Millions of applications are available online. In 2019, 2.6 million apps were for Android devices and 2.2 million were for devices on iOS. App development is one of the latest industries to evolve from modern technology. It’s understandable why you would want to develop your own, especially when users spent more than $120 billion in a single year. The key is knowing the features of a successful and popular application.
However, without a truly successful app, your app development company may just make approximately $20,000 annually before taxes.
Learn about the features of successful and popular apps you can incorporate into your own.
Push Notifications
People appreciate getting a heads up regarding the application they’re downloading and using. Push notifications are essential for telling your customer and user about any new features you’ve installed, promotion materials they might like, and other important announcements.
Without push notifications, your users will have no idea when any of these events take place. Be careful about the timing of these notifications and frequency of these notifications as they can be annoying if they constantly appear.
App Color Schemes
Instead of sticking to unappealing beige or white backgrounds, look for a dynamic color scheme that fits into the purpose and message of your application. Bright colors intuitively attract users and customers, but they can also be very distracting and glaring if you go overboard.
Choose to pair subtle tones, like light blue, cream and white with bolder hues, such as orange, red and yellow. This will help create an aesthetically pleasing balanced color scheme.
App Flexibility
Although your app should always have a single, core purpose, you shouldn’t let it prevent your application from having any flexibility.
For example, if you’re developing an app that focuses on matching users with providers of food subscriptions, you should let it have the flexibility to include subscriptions for beverages, like water infused with fruits or healthy drinks. However, you should make sure that any features you include still connect to your application’s central purpose to prevent it from bloating.
Offline Functionality
Most apps rely on an internet connection to function properly, but an effective app should never fail to function at all without one. Although it may be difficult for all applications have offline capabilities, try to find any part of your app that can perform well even without the internet.
For example, some online music players allow their users to save their favorite songs, so they can play them offline, stopping them from being completely useless.
Social Integrations
According to experts, almost half the world population or 3.6 billion people are active on any of the world’s most popular social media platforms. Because of this, many users will appreciate it if your app can somehow mesh well with social media sites. This works better if your app has levels or accomplishments they can post on their accounts. Alternatively, you can offer them discounts, promos, or similar benefits if they share certain content on social media.
Report Issues
Users appreciate it when they can instantly report any problems or issues to your moderators or design staff. Feedback mechanisms benefits both your users and your company because they allow you to improve your key product immediately and improve the user’s experience.
Feedback Tools
Feedback mechanisms also show your users that you value their input, which is crucial in maintaining the loyalty of your customer base. A simple button which options for most common complaints or one that leads users to a dedicated comments page are good options.
Clean UX
Keep your user interface clean and simple to avoid confusing and alienating your users. Sometimes, developers feel the need to cram their displays with too many features and interactive content. Keep these down to a minimum as they can be very difficult to manipulate, especially on smaller screens. A simple display, with plenty of space between buttons and features, prevents wrong clicks and are a lot more pleasing to the eye.
App Security
A lot of apps sometimes link with online financial platforms, especially if you demand payment for add-ons or initial services. Or your app can ask for sensitive information, like their personal contact numbers, emails and home addresses. These sensitive data sets need to be protected from hackers and other criminals who may try to use them for illegal purposes. Investing in good cybersecurity should be your priority.
Accessible
People can use dozens of portable digital devices to access the internet and download your apps. Although there are only a handful of truly popular and prevalent devices, your app still needs to be accessible to the other layouts. Work on your app’s responsiveness to make sure it’s display translates properly on their screen and all its features are still functional.
App development is just like business, and you’ll need to keep up with popular ones. The above features of a successful and popular application will help you stay ahead of the competition and become a successful developer.