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Do you run an e-learning or business training company? Do you pay for multiple software subscriptions to manage your team, create content, and advertise your business?

If so, you could be overspending significantly — without actually owning any of these products. 

Investing in custom software can save you over 75 percent each month on your IT and software-related expenses.

Learn more about the specific benefits of custom software for e-learning and business training companies below. You’ll also learn some best practices to ensure you get a high-quality finished product.

Benefits of Custom Software

As the owner of an e-learning or business training company, you have a lot of responsibilities. 

You’re in charge of creating educational content for your clients and ensuring they’re satisfied, but you also have to manage your employees effectively. From assigning tasks to monitoring progress to handling payroll, you’ve got plenty on your plate.

Custom software can lighten your load and offer you and your team numerous benefits. Here are some of the top reasons to invest in custom software:  

Experience Long-Term Savings

Have you ever sat down and added up how much you spend each month on the software subscriptions you use to run your e-learning or training business? Many of these software solutions charge a fee per month per user — as your business grows, those costs can grow pretty quickly.

When you pay for custom software development, you will spend a greater amount initially. At the same time, though, you will end up saving money in the long run.

When you eliminate the monthly cost of various software products, you’ll likely notice within a few months that your budget is not as tight as it once was. Think about what else you could invest in for your company if you weren’t spending so much each month on IT-related expenses!

Save Time

Consider the number of software products you use to run your business training company — and that your team uses to perform their jobs.

How much time gets wasted jumping from platform to platform or searching through different apps to find the correct information? Probably more than you’d like.

If you want your team to be more productive (and what business owner doesn’t want that?), custom software can help everyone save a lot of time. As a result, they’ll have more bandwidth to focus on other essential tasks, such as creating better training content for your customers or helping them resolve problems faster.

Gain a Competitive Advantage

When your team has more time to create better e-learning and training materials and products for your customers, you will eventually gain an advantage over your competitors.

Your customers will notice when the quality of your offerings improves. They’ll also be more likely to share your business’s products or services with fellow business owners. 

Over time, your company’s improved reputation will help you stand out from other businesses in the same industry. It will also likely lead to more customers and a better bottom line for the business (all great things when you’re trying to keep your company afloat and help it thrive long-term). 

Meet Specific Business Needs More Effectively

Why do you and your team rely on so many different software solutions? Probably because you haven’t been able to find one software product that does everything you need it to do.

Since you can’t find an all-in-one solution that works well for your company, you and your employees have likely spent a lot of time searching for and investing in various products to meet all your specific business needs.

Instead of jumping from product to product and trying to find one that works well for you and your team, why not just invest in creating your own?

With custom software, you can work with professionals to develop a solution created with your business, your employees’ needs, and your long-term goals in mind. 

Make Changes and Updates at Any Time

When you rely on off-the-shelf software solutions developed for the masses, you’re at the mercy of the creator of that software. You have to wait for them to decide whether they want to make an update or add another feature.

When you purchase custom software for your business, you get to decide if and when you update the product or add a new feature. You can meet with your developers to make changes and updates whenever you want.

As a result, it’s easier to increase your employee’s productivity and ensure they have the tools they need to do their jobs as effectively as possible.

Increase Business Security

Most off-the-shelf software solutions come with some security features to protect you, your team, and your customers. However, it’s relatively easy for hackers to study these features and figure out how to work around them.

Anyone can purchase a software product off the shelf, investigate how it works, and find a way to infiltrate it to access valuable data. With custom software designed specifically for your business, it’s much harder for hackers to access your data.

First of all, it’s much harder for them to access your software in the first place, let alone figure out how to find the data stored within a specific platform. Most hackers don’t even bother with custom software solutions because of the added difficulty they present.

By investing in a custom solution, you can better protect your business and your customers. You can also avoid significant legal fees and other expenses related to a data breach.

Enjoy Easier Integration

Perhaps you and your team use an off-the-shelf tool or two that you all really like and want to continue working with. That’s great! You can still benefit from custom software.

Custom software can be specifically designed from the ground up to integrate with the existing tools you want to keep utilizing.

Rather than searching high and low for software solutions that integrate with your current software products, you can save time (and money) by investing in custom software that integrates seamlessly and allows for a more streamlined work environment (and increased productivity).

Experience Increased Reliability

You’ll likely get a more reliable product when you purchase custom-made software.

Rather than trusting your data and your essential business processes to an off-the-shelf solution, you can work with software created specifically for your business.

Keep in mind that most custom software solutions are made using the latest tools and technologies — and are created by highly experienced and skilled developers.

When talented, educated individuals develop your software products, there’s a greater chance that you’ll get a high-performing solution. You’ll also be less likely to deal with bugs and other issues that slow down productivity and interfere with your business’s performance. 

Tips for Developing Custom Software

Are you curious about any (or perhaps all) of the benefits discussed above? Are you interested in creating your own custom software for your business?

The following tips will help you navigate the software development process and ensure you (and your team) experience the best outcomes:

Establish a Budget

Custom software development projects typically start at around $20K. The price may rise based on several factors, such as the software solution’s complexity and the number of people who will be using it. 

You might not be able to predict precisely how much your custom software product will cost. However, you can review your business’s financials and come up with a general idea of how much you can afford to spend on custom software.

Before you write off the idea of investing in custom software because you can’t afford to drop $20K+ at once, think again.

Many developers (especially development agencies) offer financing to make the price of custom software development more accessible. Some also offer zero percent financing for a certain number of months, meaning you won’t spend extra money on interest.

Consider Short- and Long-Term Business Goals

Once you have a budget in mind, you can move on to the next step — evaluating your business’s short and long-term goals.

What do you want to accomplish in the coming months and years? How can custom software help you achieve those goals sooner?

When you have a clear idea of your business goals, it’s easier to identify the specific features you need a software solution to have and the functions you need it to perform.

The easier it is for you to identify these things, the easier it is to share your goals with a development team and give them the information they need to create a high-performing product. 

Identify Specific Business and Employee Needs

In addition to your business goals, it’s also helpful to consider your specific business processes and employee needs.

In other words, what processes do you and your employees carry out day-to-day? What obstacles are your employees currently facing, and what kinds of tools would help them do their jobs more efficiently and effectively?

During this stage, it’s vital that you talk to your employees. You’ll likely learn a lot of things about their jobs that you wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Don’t make assumptions about what they want or need. Meet with them for an in-depth discussion about the tasks they perform each day, their current processes and workflows, and what issues are holding them back from successfully doing their jobs.

Prioritize Proactive Change Management

The long-term benefits of custom software are undeniable. At the same time, though, your employees might need some convincing to get on board with the idea of switching to a new solution.

It’s understandable why your employees might be hesitant initially. After all, they may have spent years using a particular tool to create content, analyze business data, or handle customer relationship management tasks.

Proactive change management can help you help your employees with this change. Here are some specific ways to can practice change management at your company:

Involve Key Users in the Decision-Making Process

Don’t make all the decisions on your own. Ask for input from other team embers to ensure you’re building the right solution and establish buy-in early.

Define the Purpose and Expected Outcomes

Clarifying the purpose of the software and the expected outcomes will help you ensure your employees properly utilize the tools. It also makes them aware of changes they will need to make in the future.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Consistent and honest communication will help your employees understand what’s happening, when the change will take place, and how they can prepare for it.

Prioritize Comprehensive Training

Don’t throw your employees to the wolves and leave them to experiment with the new solution on their own. Prioritize comprehensive training and onboarding to help them understand exactly how the software works and the benefits it offers.

Outsource Software Development

Could you ask your in-house information technology employees to handle the software development process? Possibly, depending on their experience and level of expertise.

However, if you assign them to a big project like this, you’re taking them away from other essential aspects of their jobs. As a result, it may take longer to complete the software, and quality may be compromised if your team gets stretched too thin. 

