mobile apps.
The mobile application offers a simple and interactive experience – using icons to give a hint of the functionality of each element. The app uses different font styles and sizes along with a card layout to deliver an enhanced UI experience.
4. Trello
Trello is yet another application you can consider for deciding the type of UI design to create.
This productivity app is easy to use and gives the facility of creating boards for managing their tasks. It comes with a clean and sophisticated look and feels along with its tactics of arranging all the pins in a ‘pipeline’ manner. Also, it offers tons of cool backgrounds and labels colors to amp users’ experience.
5. Shine
Another application that has enhanced its customer experience via the user interface is Shine.
The mobile app uses custom and abstract aesthetics to match the mood of users. It also relies on soft shapes and calm colors to make them experience some peaceful moments.
6. Coursera
Coursera is yet another mobile application whose User interface offers some real goals in the design world.
The app design is simple and smooth, offering the ease to navigate from a well-organized syllabus. It uses different font styles and colors to give users an idea of what they have covered, what they are interacting with, and what’s next.
Now that we have taken inspiration from different mobile applications, let’s turn towards the main part of the article, i.e, best mobile app UI design tips to follow in 2021.
Mobile app UI Design Tips To Follow While Designing Your App
Keep It Simple
The foremost tip for designing a better mobile app is to keep the UI simple.
When you restrict the number of app UI elements, users do not get drifted by unnecessary details. They find it easier to focus on the prime elements of the application, which eventually improves the user retention rate.
Make it Responsive
Concentrating on responsiveness is also one of the proven tips to enhance mobile app design by improving its UI.
This is because when you design elements that fit the screens, regardless of the device users are using, they find ease in performing actions. This, in turn, encourages them to spend more time on your platform and add higher value.
Use Popular Icons
Users, when interacting with various mobile apps on a daily basis, become familiar with certain icons. They can easily relate those icons to particular functionalities without even reading the label.
In such a scenario, using those icons can cut down the hassle of making users understand what an app element is for. This eventually enhances customer engagement and delivers higher ROI. So, introduce popular and similar icons in your UI designing strategy.
Maintain Consistency
Another best practice for app designing that UI mobility experts follow is showing consistency. That implies using the same font style, color, design, and icons throughout the app screens – and that too in the same order.
This simplifies the user journey and helps them make an action without getting a feel of being on some other platform. So, keep it into consideration while planning the app UI design.
Follow Platform-Based Rules
Both Apple and Google have set guidelines for mobile app design for iOS and Android platforms
. Following those guidelines improves the look and feel of your application on the respective platform.
So, do not overlook these Google and Apple UI design guidelines while crafting your app design.
Do not Forget about Loading Speed
Focusing on speed is also one of the best design tips for enhancing user interaction. This is because when UI elements take too much time to load, users get frustrated. They decide to exit the platform soon, because of which all of your efforts could go in vain.
So, think about optimizing your app speed frequently.
Invest in Testing
Many times, the elements you introduce in your app UI design do not work effectively. In such cases, they ruin the user experience instead of adding value to it.
So, it is good to invest your efforts into mobile app UI testing. For when you test your app icons and other elements for different conditions, it ultimately helps bring a positive impact on the users.
When talking about app testing, one thing that UI/UX designers must consider is the depth to which they should test their UI screens.
While educational and commercial apps require thorough UI testing across all the devices and OS versions, business apps can skip investing in extensive testing. This is because their audience, in most cases, is trained to employ the application.
In a nutshell, the depth of UI testing depends on the app’s purpose and the market it will target. However, it is a must to test your app UI on at least three different OS versions.
Iterate Regularly
Since user behavior and market trends keep on changing with time, it is again effective to upgrade your app UI design timely. And eventually, gain higher conversions.
As previously mentioned when talking about the latest mobile UI design trends 2021, changing market trends also influence the success of the user interface you design. So, let’s uncover what are the future mobile design trends 2021 to pay attention to.
The State of UI in 2021: Technologies and Trends That Will Dominate the Industry
1. Conversational Interface
Conversational Interface is one of the leading UI design trends for the future.
