8 Things Your Competitors Can Teach You About App Development

September 14, 2020

The popularity of mobile apps has been on the rise more now that smartphones are becoming more advanced. People are dependent on them and the app developers for almost everything from work to entertainment and socialisation.

The high demand also made the competition increase rapidly. There are various apps launched every day. Basically, it has turned into a race between app developers to get a stronghold of loyal users.

We’ve recently written about the biggest problems with app development (which is worth a read if you’re new to this) and listed helpful ways to get you started. There are a couple of things to consider when developing your app; First, your app needs to stand out and be functional at the same time. Second, your app should be able to provide users with the best experience so that they will continue to choose using it. And to achieve that, you have to look into your competitors. As fresh and innovative you think your idea might be, there’s a huge chance that it has been tried by somebody else and results may have not turned in their favour.

Analysing your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, and the market’s behaviour will help you build a concrete strategy not just in developing your app but also marketing it. Our team of app developers share their insider tips on competitive analysis, how you can improve your app, and how to grow your business.

Here are 8 solutions on how you can improve your app:

1. Define the problem

An app can provide a solution to multiple problems. But which one would you like to focus on and prioritise? List down the problems and ways your app can resolve them. Then, once you have your list, do a quick search on Google Keyword Planner and see how many people are searching for what you are trying to do. Tick off those problems and ideas that are not so popular. From here, you can narrow down your list and find the right niche for your app.

2. List down your competitors

Now that you know what specifically your app’s selling points are, list down the apps and other app developers that serve that are doing the same purpose.

Find ways to be ahead of your competition by studying the way they work. Find out the flaws and analyse the problems users encounter in using their products. Browse through app reviews as these will provide you with a vivid view of what people say about these apps. Use the app yourself too.

Understand the techniques and strategies the app developers have used to attract users, which areas they fell short of, and avoid the same mistakes.

3. Get to know your market

Having a good knowledge of your market allows you to have a strong grip over it. Learn the kind of people that will be interested in your app. Analyse your target audience. Learn their behaviour, their interests, app features they use the most, and their online habits.

If you have the budget, you can hire a group of people for focus group discussions. Interview them about the apps they’ve used and their experience. Another more budget-friendly option is to conduct an online survey.

4. Get creative with marketing

Creating an outstanding app is just the first step. The real challenge lies in how you will get people to find it, like it, and use it. Look into your competitors’ marketing strategy and find clues on what strategies they have used successfully to gain traction that can work on yours.

Paid ads are a good jumpstart to reach your audience. However, marketers need to be careful and strategic as it can also deplete your budget fast without any solid returns. Consult a web app marketing expert to ensure you get the most out of your budget.

Make sure your application looks reliable, interesting and worthy to the audience.

5. Prioritise UI/UX design

Give high value to your users’ experience when using your app. Regardless of how innovative and technologically advanced your features are, if they are not user-friendly, consumers can get bored easily and forget about you. Reach out to a design agency or studio when you need more creative ideas.

6. Test before launching anything

Whether it is for your initial product launch or update, always get people to test your app first. This will help you and your app development team to spot problem areas before they reach the consumer.

This is crucial especially if you’re planning to launch on multiple platforms (iOS, Android and Windows). Those operating systems (OS) have different requirements that may hinder with your app’s performance. Not to mention possible compatibility issues with the variants of devices available today such as phablets, tablets, and smartphones. Testing can help you ensure your app works perfectly and save yourself from bug issues and more costs.

7. Always seek for feedback

If you want to understand the needs of your audience, you need to ask them. Always seek user feedback and incorporate them into your app.

8. Ensure the security of your users

One of the major issues faced by app developers is ensuring their users’ privacy and information security. Ensure that there are suspicious activities that taking place whenever your app is used. Make use of state-of-the-art encryption technology so that any private information stays safe and secured in your database.

We’d love to hear your app development projects. Contact us if you want to know more about app development.