To avoid these issues, consider outsourcing software development. Working with a development agency ensures you’re working with the most skilled and experienced professionals.

These people aren’t juggling multiple responsibilities, either. Their primary job is to build software for your business, meaning they can get it done faster without sacrificing quality.

Ask for Frequent Updates

Outsourcing takes a lot of weight off your and your employees’ shoulders. However, that doesn’t mean you should never check in throughout the development process.

You’re paying for a custom product to be built, and you have every right to request updates and find out how the developers are doing. Ask for regular updates so you can ensure the project is moving in the right direction and is being executed according to your expectations.

Be Patient

At the same time, you should also be patient while the development agency is working on your product.

On average, these kinds of projects take around 3-4 months on average. Resist the urge to rush your development team so you can start using the new software sooner.

Rushing often leads to poor quality and may increase the likelihood that you’ll need additional updates and fixes in the future. 

Choose the Right Development Team

Outsourcing is an excellent way to reduce costs, save time, and avoid weighing your team down with additional tasks.

When outsourcing custom software development, be sure to keep the following tips in mind. They’ll help you select the best team for the job.

Seek Referrals

Do you know of any professionals in your industry (or a related industry) that recently invested in custom software? If so, reach out and ask if they’d refer you to their software development agency.

A referral is one of the easiest ways to sift through all the different agencies out there and find one that can carry out the kind of project that you need. If you don’t have time to vet dozens of agencies (or if you simply don’t want to), asking for a referral can help you find the right match sooner.

Check Out Portfolios

When you’re considering a particular development agency, don’t forget to check out their portfolio.

How many custom software solutions have they created? Have they worked with businesses like yours in the past? Does the quality of their work seem to align with your business’s needs and goals?

Be wary of agencies that don’t have any work samples available on their websites. A lack of examples could suggest a lack of experience. It could also indicate that they’re not proud of their work and don’t want to show it off to potential clients.

Look Up Reviews and Testimonials

Say you can’t get a referral — or perhaps you got one but want to do some additional research on your own. In either case, it helps to look up reviews and testimonials.

Reading reviews and testimonials from past clients gives you a peek into how the development agency operates, the quality of its work, and its dedication to a positive customer experience.

If the agency has generally positive reviews from multiple customers, that’s a good sign. If the reviews are mostly negative, or if there are very few reviews, proceed with caution.

Schedule an Initial Consultation

You can learn a lot about a development agency by perusing their website and reading reviews. Eventually, though, you need to chat with an actual employee in person, over the phone, or via video chat.

During your initial consultation, be sure to ask the following questions:

Ask About Past Experience

Ask directly whether or not the agency has created software solutions like the one you want. Find out if they’ve worked with e-learning and business training companies in the past, too.

It’s best if you can work with an agency that has relevant experience and understands your industry. Otherwise, you may have to spend more time than you’d like educating them on your needs and goals.

Ask About Average Delivery Times

Most software development agencies take around 3-4 months to complete a project. It may take more or less time, depending on the complexity of your desired solution, though.

Ask for an estimated timeline so you can prepare adequately and make sure your team is ready for the new software.  

Ask About Communication Options

Make sure the development agency is easy to contact.

How do you reach them if you have questions, concerns, or want an update? Can you call or send an email? Do they have a chat line available?

Ideally, the agency will have multiple communication options and good response times. The more accessible they are, the better.

Ask About Post-Development Support

The best development agency won’t launch your software solution and then leave you and your team to figure it out on your own. They will work with you to learn how the product works and understand the best way to incorporate it into your business processes.

During your consultation, ask about post-development support. Find out how easy it will be to connect with a member of the development team if you have questions or issues arise.

Ask About the Development Process

Every agency has a unique development process. However, some aspects should be included no matter what, including the following:

• • Research (into your industry, your employees’ needs and pain points, etc.)
  • Prototyping (a model of your software so you can see how it will look, function, etc.)

• Front and backend development

• • Quality assurance testing (testing should take place throughout the development process rather than waiting until the very end)

• Launch

• • Post-development support (help with bugs, updates, etc.)
• Marketing

If the agency doesn’t at least include these stages in its development process, they might not be the right fit for you. A comprehensive development process will give you the greatest value for your money and help you see the best results after investing in and launching the new software solution.

Get a Quote

Always ask for a quote before you make a final decision. After talking to an agency about the type of software you want and your business goals, they should be able to give you a detailed breakdown of what, approximately, the software solution will cost.

Get quotes from multiple agencies. Then, compare them carefully to determine which agency will give you the best deal.

Don’t focus exclusively on price. Instead, consider the quality of service you get for that price. 

Remember that it’s worthwhile to spend more money in exchange for a higher level of service and a higher-quality finished product. 

Invest in Custom Software for Your E-Learning or Business Training Company

Developing custom software for your e-learning or business training company could revolutionize the way you operate, from how you communicate with your team to how you manage customer subscriptions.

Do you want to move forward with creating custom software for your business? Do you want to work with a highly qualified, award-winning development agency?

If so, Alpha Bravo Development is here for you. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or get a free quote.

Consumers currently use more than two times as many retailer apps as they did a year ago.

Are you considering launching an app to accompany your business and connect with your customers? If so, you’ve come to the right place. 

This guide explains everything you need to know about how to make an app, from the pre-development stage to the post-launch maintenance stage.

Pre-App Development

App development involves a lot of planning, researching, and brainstorming before the first line of code is even written. Here are some steps you should take during the pre-app development stage to set yourself up for success:

Clarify Your App Idea

The first step to making a great app is clarifying the idea. It’s not enough to just say, “Wouldn’t it be cool to make an app that does X?” or “Why hasn’t anyone made an app that can help with Y?”

You need to be more specific than that — a lot more specific. Explain the purpose of your app and what, exactly, it will do.

Consider asking yourself these questions as well:

• Why do I want to make a mobile app?
• What purpose will this app serve?
• Who will this app help?
• What problem will this app solve?

The answers will help you get clear on the kind of app you want to make. This clarity will help you stay motivated throughout the development process.

Establish Goals

Building off the previous step, your next job is to establish specific goals for your app. Consider how the app’s purpose aligns with your company’s other objectives.

Explain, too, what you hope the app will accomplish. For example, are you hoping to increase sales of a specific product or increase the number of monthly subscription sign-ups you get?

Do you want to use the app to launch a specific service? If you run a restaurant, perhaps you want to launch an app so people can order food from their mobile phones. 

When setting goals for your app, make sure they’re specific and measurable. Don’t just say you want to build your business — clarify how you want your business to grow and how you’ll measure growth. 

Get to Know Your Target Audience

How well do you know your target audience — the people who will hopefully download and use your app?

The better you know them, the easier it is to create an app that interests them and that they’ll genuinely want to use.

Understanding your audience will also assist with your marketing efforts and help you ensure you achieve your app development goals.

Here are some questions you might ask as you begin researching your audience:

• How old is my average customer?
• Where do they live?
• What is their gender?
• What is their average income?
• What are their interests and hobbies?
• Do they use an iPhone or Android?
• What other kinds of apps do they use?
• What are their pain points? 
• What solutions are they looking for?

Use the answers to these questions to build detailed customer personas. These are avatars that you can envision and reference when designing your app, creating a marketing plan, etc.

Define Essential Functions and Features

Your next job is to define the specific functions and features of your app. In other words, what will it do? What actions can people take once they’ve downloaded it and logged in?

Resist the urge to include every single function and feature you can think of in your app. More is not always better, especially when it comes to app development.

If your app is weighed down with dozens of features, people might be confused about what they’re supposed to do after downloading it. They might also get confused about how to use it and decide to delete it altogether.

Refer back to the purpose of your app and the people you’re trying to serve. Use this information as your North star to ensure you’re choosing functions and features that are relevant to your target audience.

