Apps are being published left and right these days, and to someone on the outside, it can almost seem as though application development is easy and everyone is doing it. But anyone who has actually worked on developing an app knows the process is exactly the opposite. It can be long, drawn-out, and unsatisfying – especially if your application does not turn out how you pictured it. If you believe you are ready to release an application for live use, make sure you check these things off of your list first.
Research Your App
This may seem hard to believe, but there are millions of applications out there, with over 250 million application downloads happening every day. Your application is likely not the only one of its kind out there, so knowing what makes your application different and stand out from the rest is an essential part of making your application pay off for you. For instance, what are your competitors like, and how is their pricing? Will you be able to compete in a market that may have thousands of other apps like yours available? It can also be helpful to look at reviews about apps that are similar to yours, as well. There may be information that will help in the development of your own app, to help you put it above your competitors.
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Know Your Marketing Plan
If no one sees your app out there after it is released, then no one is going to use it. It is important before an application goes live to have a marketing plan, precisely developed for your target audience. Is your app a game, or a tool, or a source of entertainment? For any of these, you have to figure out how to capture the attention of the people you want interested in the app. How do you appeal to the demographics of the people you want as customers? You’ll want to make sure you are generating content, have a social media presence that talks about the application, and have also determined how to appeal to your target market.
Get Some Reviews, and Test Test Test
You know what’s the most terrible thing you can do before an application release? If you do not have it thoroughly tested in an end-user environment. You will never be able to discover all of the bugs in your own application on your own. You will never think of all of the different ways that your app could possibly be used when in the hands of your customers. Employing a reputable testing firm like Testrigor, or enlisting a group of people to test your app in the real world environment before releasing it to the public, may mean your app making it in the app life cycle instead of dying a horrible, early death.
Thoroughly testing your app has a wide variety of positive outcomes. Though it may require more time and possibly more monetary input upfront, vetting your application from a customer’s point of view is never a step that should be skipped. And when your app goes through beta testing, ask if the testers will be willing to give reviews. Honest feedback is important to the growth of any new application.
Choose the Right Launch Date
This may be one that would come to the minds of many application developers, but choosing the correct launch date for your app can mean your app gets seen when otherwise it might not. The market is competitive and certain types of apps do better at certain times. Do your research, check out the release date of similar applications, and pay attention to things like holidays and busy sales seasons.
Develop Your Screenshots
The world is becoming more and more of a visual place. If you are planning to release your app soon and have not taken some good quality screenshots showing the look and functionality of your application, then you are not ready to release it. Consumers are more likely to look at pictures of an application before they read a description, and many will likely pass by an app that has few or no pictures, or that does not display functionality thoroughly. Your app may shine in your eyes above all others, but the key is to remember that you have to make the customer feel this, as well.
Developing an app is a heady endeavor, but it’s also one that can pay off well in the end if it is done correctly. When your app is developed and ready to be released to the world, make sure you have checked off this list to create the most possible opportunity for your work to succeed.