The inception of mobile devices and the subsequent exponential growth in the field of mobility has led to an immense opportunity and challenge both at the same time for companies, organizations and institutions. The mobile world brings with it a huge opportunity in terms of the increased reach that you can have for your products and services. The biggest challenge is to be able to provide a great user experience while being able to sell your product or service efficiently.
The mobile app for your company or organization will become your best tool to market your products or services. Depending on the domain your organization works in, your app can be either the first touch-point between you and your potential customer or can be a platform where your customers can purchase your products or services. Whatever the case, you as an organization need to make a transition towards a mobile mindset to keep your business relevant in today’s era.
There can be various factors that come into play when deciding the way forward:
1. Which mobile platform should we get our Mobile App development done?
The answer to this question will depend on who your target audience is. It is best to get some background work done to understand the device preferences (and thereby the platform) of your existing & potential customers. Based on this you can decide if you need your app to be on a single platform (say Android) or multiple platforms (say Android, iOS, Windows, Blackberry).
2. Should we go for native app development or use a cross platform development?
Native apps are usually preferred if you have sufficient budget allocated for your mobile app development solution. Some of the reasons for this choice are –
- The taste in terms of UI/UX of an Android user is different than an iPhone user. Also, the designing standards vary from one platform to another.
- It is easier to implement hardware related functionality efficiently. E.g. gestures or geo-location.
- Performance is better due to faster execution of code.
On the other hand, if you have limited budget but would like to target users of multiple platforms and are OK to trade-off slightly between performance and cost, cross platform application development is the way to go. With improved tools like PhoneGap & Ionic, the overall performance of these apps have also enhanced over time.
3. What should be the UI/UX for the app be?
This will depend on the nature of your business and what you want to achieve through the mobile app. As a thumb rule though, your app should be easy to use, engaging and have a clean design.
4. How do we publicize our app so that we can have maximum outreach?
You can send out e-mailers, publicize on your social media pages or send messages to your existing customers. There are professionals who can help you with marketing of your app, especially to reach out to potential customers.
5. Who should we hire for the Mobile App Development Solution?
There are many companies who provide custom mobile application development solutions. It is best to hire a company that has got enough experience and expertise in developing mobile apps, preferably in your domain of work. It is also recommended to go for a company that also provides other related services like web design and development, digital marketing, app marketing and so on. This ensures that you can have all your work done through one company and don’t have to deal with separate vendors.