Learn About Your Competitors

In addition to learning about your audience, you should also get to know your competitors. If they have mobile apps, check out their offerings and get familiar with their key features, their layout and design, etc.

As you’re doing competitors research, consider how they’re marketing their apps, too. You can use this information to improve your own app marketing strategy and ensure you’re reaching your target audience in the right places.

Remember that the goal of this step is not to copy your competitors. It’s to gain inspiration, identify elements you want to emulate when creating your own app, and determine how you’ll differentiate your app to offer something superior.

Choose an App Development Approach

When developing a mobile app, you can choose from several development approaches:

• Native App Development: Native apps are developed for a specific platform (such as Android or iOS). Because they’re designed for that platform, they can use many of the device’s native features, such as the camera, GPS, etc.
• Cross-Platform App Development: Cross-platform apps can be used on multiple platforms (such as Android and iOS). They have a core codebase layer that works for various platforms, but they also have unique native UI features tailored to each platform’s specific framework.
• Hybrid App Development: Hybrid apps are a combination of mobile and web apps. These apps can be built faster than cross-platform apps and can help creators reach a larger audience more quickly.
• Progress Web App: Progress web apps are accessed and downloaded through a mobile browser instead of the app store. 

Getting to know your audience can help you decide which app development approach to take. For example, if the majority of your audience uses iPhones, you might choose native app development and focus on creating an app just for iOS devices.

Consider Monetization Options

There are several ways to make money from a mobile app. The following are some of the most lucrative monetization options to consider:

• In-app advertising: Advertisers pay to show ads to people while they’re using your app 
• Pay per download: Users pay a fee to download and start using your app
• In-app purchases: Users pay for additional features while using the app 
• Subscription: Users pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee to use your app
• Freemium: The app comes with a free version and a paid version with additional features

Again, the more you know about your target audience, the easier it is to choose a monetization option that makes sense for your brand and brings you closer to your goals.

Set a Budget

Finally, set an app development budget. Remember that the development cost for most quality apps for Android or iOS devices starts at around $15-20K.

Can’t afford to spend that much money upfront? Many development agencies offer financing with low or no interest to make the development process more affordable.

Choosing an App Developer

You don’t have to be a skilled programmer or UI/UX designer to make a quality app for your business. If you partner with the right development agency, you can let them do the heavy lifting to turn your vision of an app into a reality.

Outsourcing app development can help you save money (it’s less expensive to hire an agency compared to hiring an in-house developer) and ensure you get a high-quality product. It also gives you peace of mind knowing that a team of professionals (rather than just one or two people) is handling your app and making sure it’s ready to launch.

Here are some tips to help you choose the best developer:

Ask About Services and Specialties

When researching different app developers and development agencies, look at their list of services. Do they offer mobile app development? Do they help clients create specific types of apps, such as native apps or cross-platform apps?

It may also be helpful to work with an agency that specializes in creating apps for companies like yours (or has at least worked with clients like you previously). This experience can help them understand your goals and your target audience, ensuring they may design choices that align with your brand and needs.

Read Reviews

Most reputable app developers and agencies feature a Reviews or Testimonials tab on their websites. Take a look at this page and consider reviews left by previous customers. Don’t stop your research here, though. 

In addition to reading reviews published directly on the website, consider reviews on third-party sites as well (Yelp, Google Reviews, etc.). These reviews will help you view the agency more objectively and get a more well-rounded idea of its services.

Pay attention to how recent reviews are, too. For example, if all the reviews are several years old, that doesn’t tell you much about how good the agency is now.

Check References

Another effective way to learn about the quality of the agency’s work is to check references. Ask them if they can put you in touch with previous clients directly. Then, follow up and call or email these clients.

During your conversation, ask the references about their experience working with the agency, what kind of app they had developed, and how satisfied they were with the finished product. Take notes and use that information to compare and contrast potential candidates before you make a final decision.

Look at Their Portfolio

In addition to Review or Testimonial tab, the developer or agency’s website should feature a Portfolio or Our Work tab. Look at this page to get a glimpse at some of the apps the agency has worked on previously.

Do the apps look well-designed? Do they seem easy to navigate? Have they made apps similar to the kind you’re hoping to create (such as a shopping app or gaming app)? 

Pay attention to how recent the content on the portfolio page is, too. If everything was shared years ago and they haven’t added any new projects, that might be a red flag.

Ask About the Development Process

Stick with app developers and development agencies that offer an in-depth and transparent process. At a minimum, their strategy should include the following stages:

• Intensive research
• App prototyping
• Custom app development by experienced professionals
• In-depth quality assurance
• Ongoing app maintenance and support

Be wary of developers who don’t clarify their processes or explain how they work. The more you know about the agency’s specific development process, the easier it is to know if you can trust in their work and determine that they’re a good fit for you and your brand. 

Consider Security and Maintenance Services

Ideally, the app developer or agency you hire will assist with app security and offer ongoing maintenance services. App security is of the utmost importance, especially these days when data breaches, identity theft, and other security issues are more common than ever before.

Talk to the developer about the steps they take to protect your business’s data and your customers’ data. For example, do they continuously update your app to ensure it’s safe against the most well-known and severe threats? Will they alert you to potential security issues right away?

Get an Estimate

Getting an estimate before you agree to work with a specific app development agency is always a good idea. The estimate should explain how much you’re paying for the app and the particular services you’re getting in exchange for that price.

Compare the estimates side by side to determine which developer offers the best value. Keep in mind, too, that the lowest price isn’t always the best deal.

Sometimes, it’s worth it to pay more for your app development needs to ensure you get a high-quality product that functions well, appeals to your target audience, and helps you achieve your specific goals. 

Meet the Entire Team

If possible, arrange to meet with the entire team of people who will be working on your app (or at least the key players).

When you work with an app development agency, it’s typical for multiple people to assist with designing, developing, testing, launching, and maintaining your app.

Get to know these people and learn about their training and experience before making a final decision. The more you know about everyone who will assist in creating your app, the more confident you can feel that it’s in good hands.

Read the Contract Thoroughly

Always read the developers’ contracts thoroughly before agreeing to work with them (and definitely before signing anything).

Pay attention to the terms of the agreement and ensure you’re comfortable with them. Take note of any fee-related information in the contract, too, such as when payments are due, penalties for late payments, etc.

Trust Your Gut

If you’re stuck choosing between two developers or agencies, go with your gut. If one seems great on paper but gives you a bad feeling, believe in that instinct.

As a business owner, you’ve had to make a lot of decisions throughout your career — trust that you can make a good one once you’ve done your research and collected all the relevant information.

Launching Your App

Before you launch your app on the app store, your development team should go through multiple rounds of quality assurance and testing to ensure everything functions correctly. They should also get final approval to you to ensure you’re satisfied with the look, layout, and functionality of the app.

After you’ve given the green light, your app can be published and made available for your customers to download. Here are some tips that can help you maximize the number of downloads you receive once you launch the app:

Develop a Detailed Marketing Plan

It doesn’t matter if you have the coolest, most professionally designed app in the world. If nobody knows that it exists, you won’t see the kinds of results you’re hoping for. That’s why app marketing is so important.

When creating marketing materials for your app, make sure you’re answering essential questions. Help people understand what your app is, how it works, the specific features it offers, and why they should use it.

Promote the app on multiple platforms — social media, your website, YouTube ads, etc. Consider the platforms that your target audience members use most often, and focus on those first.

Include a Media Outreach Strategy

Along with advertising on your website, social media, etc., make a plan to promote your app with the help of other media outlets.

Reach out to reporters and bloggers and ask them to write about your app and your business. This approach helps grow your audience, add credibility to your app (and your brand), and generate more interest leading up to the release. 

If you aren’t familiar with any journalists or bloggers, search Google News and look up the reporters who have written about apps similar to yours (maybe even apps launched by your competitors). You can also search social media and connect with tech journalists on apps like LinkedIn and Twitter.

