Mobile apps are not without risks: It comes with a set of complex challenges and if you do not address them in the first place, your dream project will most likely fail.
But, what are the common problems that may lead to your mobile app failing and how can you avoid these problems?
Before delving into mobile app development, it is imperative to know about this information to make your app a success.
And to make your job easier, we have covered everything you need to know about mobile app failures in this article. So, let’s take a look at them below.
Not Focusing on Customer Engagement
Customer engagement is made up of the following three important components:
If you want to make your app successful, it is essential that it has all these crucial elements to engage with your customers. But, unfortunately, most mobile apps fail to address this.
According to a research by Gallup, 29% of people do not prefer to do mobile shopping because they do not trust the security of the process. This means that there is a lack in building confidence and integrity.
Also, 30% of the respondents said that they prefer in-store shopping rather than mobile shopping. This indicates that the mobile shopping experience fails to build pride and passion to lure customers.
So, if your app can create an engaging experience for your users, you will definitely see a greater Return on Investment (ROI).
In fact, the Gallup analysis further shows that the customers, who engage fully, deliver a 23% premium over average customers in the share of wallet.
Poor Marketing
Those who still believe in the old saying “If you build it, they’ll come,” are making the biggest mistake.
If you do not market your app efficiently, your target audience will hardly know about your product, what it can do for them and why they need it.
“Marketing apps is a difficult and rather novel process. Most companies don’t understand how to do it. That’s why I always suggest the marketing and publicity of the app takes up just as much planning as the technical aspects of the app,” said Mike Templeman, CEO of Foxtail Marketing.
Another mistake is marketing an app only after it gets created and launched. To make an app stand out, it is imperative to take up an innovative approach even in advertising it.
So, do not just focus on traditional post-launch marketing and rather do some pre-launch marketing as well. You can furthermore capitalize the advantage of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, or launch events to create a ready market for your app.
This will ensure that you do not need to toil later on to make your product visible to your target audience.
Not Being User-Friendly
Would you prefer to use an app that will eat up significant time to navigate and/or make a transaction?
You will not, right?
This holds true for your target audience as well. If they find it a hard time to use and transact on your app, they will leave your product immediately.
No one has time to invest in learning your app, especially when there are a plenty of other easy-to-operate apps available around them.
“Smart businesses will always focus on creating an experience that benefits the user first. The more it benefits the user, the more they will use it and keep it on their device,” said Mike Brooks, Founder of Nuclear Chowder.
According to Developer.com, you should carefully consider the placement of buttons and keep the image resolution high.
You also need to analyze the intellectual understanding of your target audience. This will help you understand the changing trends and incorporate functionalities that will make them satisfied.
Additionally, you may need to consider the localization factors which vary depending on the technological development of the location as well as the age of the users.
Remember, a good user experience and a polished user interface are the key similarities that every successful app shares.
Choosing a Wrong Platform
Choosing the right platform for your app is crucial for its success. If you are targeting a niche market, you have to identify which mobile platform they use the most or if they are distributed on all platforms.
Going with a specific platform just because you think it would be right, does not work since you have to put yourself in the customer’s shoes.
Most iPhone users have an erudite taste and, if they are your target audience, an Android app will fail to attract them.
Not Having a Balanced Set of Features
Most developers think that a feature-rich mobile app will definitely be successful. But, that is not true.
The more features your app has, the more complex it will be. It may confuse your users who may prefer to opt for something more specific to their needs.
Remember, this may also lead to negative reviews by your users, which can make all your efforts be in vain. You should thus be selective about the features you plan to include.
Make a final call about the features only after weighing the usability of your app. Also, take into consideration the device type where the app will be used. This will help you include a balanced set of features to cover all the angles.
Another best practice is releasing features in intervals. This is exactly the approach which Instagram followed. It helped them keep their users’ interest alive and every new feature got hype by itself.
In this way, you can identify how many features and when your features will impress the target audience.
So, by now you must have an understanding of how to avoid the common mistakes and make your app a success.