Just like Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, various startups, and established brands will invest in Chatbot development to deliver the next level of conversational experience to their user base.
2. The Overlapping Effect
In 2021, UI/UX designers for a mobile app will embrace the idea of overlapping different elements, like text, image, and colors in a single screen.
The concept will help in creating a well-organized interface and create an illusion of space. This will eventually enhance the user experience to a great extent.
3. Typography
Just like last year, considering typography in-app UI design will be one of the best mobile app design trends in 2021.
While brands have been applying bold San-Serif fonts and strong typography for some time now, they will now focus more on typography that reflects motion-based and three-dimensional effects.
4. Voice-Powered Interfaces
By 2021, 50% of the search engine queries will be performed via voice. Because of this, voice-governed interfaces will also become one of the popular mobile application design techniques which are poised to deliver higher output.
5. Simple Curves and Geometry
Another UI design trend that will transform our future is the use of simple curves and geometry.
These curves and geometry will lower down confusion that might arise when multiple illustrations, pictures, catches, and animations are present in the design
6. Custom Illustration Interfaces
Illustrations will also be one of the popular mobile application design techniques to follow in the future.
Both brands and designers will turn towards introducing custom illustrations into their application – just like how Uber did.
7. White space
White space will also continue to be one of the core elements of mobile app design strategies.
With white space, designers will be able to deliver an uncomplicated experience to their target user base. They will find ease in making them focus upon the main part of the application over others. And ultimately, add value to their business.
8. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Another technology that will bring a major impact in the field of UI design is Artificial Intelligence.
AI will not just help designers with creating multiple versions of any particular landing page or screen, but would also introduce personalized elements backed by thousands of studies and visual analysis. This, as a whole, will encourage them to look into how to use AI for better user interface design.
9. Contrasting Font Color/Shapes
Using contrasting font colors/shapes for mobile UI design will increase its popularity in 2021.
Mobility experts will infuse contrasting colors and shapes into their design to break the regular flow and add a tint of surprise into user interactions.
10. Animation
Animation, which was one of the key app UI design trends for 2018 and 2021, will also continue to enjoy the same momentum in the future.
Brands will embrace the technique to introduce micro-interactions in their design process. And, in this way, prompts users to spend more time on their platforms.
11. Opacity
Setting the opacity of different UI elements will be considered among the top key app design trends 2021. The technique will be used to bring more emphasis on certain elements while maintaining smoothness and seamlessness.
12. Augmented Reality (AR)
In 2021, UI/UX design experts will turn towards Augmented Reality (AR) for creating real-world interactions. They will embrace the technology to add immersion effects to their apps and products and help users comprehend the information more efficiently.
Besides, the technology will also be considered for building 3D brand impressions in the coming years.
13. Storytelling
Storytelling, i.e. the art of engaging users by narrating a story, will also be seen as one of the best UI/UX mobile design trends in 2021.
Mobile app designers will put more effort into crafting a story that highlights the purpose of the app and make users feel like a part of it. They will turn towards the best visual storytelling guides, tools, and techniques to make a story that keeps their audience hooked to their platform.
14. 3D Graphics
3D graphics will also land on the list of top UI/UX trends to consider in 2021.
Mobile app designers will incorporate sophisticated textures and 3D images into their designs to add a realistic feel. Also, users will demand more 3D designs and marketing content to enjoy a vivid, fresh, and engaging experience.
15. Placement of Navigational Elements
Another trend that will change the future of the mobile app design world is the placement of navigational elements.
As we have already seen in our blog upon the impact of Phone X’s new design on mobile apps, the absence of a home screen button will influence the navigation process. This will urge mobility UI experts to discover new ways to deliver a seamless navigational experience to their users.
16. Virtual Reality (VR)
Last but not least, the incorporation of Virtual Reality (VR) in UI design will also be in trend in the coming years.
The technology, after redefining the healthcare, marketing, and gaming industry, is expected to boost interaction levels in-app UI design. It is expected to emerge out as the ‘Internet of experiences’ by spilling out the app elements in the real world and prompting users to feel them.
While these were some of the mobile app design tips and trends that are predicted to revolutionize user interface in 2021, many more are hoping
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