Prioritize App Store Optimization

You’ve heard of search engine optimization (or SEO), but what about app store optimization (or ASO)? The following are some techniques you can use to optimize your app description and ensure people can find it when they search for similar apps:

• Include relevant keywords in the name and description for easy searchability
• Choose clear and relevant screenshots that showcase your app’s offerings
• Include positive reviews
• Include information about recent updates

You can use A/B testing to experiment with different tweaks to your app store listing. These tests can help you see which images get the most attention, which keyword is easier to rank for, etc.

Get Testimonials Early

The sooner you get positive reviews and testimonials for your app, the sooner you can A) add them to your app store listing to increase visibility and B) start gaining credibility and get more people interested in trying out your app.

When you announce the launch of your app, encourage your target audience (especially those who follow you on social media or subscribe to your email list) to download the app, try it out, and leave a positive review if they like it. Your loyal followers will likely be eager to support your brand and share their feedback. 

Establish a Web Presence

Add a page to your website specifically dedicated to your app. Include essential information about what the app does, why people should download it, and when it will launch. 

At a minimum, your app’s web page should include the following elements:

• A place for visitors to leave their email addresses (i.e., sign up for your email list) 
• A clear value statement explaining the app’s primary benefits
• A link to your customer support line in case people have questions, concerns, or issues downloading the app

Make sure that page’s layout and design match other pages on your site, too.

Encourage and Enable Sharing

If you make it easy for your audience to share the news about your app, they’ll be more likely to do so. As more people begin talking about your app and spreading the word about it online, others will follow suit and start checking it out.

When you share a blog post or social media post about the app, encourage people to share it and invite their friends or family to try out the app. You can also include a link to the app store listing in your bio to make it easier for people to find and download it.

Maintaining and Updating Your App

The hard work doesn’t end just because your app has launched. You and your development team will need to do ongoing labor to keep it functioning correctly and ensure your customers are satisfied.

The following are some essential maintenance tasks to focus on at this stage of the process:

Collect Relevant Data

Data collection is a critical part of building a successful business. Don’t forget to gather relevant data after launching your app.

Here are some of the most important metrics to monitor:

• Number of app downloads and installs
• Number of new users
• New user acquisition sources
• Engagement rates
• Retention rates
• Most-used features
• Least-used features
• Churn rate (the number of people who stop using your app)
• Reports of glitches/bugs

Analyze this data regularly to get a clear idea of what works about your app and what needs fine-tuning.

Address User Feedback

Of course, anyone who launches an app wants to experience a deluge of positive reviews. At some point, though, you will encounter some negative feedback.

Resist the urge to get defensive when these reviews show up. Instead, try to read between the lines and identify specific areas in which your app can improve.

Even if the user hasn’t expressed it in the nicest way, they likely have some valuable feedback that could make your app better.

It’s best to respond to negative reviews promptly, too. Express your regret that the reviewer isn’t happy with the app, and encourage them to contact your customer support line to discuss the issue further. 

Monitor Feature Usage

Monitor app usage to see which features get the most and least attention.

The more you know about people’s in-app behavior, the easier it is to make informed decisions about how to update your app moving forward.

For example, suppose you find that after a few months, hardly anyone uses a particular feature. In that case, you may decide to get rid of it altogether and dedicate more resources to a different element of the app.

Continue Optimizing UI

These days, app users expect every app they download to have a sleek, modern, and easily navigable user interface (UI). If your app isn’t well-designed and easy to use, you’ll likely see your churn rate start to rise.

How do you know if people are satisfied with your app UI?

Pay attention to user reviews and take note of reviews that are critical of the design, layout, etc. If many people express the same complaint, that’s a sign that you and your team should go back to the drawing board.

Prioritize Security

Another critical aspect of a successful app is a robust security protocol. In addition to continually evaluating and optimizing your app’s UI, focus on security.

Work with your developers to ensure you have a clear plan in place to protect valuable data and keep the app working properly. Include information about your security plan in the app store listing, too, so people know that you are actively engaged in keeping their data safe.

Frequently Asked Mobile App Development Questions

Do you still need clarification about how to make an app? If you have any lingering concerns, look at the frequently asked mobile app development questions below for additional information:

How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App?

The cost of developing an app varies based on several factors, including the following:

• App type
• App platform (iOS, Android, or both?)
• App complexity and the number of features it includes
• Security and maintenance plans (more in-depth plans cost more)

At a minimum, you can expect to pay between $15-20K for an app. More complex options can cost over $60K, though.

Remember that financing can help to make app development more cost-effective and simplify budgeting for you and your team.

How Long Does It Take to Develop an App?

The app development timeline also varies based on app type, complexity, etc. At a minimum, it takes a team of developers around 3-4 months to complete an app and get it ready for launch. However, more complicated apps may take 6-12 months to complete.

It may be tempting to rush your development team or work with a developer who promises they can have your app done in a month. Remember, though, that rushing will often lead to a low-quality product — which may also lead to unhappy users and difficulty achieving your goals.

Why Should I Outsource Instead of Building an App Internally?

You can hire an internal developer or team of developers to build your app in-house. However, this process is expensive. After all, you have to deal with the cost of advertising a job, interviewing candidates, onboarding new hires, and paying for their salaries, benefits, and office overhead.

When you outsource app development to an agency, you pay a flat fee for the entire app development process. It’s often a fraction of a developer’s annual salary, too.

In addition to saving you money, outsourcing can also give you access to more skilled and experienced developers. You’ll rest easy knowing your app is handled by a team of professionals who are dedicated to it alone and aren’t juggling other tasks simultaneously.  

How Long Does It Take to Publish an App?

In most cases, it takes about two weeks to publish an app on the app store and make it available for people to download.

The specific platform on which you’re publishing (such as the App Store or Google Play Store) will have unique submission requirements you must meet before they accept and publish your app. These requirements typically include the following:  

• Company and contact information
• App screenshots 
• Detailed app description
• Store display and home screen icons 
• Video or photo demonstrations of the app

Your development team should help you compile this information and submit the app to the appropriate platform.

How Often Do I Need to Update My App?

There’s no one correct answer to this question. However, keep in mind that many apps with high traffic volumes get updated around four times per month.

These updates are usually minor and meant to improve the user experience by fixing bugs or updating the UI. More extensive updates (like adding new features) typically take several months to plan and introduce.

Start Developing Your App Today

Now that you know more about how to develop an app, do you feel more confident in your ability to make one that appeals to your audience and helps you achieve your goals?

Follow the guidelines discussed above so you can create an app that works for you, your business, and your customers.

Do you want to work with an award-winning app development agency that offers custom app-building services for iOS and Android devices? If so, Alpha Bravo Development is the firm for you. Contact us today to get a free quote and arrange a complimentary meeting with a project manager.

The average app will lose 77 percent of its daily active users within just 3 days of installation. It also loses 90 percent of its daily active users within 30 days.

Do you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to your business? If so, you need to make sure you put it through a rigorous app testing process.

If you’re curious about the quality assurance process for an app or software project, keep reading. This guide outlines everything you need to know. 

What Is App Quality Assurance?

Quality assurance (sometimes known as QA) is a thorough testing process that ensures you’re providing your customers with a high-performing app or software product.

During the quality assurance phase, a team of professionals will look for anything that could impact the product’s effectiveness or contribute to a subpar user experience.

Quality assurance is an essential part of the app or software development process. It can make or break your product’s performance.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control

Some people use the terms “quality assurance” and “quality control” interchangeably. They’re not synonyms, though. 

Quality assurance is focused on processes and issue prevention. It takes place before an app or software product goes live.

Quality control, on the other hand, is focused on a specific product and detects issues after an app or software goes live. It’s also used to evaluate the success and functionality of a product post-launch.

Why Does Software and App Testing Matter?

