What makes an app successful? Is it the thought behind its development or the problem it is meant to solve? If we look closely we will find two distinct theories coexisting and fighting for a share in the billion dollar mobile app market. The first speculation generally derives from the entrepreneurs who go with the flow to cash in on the current wave of  mobile app development and  “reap in the benefits till the sun shines”.  The second theory, however, finds its way through the ideas of a few other entrepreneurs who besides innovating, find solutions to problems that exist with these apps. Let us explore through this post to discover reasons behind an app’s success and the steps required to build one.

An idea is all it takes – The first step to building an app is to brainstorm an idea. Once you have that down, you are one step ahead of the competition. That being said, pinning down the perfect idea is not as easy as it looks. Smartphone applications are generally known for solving problems. It may not include anything major, but the targeted goal is to help the users in their daily lives. Necessity is the mother of all inventions, if you look around you will find that everything you  see is actually a solution to some problem that existed at some point in time. That problem is then what becomes the opportunity for you to explore as an entrepreneur, and bring in ideas and solutions that demand success. Although it may sound like most of the work has been done, the truth is that the process has just begun.

Sync those needs – How does one know that their solution is what’s needed by the public? Validation of the idea is necessary in order to know whether or not we are heading in the right direction.

• Landing page- Landing pages are about validated learning.Create a landing page for the app idea you have envisioned( as if it has already been developed). A clear call to action and visitor behaviour on the page can help determine interest and whether there is a potential market for the product. Your idea can be validated by using tools such as Google keyword planner,  Google Analytics which can provide insights to what people are actually searching for with respect to solutions offered by you. The test will provide clear, reliable data about the responsiveness of the target audience towards your idea.

• Driving Traffic- Creating a landing page is a good first step but we need to drive traffic to it. More traffic do you have, better the outcomes of the experiment. Buy advertising from Google, Facebook and Bing to generate targeted traffic to your landing page.

• Feedback- Time for a reality check, you will either get breakthrough response for your app idea through thousands of emails or your idea would fall flat with very less or no response from target audience. Whatever the case may be the information is sure to bring you great inputs about validity of your app idea.

• Move forward– Once you have studied the report card, you will know whether to move forward with the app idea or to abandon it. Having a clear perspective will not only help you to move forward with your app idea but also guide you to move in a particular direction.

Work on layout and features – Once an idea is finalized and validated, its time to put down your imagination on a paper. Detailing your work is the key to let developers have an understanding of  your app’s design as well as it’s functions. It is crucial to do the wireframing in detail to let the developer have a clear view of how the app will navigate. Keep the flow clear and explain the details, as the success of your app depends on how well the idea was put into a plan.

Get rid of those extras – Remove any extra features. Carefully study the layout and the features that you envisioned for your app, and only keep the ones that are crucial for your apps survival. Features can always be added at later stage as updates once the initial version of your app is released. So, if you want to cut down on the costs of input production and get your app to the market as quickly as possible, getting rid of those extras would be a rational solution.

Design a success story – Don’t keep designing for later stages. The way users experience your app plays a very crucial role in determining its success or failure. App design plays a significant  role in gaining mass acceptance and popularity. Technology that is designed well potentially increases the number of users and is considered more useful because of its ease of use.

Choose your team wisely – No matter how well you plan, or how great your idea is, your app will not be successful until you have a team to back those ideas and convert them into reality. Having a strong team of designers and developers is imperative as the future of an app depends largely on how well the framework is laid out. While hiring a development company, check on their credibility, and go through their portfolios as it might give you an insight into their quality and style of work.

Developer account: time for one – In order sell your app on reputable app stores, you are required to register for a developer account. Google and apple charge $25 per annum and $99 per annum respectively. Registration can be done as an individual or as a company if its already formed.

Coordinate analytics – Track user engagement and downloads for your mobile app through analytic tool such as flurry and Google Analytics which can help you keep tabs on actual performance of your app amongst the masses.

Change is the only constant – As soon as the app is launched into the market, it is bound to have some sort of feedback. Closely following these user reviews will give you an understanding about further app improvements.

Add on new features – Now that you have established your trademark, it is time to add on new/better features that will make your app more appealing to its users. Keeping track of consumer behaviour, analytics and usage will help you determine the features that can be added or removed.

These steps may not be the ultimate guide to developing a successful app but they surely serve as guidelines to building  your own app in a planned and efficient way. Thoroughly following this procedure will help you introduce your app in the market. That being said, the easy part is now over and real challenge is on how to find new users while still keeping the current ones engaged.