6 Questions that must be answered before you start creating apps

There is an ever-growing number of companies and entrepreneurs with an idea and wanting to take the leap into the market of creating apps. But there are also many ideas that end up in nothing due to an ill-conceived approach, a lack of funds or any other reason.

This is precisely why there are some questions regarding our idea and our project that we should answer before getting started. Creating mobile apps is not easy; it’s a long process, so we must think everything through before getting our hands on a project seriously. This way we’ll avoid getting stuck in the middle ground and having to leave a failed project behind.

1. What is the motivation driving you to create an app?

Not everyone is able to come up with a good idea for a mobile app. So if you’ve found the key to creating successful apps then you’re already half the way through. But still, there’s something more to it. What’s the motivation driving you to keep on working on the project? Are you passionate about creating apps? If it’s just a crazy idea that you want to carry out just to ‘see how the thing goes’, please take a word of advice from us: it will go wrong.

You have to be 100% committed to the project you are working on because it will take time, money and effort. Are you sure you want to continue developing your app no matter what? Read on, then.

2. Do you have the budget required to carry out your project?

This is an issue that we have already spoken about at length on our blog. However, it’s always a good idea to bring it up again because if you lack enough money, your project will never be completed. And we agreed previously on being motivated to render it a full-fledged project, right?

To answer this question, you should first consult with a professional and obtain a tight budget from him. You can use this online budget calculator and answer its questions if what you’re after is just a ‘ballpark’ figure without going much into details for the moment. You can use this amount obtained as a reference and to be acquainted with the figures associated to projects like yours.

To get to know the final cost, your project will have to be well defined. I.e. your business plan, the ways to monetise your app, its design, its specific features, the kind of development, etc., must be already set up and clear. App professionals and experts will then be able to send you their estimated budget based on your project’s characteristics.

3. Do you have a business model?

One of the key points that establish if your mobile project is completely developed is having a defined business model. Not having a business model means that your app will not be profitable. We need to define what it is that we’ll obtain from our mobile application (this can be either an economic or a non-economic benefit) and how are we going to achieve it.

There are several business models to choose from when it comes to creating mobile apps. We will now briefly summarise the most important ones:

• Branding: widely used by companies to improve their brand’s acknowledgement. Its intended purpose is to obtain a benefit in terms of the company’s or the brand’s reputation.

• Part of the service offered: the application is used as part of a more comprehensive service offered by a company.

• Advertising: the return on investment is covered by incorporating advertising.

• In-app purchases: the app is free to download but includes additional paid-for services.

• Data collection: consists in creating apps that are free to download and collect data about their users.

• mComerce: it’s an online store within an app. As an e-commerce site but with its own particular app.

• Audience acquisition: these apps are free to download. Their sole purpose is to acquire a large user base that will later be used for other purposes. Facebook is an example of this.

• Affiliation: these apps are free to download. The benefit is obtained through a commission associated to each sale.

• Subscriptions: the download and use of these applications is determined by the period of time that the user is subscribed to them.

• Low price downloads: its main objective is to sell plenty of downloads at a reduced price. Usually the stipulated price is € 0.99 and these apps generate a long-term ROI.

• High price downloads: recommended for very specific targets that are willing to pay a high price for the app.

• Without a clearly defined business model: its purpose is not to make a profit but rather to offer a functional app that’s enjoyable for the user.

4. What makes your app special?

There must be a reason that makes the idea behind your app special. Be it a feature, a fresh twist on something that already exists or something that’s utterly new and revolutionary, treat this special characteristic kindly and use it to differentiate your proposal.

It’s important to have something that makes you stand out from your many rivals in the industry − something that will ensure that your users and customers remind your app.

5. What’s a successful app from your point of view?

Before you start doing anything with your idea ask yourself this question: what is your app’s aim? What goals are you setting? If your app succeeds, what does this mean for you? You must be realistic. Just yearning for creating apps that become famous as Flappy Bird and then selling them for huge sums isn’t enough. This occurs very rarely and will most certainly not happen with your app.

This is the reason why you should define what you mean by a successful app and establish objectives in the short, medium and long term. These could be − for example − obtaining a million downloads, recovering the initial investment, or anything else that you might be after.

6. Do you have a good team for creating apps?

Now that we’re getting serious and you have everything well under control, is when you have to think about how to carry out the development aspect, i.e. creating the applications itself. The first thing is having a development team that fits your app’s needs. A cross-platform application is not the same as a native application. Likewise, the development teams involved in these projects will not be the same.

If you don’t have one yet, do you know how to find it? Assuming that you choose to outsource the project, our platform is the ideal choice for hiring mobile app experts. We have specialists in all areas − not only in development, but also in mobile design and mobile marketing − and, in addition, we can provide support and advice throughout the process if you wish or if you feel you need it.

Is your mobile project ready to get developed? If you haven’t published it yet on our platform… what are you waiting for?