Regardless of their size or the type of product they’re releasing, all businesses need to prioritize software and app testing. The following are some of the top reasons why these tests matter:

Deliver on Your Promises

Do you want to be known as a company that delivers, or a company that falls short?

Think about why you wanted to create an app or software product for your business in the first place.

Chances are your decision to move forward with the development process had to do, at least in part, with a desire to solve a problem for your customers and provide them with a better experience.

When you invest in and prioritize software and app quality assurance, you increase your chances of delivering on your promises and solving your customers’ problems. This, in turn, increases their satisfaction with your business and their trust in your products or services.

Prevent Future Problems

Nobody launches an app or software and wants something to go wrong with it. If you don’t take the time to thoroughly test your product, though, you may run into bugs or other issues down the line.

Sometimes, these issues are small, such as a misspelled word in a popup message. They might be annoying, but they don’t significantly impact your app or software performance. 

In other cases, though, the issues are larger and can impact the success of your product. For example, if your instructions are unclear or your software is hard to navigate, this can hurt sales and your business’s bottom line.

Increase User Engagement

Remember the statistics we mentioned at the beginning of this guide — the ones regarding app abandonment after the initial download?

If you want to prevent your users from abandoning your app or software after they download it, you need to take steps to boost user engagement and keep them coming back repeatedly.

One way to do this is by thoroughly testing your product. The more complete your testing is during the quality assurance phase, the more confident you can be that people will A) enjoy your product and B) want to continue using it long after it’s been launched. 

Improve Brand Image

Nobody wants their company to be known as the one with the faulty app or software, right? If you want to improve your company’s reputation and brand image, you need to rigorously test your product before you launch it.

Careful testing ensures that you’re putting something out to the world that people truly want and enjoy using.

Quality assurance helps you to pick up on potential issues early and address them before they have a chance to impact the user experience. This saves you from negative reviews. It also increases the likelihood that other people will want to download and use your app or software.

Increase Product Security

Software and app quality assurance aren’t just about making sure your product looks good and functions properly. This process also involves testing the security of your product.

Remember, all apps and software products deal with some kind of user data — names, phone numbers, credit card information, work-related data, etc.

Keep in mind, too, that nothing messes with a company’s reputation more than a data breach. If a breach were to occur, it would wreak havoc on your app’s popularity, your brand image, and your bottom line.

Proper quality assurance helps you to identify potential security issues before your product launches. This, in turn, reduces the likelihood that hackers will steal and use your customers’ data. 

Save Time

True, quality assurance adds to the total app development timeline. In the long run, though, it saves you time.

Think about how much extra time and effort you’ll have to put in if you experience a data breach or if a certain aspect of your app or software malfunctions. How many headaches will you have to endure to fix your app or software and make sure your customers are satisfied? 

When you prioritize quality assurance right from the start, you save a lot of time and save yourself a lot of stress. This frees you up to focus on other aspects of your business and make more progress toward your long-term goals.  

Save Money Long-Term

Not only do software and app quality assurance save you time, but they also save you money. 

Consider the expenses associated with a data breach, or the cost of updates to your app or software because you didn’t catch a bug before launching.

From legal costs to PR costs, these expenses can add up pretty quickly. No matter how large your business’s budget is, you likely want to avoid these extra bills if at all possible.

Consider the cost of a bad reputation as well.

If word gets out that your app or software doesn’t work well or is hard to use, people are going to leave negative reviews or tell their friends or family not to bother with it. This will deter others from downloading and using the product and will eat into your bottom line. 

Increase Confidence in the Final Product

Don’t you want to feel as confident as possible in your app or software before you release it to the public? When you include quality assurance in your development process, you can rest assured that your product works well and provides value to your customers.

You owe it to yourself, your team, and your customers to launch the highest-quality product possible. You’ve already invested time and money into creating the app or software — it’s worth it to invest a bit more in quality assurance. 

What Happens During Software and App Quality Assurance?

You know why software and app testing matters, but do you know what happens during this phase of product development?

Here are some specific types of testing that may take place during a typical app or software quality assurance process:

Functional Testing

Functional testing ensures an app or software works — or functions — the way it was initially intended. It ensures that the product meets its essential requirements and that every feature included in the app or software works properly.

Functional testing factors in your specific goals for the app or software. It also considers the industry in which you work and the way your target audience will use the product. 

Regression Testing

Regression testing ensures that the initial code used to create your app or software doesn’t crash as a result of refactoring, optimization, or the implementation of new features.

Sometimes, small code modifications can cause unrelated features to break down later on. Regression testing helps you to prevent this from happening. 

In most cases, regression testing involves a variety of automated tests, including the following:

• Multi-platform automation
• Risk-based regression
• Parallel execution
• Performance impact analysis

Regression testing can also take place after a product has been launched to identify bugs and glitches.

Cross-Platform Testing

Cross-platform testing helps you ensure your app works properly on both iOS and Android devices. If you plan to release your app to users of both types of devices, you’ll need to make sure your developers test them on both platforms.

iOS and Android platforms each come with unique features and functionalities.

Because of this, you shouldn’t assume that your app will work well on both of them just because it works well on one. You must make sure it renders properly, that the interface looks good on various devices, and that the performance is of the same quality across the board.

Usability Testing

As the name suggests, usability testing involves various people using your app or software to determine how easy it is to use.

This process assesses various aspects of your app, including how easy it is to navigate, as well as how easy it is to read text and icons. Not only does this help you improve user experience, but it also gives you a chance to discover potential glitches.

Performance Testing

In some ways, performance testing is similar to usability testing. However, this type of testing focuses more on technical issues, such as how downloading and installation work or how your app affects a device’s battery or RAM.

If your app slows everything else on the device down or drains the battery quickly, people may be less inclined to use it. This can hurt your business’s reputation and affect your profitability — so you can see why performance testing is such a key part of the overall testing process. 

Security Testing

Security testing helps you to ensure your app or software provides proper security.

During this testing process, your development team will evaluate authentication, data storage, and more. If you’re working on a healthcare-related product, you’ll also need to test the app or software’s data encryption and make sure it’s HIPAA-compliant (otherwise, you could be opening yourself up to potential lawsuits).  

Proper security testing also ensures you’re authorizing the correct users and only giving them access to their information. It assesses database structure and security, too.

Beta Testing

Beta testing involves having real users — not just developers — use your app or software.

Beta testing provides you with more relevant feedback from the people who will actually be downloading and using your product. It is usually the last type of testing done before conducting a larger launch and making your app or software available to the general public. 

How to Avoid App Quality Issues

Of course, some bugs will always show up during the quality assurance testing — that’s why it’s such an important part of the development process. At the same time, though, by engaging in best practices during the other development stages, you can avoid a lot of common issues. 

Here are some important steps to take — or ensure your developer takes — while working on your app or software product:

Careful Product Conceptualization

Quality assurance technically doesn’t occur until later on in the app development process — at Alpha Bravo Development, it is the 4th phase of our development process. However, you and your team can take steps along the way to speed up the quality assurance phase and ensure a high-quality product right from the start.

For example, careful product conceptualization increases your chances of creating a high-performing app or software that provides value to your audience.

During the conceptualization stage, when you’re thinking of the features you want your product to have and the functions you want it to perform, make sure you have a thorough understanding of your target audience and what they want/need in an app or software.

Conduct market research beforehand. Then, plan your app according to the results of your research. 

Thorough App Planning and Design

Taking your time during the planning and design processes is key, too. Ideally, this stage of app or software development will include the following:

• Wireframing: Digital sketches of designs that outline styling, color, graphics, and more.
• Style guide: A set of guidelines your development team will follow when creating content and building your app or software.
• Mockups: A visual layout that resembles the finished product and is rendered using the style guide and wireframes.
• Prototypes: A usable product that simulates the real-time user experience and shows the basic functions and design of the app or software.

When your developers go through all of these stages, you’re more likely to get a quality finished product that helps you achieve your specific app or software development goals.

