It doesn't matter if you are a startup, a medium-sized business, a small company or a shop: there are some common mistakes that almost all companies make when they try to create an app for the first time. Only by knowing these mistakes can you play ahead of the game, shortening the time and cutting unnecessary costs and superfluous worries. 

Since not everyone has a technical background, we won't go into too much detail about programming a mobile app, but we'll keep it focused on what might be useful to those who have a business to run.

Are you about to build an app? Here are 5 things to know before you do it

1) How is the mobile app market doing in your industry?

It may seem trivial, but studying your competitor's products is also very important to understand which direction to orient yourself in. Or, which direction NOT to orient yourself in. 

In addition, before creating an app you need to understand if your dreams are feasible in reality. You could overvalue your customers' smartphone and/or tablet, so evaluate carefully which functions are indispensable for you and which are fantasies that you can do without. 

If you have an in-house developer, work closely with them during the design phase. If you use a consultant, insist on discussing features, and always ask which mobile technologies are obsolete and which can really be disruptive in the long term.

2) Native or hybrid app? iOS or Android app?

If you don't know what we're talking about, first read this article on difference between native apps and hybrid apps. Distinguishing between these types of mobile apps is essential, because it allows you to identify a target market. 

Hybrid and web apps usually cost less but have some disadvantages in terms of speed and responsiveness. On the other hand, native apps require longer development times and higher costs, but for a generally better integration with the device for which they were designed. 

Many people make the mistake of thinking, before creating an app, that choosing just one market (iOS or Android) is limiting. Instead, it is a business evaluation, because the two markets can sometimes embody a different target: just look at the success of the social app Clubhouse, which during its first year remained relegated at Apple, and only later was it made available as well for Android devices. 

Before making an app you need to target the right audience.

3) Choose how to monetize before building an app

Will your app be premium or paid? Will it allow your customers to make in-app purchases or will it just be a browsable catalog?  

All these possibilities are part of the vast universe of app monetization. 

You can also choose to insert advertising or to intertwine sponsorships, but whatever decision you make must be made well before the creation of the app, and it largely influences how your customers will use it and how much return you will have and in what timeframe.

4) Time needed to build the app

Making an app is a business project, no matter what level it takes place. To make it work, it is essential to understand the production times and deadlines. It is obviously easier to define a schedule if you have already contacted your app consultant or your mobile developer. Often, those who are not in the trade underestimate the production times, but much more often those of the testing phase.

If you don’t time it correctly, you run the risk of having to postpone a whole series of other actions, such as distribution, or launch events, and the return you will have from them.

5) Don't forget the privacy policy!

The process of creating an app doesn't end once development is complete: in addition to the testing phase mentioned above, there is also bug and crash monitoring, or content uploading, performance evaluation…

All these operations are usually very immersive and time-consuming, so we tend to forget about the legal advice needed to draft an adequate privacy policy. In addition to this, we need to study how the management of user data will be carried out before the app is created. 

An app development consultancy is what you need to get into the right gear and proceed without surprises.

Contact Pizero Design for a consultation.