By Satya Satapathy
A recent study by Flurry, a Yahoo owned research firm reflects India’s mobile app usage growth at a staggering 43 percent year over year (YoY), with media music and entertainment applications dominating the segment, growing at 188 percent.
The growth figures seem encouraging and are only poised to grow manifolds in the coming years, thanks to the booming internet penetratiion, a flood of budgetary smartphones in the market and the emergence of telecom operators like Jio, leading to a cut throat competition in the wireless segment.
While the above mentioned figures are compelling enough for a business to switch to its own mobile applicaiton to garner the benefits of the ‘smartphone era’, a right strategy is pivotal to reap the benefits of your mobile application which includes-:
Predefine Your Business Goals
This isn’t just true for a mobile application strategy but for almost any business oriented initiative. A well verse knowledge regarding your potential market and consumers who will utilize the application can pave the way for an effective mobile application strategy. You should also consult your mobile application developer consistently regarding the app features and their relevance with your business goals. A few common questions associated with this strategy include- what value will the customers gain from the application?; will the app be informative or a promotional tool; will it be used to target new customers or retain the existing ones etc.
It is also important to pre decide the portion of your business which you want to embed in your application.
Competition Analysis
A detailed analysis of what your competitors are offering will also help you significantly in developing the features of your mobile application. Furthermore it will also help you to improve on the flaws of the application which your competitors have made, enabling you to stay ahead in the market.
Selecting Your Development Platform
While offering cross platform compatibility will definitely furnish you an edge,, it is important to keep in mind some crucial factors including scalability and security across a host of diverse platforms. You should also consider your business priorities and capacity before making a move in this regard.
Device Compatibility
Ensuring that your mobile application is compatible with a majority of mobile devices is vital to leverage the benefits of a business mobile app. Consult your application developer regarding the hardware requirements needed to utilize the app to ensure last mile penetration of your business.
Don’t Forget To Test
Once your mobile app is developed, its time for you to engage in aggressive testing of it to rectify any flaws. It is recommended that you opt for a split testing(A/B testing) which will fetch you with more visibility about the likes of the consumers and what features propel more engagement.
The Author is the managing director of Creation Infoways