Product Localization

Make sure your app or software — and all the content the product contains — is properly localized. Localization involves altering various aspects of the app or software so that it is relevant to people in a particular location or members of a distinct cultural group.

Localization helps you make your product more appealing to specific people. It also shows that you care about multiple groups of people, rather than creating a homogenous app that alienates certain types of users.

This is great for your brand image and increases the likelihood that more people will use your app or software. 

Product Descriptions and App Store Information

During the quality assurance process, you can also evaluate the product descriptions and app store information related to your app or software.

You should make sure your descriptions and other information are clearly worded and easy to understand. Offer screenshots, too, to give people a better idea of what they’re downloading. You should also attach the app or software’s privacy policy for those who want to review it before they download and install your product.

Be sure to add details about specific in-app products — if applicable — as well. You should also confirm the countries that can access these products and subscriptions — if there are any restrictions.

How to Find a Developer That Cares About Quality Assurance

In a perfect world, quality assurance would be the norm. However, not all developers and agencies make it as much of a priority as others.

The best developers understand the importance of software and app quality assurance, and they will do everything they can to make sure your product is working properly before they release it on the app store.

If you need help finding a developer that will take quality assurance seriously, here are some tips that can simplify your search:

Ask Around

Do you have any colleagues in the industry who have recently released an app or software? If so, you may want to start by getting in touch with them and asking them which developer or development agency they worked with.

This is an easy way to start building a shortlist of candidates. It also increases the likelihood that you’ll find a good match sooner — assuming your colleagues are happy with the work their developer did and feel that their quality assurance process was sufficient. 

Read Reviews

If you decide to search online for developers or development agencies to help you with your app or software, this tip is a must.

Reading reviews helps you learn more about each developer’s process, how seriously they take quality assurance, and how thorough they are. This, in turn, will make it easier for you to narrow down your options and make the right choice.

When reading reviews, pay attention to more than just the number of stars someone received. Take note of when the review was left (if it’s from years ago, things may have improved) and why, specifically, the person left the score they did.    

Look at Portfolios

Sometimes, the easiest way to get a sense of a developer’s quality assurance process is to look at their portfolio.

Check out their past work and consider its quality. Are there spelling errors or design issues? If so, that might be a sign that they don’t take quality assurance very seriously. 

You may even want to consider downloading one of the products they’ve worked on in the past and trying it out for yourself. Is it easy to navigate? Does it have fast loading times and a well-designed layout? 

Schedule a Consultation

Always schedule a consultation with a developer — either in-person or over the phone — before making a final decision.

A consultation gives you a chance to meet with the developer or development team and learn more about their process, their prices, their experience, and more. This provides more insight into how well you’ll work together and how receptive they are to your ideas and feedback.  

Ask About the Development Process

During the consultation, be sure to ask about the development and quality assurance processes, too.

Find out how many phases they go through when creating an app or software product for a client. Ask how long their quality assurance process typically takes and what they do if they run into any bugs or errors along the way as well.

Don’t be afraid of asking too many questions during your consultation. You’re investing a lot of money and time into building your app or software, after all. You have every right to know what you’re getting.

Final Thoughts on Software and App Quality Assurance

As you can see, quality assurance is a key component of the software or app development process.

Now that you know how important it is, are you ready to find a software or app developer that cares about quality assurance and is committed to helping you create a great product — one that your customers will love and want to use long-term?

If you want to work with a developer that checks all the boxes discussed above, look no further than Alpha Bravo Development. Contact us today to learn more about our app and software development services — as well as our quality assurance process — or to get a free quote.

The average software development cost in the U.S. ranges from as little as $3,000 to as much as $120,000.

The expenses don’t stop there, though. You also need to think about the cost of maintaining your software.

Have you been confused about the cost of maintaining your business’s custom-built software? If so, keep reading. This guide breaks down everything you need to know.

Why Regular Maintenance Matters

You’ve dedicated time and money to creating custom-built software for your business. Why wouldn’t you want to make sure it continues to function properly after it’s launched?

Regular software maintenance is a must if you want to set your business up for long-term success. Listed below are some of the top reasons why maintenance matters:

Save Money

When you first learn about the cost of maintaining custom software, you might question the validity of this benefit. How is it possible to save money when you have to invest a certain amount each month or year in software maintenance?

Think about it this way. Which is likely to be more expensive: The cost of maintenance or the cost of repairs?

In most cases, repairs are going to be more expensive.

You can save more money in the long run if you make regular maintenance a priority, rather than waiting until something goes wrong with your software. 

Save Time

You can also save a lot of time (and money, for that matter, because time equals money in all types of businesses) by investing in regular software maintenance.

Again, let’s use the repair analogy. Which is likely to take more time: Regularly scheduled maintenance, or a major repair that needs to be fixed because you put off maintaining your product?

In most cases, the repair is going to take more time to complete.

This means your software will be inaccessible to your team and/or customers for a longer period of time, which eats into the productivity and/or satisfaction with your business.   

Prepare for Crises

As a business owner, you know that when you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

If you haven’t factored regular software maintenance into your company’s calendar — and if you haven’t included it in your budget — you’re potentially creating a lot of problems for yourself, your team, and your clients should a crisis take place.

Imagine a security breach occurred, for example, because you didn’t make it a priority to maintain your software.

Would you be able to handle the financial and PR-related repercussions of that event? Wouldn’t it be better to prepare for the worst and do everything you can to prevent a crisis from happening?   

Maintain Continuity

Regular software maintenance ensures the continuity of your product. If you’ve invested a lot of time and money into creating custom software, you likely want to do everything you can to ensure it survives.

It doesn’t matter if your server goes down or you have a security breach. You want your software to last, don’t you?

One of the best ways to do this is to make sure your software and all of your company’s IT systems are functioning properly. If you don’t do this, you may lose previous work or valuable data and compromise your product’s security.

Peace of Mind

Finally, speaking of security, we can’t emphasize enough the value of peace of mind.

Busy professionals like you almost always have a ton of different plates in the air at once. Because of this, you don’t have time to be worrying about whether or not your software is secure, functioning properly, etc. 

When you invest in and schedule regular software maintenance, you can rest easy knowing your product is taken care of. This, in turn, frees you up to focus on other important aspects of running your business, managing your team, and making sure your company is set up for long-term growth.

Types of Software Maintenance

Keep in mind that you’ll need to invest in multiple types of software maintenance to keep your software working properly, including these 4: 

Corrective Maintenance

Corrective maintenance involves fixing issues that are presenting themselves in your software. 

Of course, the testing phase of software development is meant to catch as many issues as possible. Sometimes, things slip through the cracks, though, and don’t present themselves until people start using the product.

Corrective maintenance is meant to address error and bug reports submitted by users. It’s the most common and frequently conducted form of software maintenance.

This type of maintenance shouldn’t be put off, either, no matter how busy you are or how tight your budget is. The sooner you address bugs and error reports, the less likely they are to escalate and the better off your software and your company will be.

Adaptive Maintenance

Adaptive maintenance involves updating your software so that it meets the current technological standards.

It doesn’t matter how advanced your software is when you first launch it. The tech world is always evolving, and you’ll need to schedule regular adaptive maintenance to keep your product up to date. Otherwise, you’ll fall behind your competitors and risk losing customers. 

Remember, people want to use the product that offers the greatest amount of convenience and the greatest number of features. Without regular adaptive maintenance, you won’t be able to offer this product.

Enhancing Maintenance

Enhancing maintenance is similar in some ways to adaptive maintenance. However, it focuses on perfecting a software product from both a business perspective and a user perspective. 

Enhancing maintenance involves adding or removing certain features, as well as design elements, based on feedback the company receives from users and stakeholders.

This type of maintenance is more subjective than adaptive maintenance (which is based on the latest industry standards). However, it still plays a key role in making sure you’re providing the highest quality product to your customers and setting your business up for the best results.

