According to research, we spend an average of 3 hours and 53 minutes on their smartphones each day. Between 2022 and 2027, the country’s app market is expected to grow by 6.96%.

If you run a business, launching a power-packed app is a great way to reach more people, turn visitors into customers, and generate more revenue. Apps result in a significant increase in local sales. If you have one or multiple outlets, you’ll earn more store visits and get the profit ball rolling!

While a robust app will benefit your business in numerous ways, launching one isn’t exactly a walk in the park. App development is a complex process that requires expertise, experience, the right skillset, and stellar planning. Use our step-by-step app development guide to launch a power-packed app that resonates with your audience.

1. Perform Market Research

There are currently over 4 million apps on Google Play and Apple App Store. Instead of simply launching an app, make sure you perform comprehensive market research to understand your audience, meet their unique expectations, and bring something new to the table.

Since the market is already saturated with one too many apps, don’t launch just another run-of-the-mill app. This is the perfect time to put your research cap on and think creatively. Market research will help you understand what your audience wants and needs.

Start by exploring other apps in your local industry. Pay attention to the app name, features, pricing, updates, ratings and reviews, publisher, downloads, and other critical details. Understand what your competitors are bringing to the table, what works and what doesn’t, and how you can cut through the noise.

We also recommend performing comprehensive audience research. Use qualitative research (interviews, surveys, focus groups, etc.) to develop a better understanding of what your audience wants to see from you.

Are there certain features that other apps aren’t providing? Which gaps does your audience want you to fill? Comprehensive research will help you answer these critical questions and get off to a great start.

2. Develop a Robust Plan

Once you’ve performed meticulous market research, you should have a pretty good idea of how to proceed. Use the insights you collected to develop a robust plan. Outline core features, select a colour scheme, create mock-ups, and set clear goals.

When outlining the app design, keep both UI (graphic elements, e.g., colours, fonts, icons, logos, illustrations, etc.) and UX (app speed, navigation, responsiveness, functionalities, etc.) in mind. This will help you draft a plan that focuses on providing a seamless app experience to your audience. If you’re looking for mobile app UI/UX tips for small businesses, read our last blog.

At this stage, we also recommend finalising the operating system. You can choose between iOS and Android. An app that’s accessible to both iOS and Android users is the best call. However, if you run a small business, you may have budgetary constraints. In this case, you’ll be forced to choose between the two. If you haven’t finalised the budget for your app development project yet, use our recent guide to plan a good budget.

Use market research data to determine which operating system is the right call for your business. Once your app starts gaining traction and monetarily benefiting your business, you can add another feather (i.e., operating system) to your metaphorical cap.

Recommended Read: 11 Features of a Great App for Tech Brands

3. Start Building Your App

It’s showtime! Now that you have a power-packed plan ready to go, it’s time to rev the engine. Your app development team should include:

• A dedicated product manager who takes care of the technical spec documents, deadlines, roadmaps, and other critical requirements
• A UX/UI designer who designs icons, animations, and graphics
• A mobile developer who develops your app using programming language, back-end development, and cross-platform development skills
• A quality assurance (QA) analyst who tests your app to ensure it runs seamlessly across all devices and fixes any errors, bugs, etc.
• A digital marketingspecialist who optimises your app and increases its online visibility

You may recruit additional members, including a software engineer, a software developer, a UX writer, and a web engineer. However, these aren’t necessary.

Once your team is ready, it’s time to start coding your app. It’s important to note that this is a very time-consuming process. If you want to make things easier, hire an app development company that takes the reins for you.

Hiring experts is a great way to enjoy two additional services: consulting and project management. Not only will app development specialists develop your app, but they’ll also steer you in the right direction and manage your app once it’s up and running. This will help you get rid of a lot of additional legwork.

Recommended Read: 5 Critical App Development Mistakes + Quick Fixes

4. Test, Test, Test!

Once your app has been developed, you may think it’s time to call it a day. Not yet. Following the development stage, proper testing is required. Test your app for bugs and errors.

If your app crashes or functions improperly post-launch, people will uninstall it right away. You can’t take this risk.

Test your app for breaches. Are there any security flaws? Identify them before a hacker does. Test other considerations like the network, operating system, database server, and so on.

5. Officially Launch Your App

All good? It’s time to launch your app! Before unveiling your app, make sure you rigorously market it on your website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), Google Business Profile, and directory listings.

We also recommend teasing the upcoming launch through web content like blogs, press releases, infographics, videos, etc. The more buzz you generate, the better. People will feel excited about what’s to come.

Once you’ve taken care of the marketing stage, make sure your app meets the rigorous App Store guidelines. Create your app listing on App Store Connect. Upload your app, add notes for the reviewer, and officially submit your app to the App Certification Team.

They will manually review your app and get back to you with approval or rejection within 2–3 days. Sit tight and wait for the magic to happen!

Recommended Read: Here’s Why Your Business Needs a Mobile App

Hire TocToc’s App Development Experts in Sydney & Canberra

Are you ready to put this guide to the test? If you’re looking for professional app development services in Sydney and Canberra, TocToc should be your first stop.

We design and develop seamless apps that help you reach a wider audience, earn more conversions, and grow your business. Schedule a consultation today.

We also specialise in search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing (article writing, blog writing, eBook writing, web copywriting), social media marketing, email marketing, and web design and development services. Let’s get your business back on track!