It’s safe to say that we all make mistakes – it’s human nature, after all!
But there are at least 9 mistakes you want to avoid before launching your app.
These are all errors made by app designers, developers, or launchers at some point or another.
They happened to us when we were working on our first app, and they can happen to you too if you aren’t careful.
Save your own money, time, and headaches with this list.
Table of content
1. No testing on real devices
2. Bad design choices
3. Forgetting about data privacy
4. No initial marketing plan
5. Failing to understand user expectations
6. Being too passive when it comes to beta testing feedback
7. Thinking mobile apps are easy or cheap to create
8. Getting lost in details
9. Failing to keep up with updates
Conclusion
1. No testing on real devices
No matter how many simulators you’ve tested on, there’s no replacement for getting your app onto a real device.
If you’re planning on launching a mobile app, it pays off in spades to be able to play around with it yourself.
As easy as emulators are, they can never replicate what it’s like using your app on an actual phone or tablet.
2. Bad design choices
Apps are tricky things. To be successful, they need to appeal to users while also keeping developers in mind and—the real trick—be easy enough for them to launch as quickly as possible.
That’s why bad design choices can make or break your app.
3. Forgetting about data privacy
If you aren’t very careful, your new app might reveal sensitive information about its users.
If you aren’t an expert on data privacy, consult with one.
4. No initial marketing plan
Mobile applications are expensive, and people won’t want to download them unless you can convince them you have something worthwhile.
So come up with a marketing strategy before you launch your app and use every tool at your disposal (website, email lists, ads) for communicating about it in advance.
Otherwise, it could be a long time before anyone actually downloads it.
5. Failing to understand user expectations
Some researches has evidenced that users value usability and experience before brand loyalty.
It is simple, users want mobile apps to be user-friendly and easy to use, even more than websites, so don’t underestimate your user’s expectations.
Remember you are developing the app for them, not for you (in the majority of cases).
To know your user expectations you can leverage research studies or conduct your own ones (pool, surveys, anonymous testers, etc.).
Independent of the tool you are using to collect the information, keep it simple.
6. Being too passive when it comes to beta testing feedback
Have you tested your mobile app enough? What is enough when talking about app testing?
The short answer: maybe never is enough (hahaha it’s a joke) but joking apart, you must test it until you have repaired the bugs when using the main features (if we are talking about an MVP) or until there are no bugs in the user experience.
Remember taking care of using experience is taking care of your mobile app reputation.
7. Thinking mobile apps are easy or cheap to create
If you think mobile apps are easy or cheap to create, you must read this article (Estimating the budget for your app development project), of course, there are easy and cheap mobile apps, but those apps offer simple functionalities, are plagued by bugs, are not supported by developers anymore, or lack design.
8. Getting lost in details
Project managers and developers are committed to paying attention to details in every project, but there should be a balance between this and developing strong functionalities, one without another will lead users to abandon the app because the experience is not fulfilling.
9. Failing to keep up with updates
Great, you have launched your app!
Everything it’s done now, you can come back home and enjoy the results of your just launched baby… NO!
In the best of cases, your app never is completely done… it will need a bug fixing process while users report them in the app market.
Just as your users are always changing, your app should be changing with them, otherwise, you will lose relevance and the users.
Conclusion
We know there are a lot of tricky things to pay attention to when developing an app, and that’s why we recommend partnering with a development house with a good reputation and not a budget drainer in the order they can assist you in all those details mentioned above.