Preventative Maintenance 

As the name suggests, preventative maintenance is all about preventing issues from occurring in the future.

The preventative maintenance process involves making changes, adaptations, and upgrades to improve software security and prevent potential challenges for users. However, it also includes changes and updates that can make it easier for your company to scale the software moving forward and manage it as your company grows.

Factors That Influence Software Maintenance Costs

In the same way that the cost of software development can fluctuate, so can the cost of software maintenance. Some businesses spend as much money on maintenance as they did on the actual app — and others spend even more.

Here are some of the factors that can influence the cost of maintaining your software:

Software Age

How old is your software? How long has it been since you first launched it? In general, the older your software is, the more expensive it will be to maintain.

One reason for this has to do with hardware. If your software was designed to work for older hardware — which is usually slower, has less memory, and has less storage capacity — your software will have a hard time keeping up as new types of hardware come along. 

Consider, too, the number of tech advancements that have taken place since your software was first launched. At a certain point, it may cost more money to continue keeping up with these advancements than it does to retire your software and start over with a new product.

Software Architecture

To a certain extent, software products can be modified and updated to meet your customers’ ever-changing needs and preferences. Eventually, though, your product won’t be able to handle certain modifications.

If your software isn’t designed to accommodate future changes and updates, it may be very expensive — or potentially impossible — to pay for anything beyond corrective maintenance.

External Dependencies

Some software programs are built to be dependent on an external environment (cloud servers, physical servers, etc.).

As is the case with software architecture, a software product’s dependencies also influence its maintenance costs. This is particularly true if you switch from one type of dependency to another — such as switching from a physical server to a cloud server.

Programming Language and Style

Your software’s programming language and style contribute to the maintenance cost, too.

If your developers used a more complex programming language or style when creating it, it will cost more money to keep it working properly. After all, complex programming requires more skill to maintain, and not all engineers will have the experience or training necessary to handle it. 

Software Engineers

You’ll also need to factor in the software engineers who are going to handle your maintenance for you.

In a perfect world, you would reach out to the same engineers who built your software to help you maintain it. Sometimes, though, this isn’t an option.

In these cases, you’ll need to hire new engineers to assist you, and you’ll need to consider their rates, reputation, and schedule.

For example, if you’re working with a very popular development team with a large client base, you may have to pay more for their services than someone who is just barely getting their business off the ground.

Keep in mind that it can be worth it to spend extra. This is especially true if it means working with a skilled developer who can help you get your software up to par and yield better long-term results.

API Subscriptions

API is short for Application Programming Interface. An API allows your software to communicate with other programs — even if you don’t know exactly how they work or how they’re implemented.

APIs simplify app and software development and can help you save time and money. However, the use of APIs can also impact the cost of software maintenance.

If you’re using an API that is not well-developed, for example, your software engineers may run into trouble when trying to update your app. On the other hand, if your software engineers are familiar with certain APIs, they may find it easier to maintain your app and handle required updates or changes.

Ongoing Development and Updates

When considering the cost of software maintenance, it’s important to note, too, that this is an ongoing process.

You can’t always predict how your industry is going to change, nor can you predict how standards in the tech world will change over time. This is why it’s important to continually make room in your budget for software maintenance and updates.

If you have a budget dedicated to maintaining your product, you’ll be better equipped to keep it going long-term and make sure it remains as functional as possible. 

How to Reduce Software Maintenance Costs

There’s no way to completely eliminate software maintenance costs — nor should you try to. However, you can take some steps to minimize these expenses, including the following:

Invest in Quality Development

If you’re still in the software development stage, take your time when choosing a development team.

Look for professionals who have a good reputation and have worked with businesses like yours in the past. Even if development costs more upfront, it will help to minimize the number of challenges you run into moving forward — and minimize the amount of money you have to spend fixing issues.  

Use Automatic Monitoring

Automatic, 24-7 monitoring tools can be very beneficial when it comes to catching errors or other issues that can impact your software maintenance costs.

If you’re not sure how to do this, talk to your development team. Find out if they have any recommendations for products that can help you keep track of your software at all times.

Similar to the point made above about investing in quality development, paying for automatic monitoring might seem expensive at first. However, it can help you save money in the long run.

Keep Track of Error Reports and Customer Complaints

Whenever you receive an error report or a customer complaint, take it seriously and work to address the problem as quickly as possible.

Don’t brush off these complaints or assume that they’re just one-offs. If you respond as soon as you can, you’ll prevent future issues from happening. You’ll also save money by warding off potentially expensive, widespread challenges.

Keep Track of Vendor Acquisitions

It’s not uncommon for one company to be acquired by another, especially in the software development world.

Keeping track of vendor acquisitions also makes it easier for you to keep track of potential price changes or package options available. This, in turn, helps you to balance your budget and avoid getting hit with surprise charges later. 

Avoid Unnecessary Updates

An important part of maintaining your software product is finding balance when it comes to updating your product.

Of course, you want your product to be up to date, and you want to keep up with your competitors. At the same time, though, if you’re looking to minimize maintenance costs as much as possible, you should do your best to avoid unnecessary updates that don’t provide value to your clients or move your business in the right direction.

Always ask yourself whether or not a change is necessary before investing in it. You’ll be surprised at how much money you can save long-term when you do this.

Signs You Need to Invest in Software Maintenace

Everyone needs to invest in software maintenance from time to time, no matter how simple their product is. At the same time, though, the need for maintenance may be more dire in some cases, including the following:

You’ve Experienced a Data Breach

Have you recently experienced a data breach at your company?

If so, you need to invest in software maintenance and get your product’s security features up to date. You also need to create a plan for future, ongoing maintenance.

Not only will you be taking care of the current issue by doing this, but you’ll also be preventing additional ones from happening later on. 

You’re Receiving Frequent Customer Complaints

Have you noticed a recent uptick in the number of complaints you receive from your customers? Are you noticing the same complaints popping up over and over again?

In either case, this is a sign that you need to start putting software maintenance and regular updates higher up on your priority list.

The sooner you do this, the easier it will be to staunch the flow of complaints and make sure your customers are satisfied — and remain loyal to your company.

You Haven’t Updated Your Software in a Long Time

Can’t remember the last time you updated your software or paid for maintenance? If it’s been a long time, or if you’ve never invested in any maintenance, now is the time to change that.

If you continue to delay maintenance, you’ll find that when you do eventually have to pay for it, your bill will be a lot higher than it would have been if you’d created a plan for regular maintenance from the start. 

How to Find a Software Engineer

As we mentioned above, it’s ideal if the same software engineers who created your original software can handle the maintenance for you. This isn’t always an option, though.

Maybe the engineer you worked with originally has moved on to a different career, or perhaps the development agency has gone out of business. Perhaps you weren’t happy with the work they did and want to work with someone who has more experience. 

If you need to find a new software engineer (or team of engineers) to handle maintenance for you for any reason, here are some tips that can help you simplify your search:

Ask for a Referral

Reach out to your colleagues in the software development sector and ask them if they know of any agencies that can assist with your software maintenance needs. There’s a good chance someone can refer you to a professional or team of professionals who are equipped to help you get your software up to date. 

Look at Their Portfolio

After you’ve built a shortlist of potential candidates, do some online research and look at each agency or developer’s portfolio.

Take a look at the projects they’ve worked on previously and consider whether or not they align with what you need. Have they worked on software products like yours before? Do they have other clients that are similar to your business? 

Schedule a Consultation

When you’ve reviewed portfolios, your next job is to reach out to the developers who seem the most promising and schedule a consultation. Most developers are happy to meet with you and talk about your needs and goals, either in person or via video chat. During the consult, be sure to ask more about their experience, as well as their approach to software maintenance and how they keep their clients’ products up to date.  

Get a Quote

Get a quote during the consultation, too. Find out, roughly, how much it will cost to maintain your software and keep it running smoothly. Then, compare quotes from each candidate and see which one offers you the most value for your money.

Don’t Rush

Avoid rushing the process as much as you can. Don’t just hire the first person who shows up in a Google search. Learn as much as you can about the developer you’re considering hiring so you can feel confident that you’ve invested in the person or people who will do the most for your business now and in the future. 

Get Help with Software Maintenance Today

Software costs and software maintenance costs can certainly be daunting — especially if you’ve never researched them before. However, regular maintenance is an essential part of keeping your software and your business running smoothly. 

Keep the information in this guide in mind and you’ll be less likely to run into unpleasant surprises when you start looking into maintenance for your product.

If you need help finding a software developer who can perform any type of maintenance for your software, reach out to us at Alpha Bravo Development. We’re happy to tell you about our services or provide you with a free quote.

Currently, 72 percent of the population uses some kind of social media platform.

Are you hoping to win over some members of this group? Do you want to create a unique social media app that does more than any other options on the market? 

If you’re interested in creating a social media app but aren’t sure how to get started, keep reading. Outlined below are the steps you need to take to plan, develop, and launch a successful app.

Get to Know Your Audience

If you want to create a social media app that people will want to download and use regularly, you first need to think about your audience.

Who is your target demographic? Who are you trying to serve with your social media app?

Some people make the mistake of being too general when it comes to identifying their target audience. They might even go so far as to say that they want “everyone” to use their app. 

Why Shouldn’t You Market to Everyone?

Eventually, yes, you can expand your reach and bring more people into the fold. In general, though, it’s better to start by developing your app with a very specific group of people in mind.

For example, Facebook started as a social media app for college students. Obviously, it’s come a long way since then, but in the beginning, it was designed for a smaller audience. 

Who, specifically, is in your target audience? Do you want to create a social media app for stay-at-home moms? Twenty-somethings who have moved to a new city and need to make friends?

By narrowing down your audience, you can make sure you’re creating an app that is likely to appeal to them. If you start with something that’s too broad or vague, you’ll end up not appealing to anyone at all.

Choose the Right Type of App

Once you know who you’re trying to reach with your social media app, start thinking about how you can design your app so that it serves them and addresses a particular pain point that they’re struggling with. Then, consider which type of app is most likely to help them when it comes to solving that issue.

The following are some of the most popular types of social media apps you might want to create:

Network-Building Apps

When most people think of social media apps, they think of network-building apps like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

These types of apps help users to build and strengthen relationships between friends, family members, coworkers, and industry professionals. They’re designed to facilitate conversations, share information, and keep everyone in the loop.

Image and Video Sharing Apps

Social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok are all meant to help people share content (videos, images, etc.) with their followers.

Conversations and discussions do still happen on these platforms, similar to network-building apps like Facebook. However, their main purpose is media sharing and visual content creation.

Content Curation Apps

Speaking of content creation, a similar type of app that you might want to consider is a content curation app. Content curation allows users to find and store information from the web so that everything they want to reference is in one dedicated location.

Examples of content curation apps include Pinterest, We Heart It, and Flipboard. These apps include some messaging and content sharing components, but they’re primarily designed to collect images and information for future reference.

Community Discussion Apps

Apps like Reddit and Quora are designed to facilitate deep community discussion.

These platforms help to connect like-minded people from all over the world, and they host discussions about a wide range of topics. They also allow for a sense of anonymity, which can make it easier for people to open up and share their views without fear of judgment.

Review and Testimonial Apps

Most people don’t consider apps like Yelp or TripAdvisor to be social media apps. There is a social component to review and testimonial platforms, though, and they provide opportunities for users to learn from other consumers with similar interests.

Choose the Right Features

Once you know what kind of app you want to create, your next job is to start brainstorming a list of features you want it to include.

It doesn’t matter if you want to develop a network-building app or a testimonial app. Regardless of the type of app you’re making, there are some basic features that pretty much every social media platform must have, including the following: 

Profile

Every social media app must allow users a chance to create their own profiles.

This profile should include basic information like the person’s name/username and their photo/avatar. You may also want to include space for additional details, such as their website or a brief bio. 

Posts

Next, users need to have the ability to publish posts or share content. Whether they’re sharing news, pictures, or just their general thoughts on a specific topic, it should be easy for them to do this.

Notifications

The best social media apps use push notifications to let people know when they’ve received comments on their posts, have been tagged in other people’s posts, etc. These notifications encourage users to check the app regularly and continue using it.

Search Bar

A search bar helps users to find groups, topics, or people that interest them. It also makes the app more user-friendly.

Friending/Following Options

It should be easy for users to find “friends” or follow people while using your app. Even if people have to send requests before they can connect with certain individuals, it should still be easy for them to do this.

News Feed

The news feed is the central hub for your social media app. It makes it easy for users to see what’s going on with their friends, family, or colleagues.

Chat or Messaging

Your social media app should include some kind of private messaging system. At a minimum, it’s best if users can chat back and forth privately, without other users knowing what’s going on. It’s even better if the app features voice or video calling options, too.

Groups and Subgroups

Most social media apps include the ability to establish groups and subgroups. For example, Facebook allows you to create groups for people who share an interest in a specific hobby, want to learn about a specific topic, etc.

Consider including this feature in your app so that you can help people foster deeper connections.

Moderation Tools

Moderation tools make it harder for people to use your social media app for evil instead of good. Moderation tools help you to ban certain types of comments or language, for example, so that people aren’t being harmed or harassed while using the app.

Live Streaming

These days, people love to go live. Lots of social media apps include the option to live stream videos and connect with other users in real-time.

Customization

Good social media apps are customizable. Users should be able to tailor their profiles, newsfeeds, and notifications to fit their needs and preferences.

Security

A secure social media app is a good social media app. Implement processes like two-step authorization to keep users’ personal information locked down and prevent data breaches.

Analytics

Finally, your social media app should include analytics and easy access to user data. This helps you get a sense of who’s using your app, where they’re located, and the types of devices they’re using.

You can also provide analytics access to your users so they can monitor who’s engaging with their posts. That way, they can tailor their content to better fit their own audience’s needs.

Consider Advanced Features

For most social media apps, the features listed above are non-negotiable. If people can’t create and customize a profile for the app, for example, or trust that it offers good security, they’re not going to want to use it.

Beyond these essential features, there are also some more advanced features that you might want to consider including. These features aren’t necessary, of course. However, they can distinguish your app from other social media platforms and help you to attract your target audience.

Here are some examples:

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality creates a more interactive experience for social media app users. One of the most common examples of augmented reality in the social media app world is face filters.

If your app is very visual and includes a lot of picture or video-sharing, you may want to include face filters and other augmented reality features to boost engagement and keep people coming back for more.

Chatbots

Chatbots are powered by artificial intelligence (or AI) and can predict and respond to user questions and requests.

Chatbots help you to level up your social media app’s customer service options. They also ensure that users always have access to basic information (such as tips on how to navigate the app) whenever they need it.

Ephemeral Content

Ephemeral content is social media content that disappears after a certain amount of time (usually 24 hours). An example of this is Instagram Stories.

If you want to give your social media app users more opportunities to share content beyond simply posting pictures or text to their feed, the option to add ephemeral content is a good feature to offer.

Assess Your Finances

It costs money to build a social media app (or any app, for that matter). Most high-quality app development services start at around $20K.

Make sure you have a plan in place for how you’re going to pay for our app. Consider, too, the fact that adding advanced features will also increase the development costs.

Some app developers may offer to help you create your social media app for a lot less than the $20K mentioned above. Keep in mind, though, that you get what you pay for.

If you opt for a cheaper app developer, you might spend less upfront, but there’s also a good chance that you’re not going to get the kind of finished product you’d originally envisioned. 

Remember, too, that a cheaply made app may have more problems in the future, from usability issues to security breaches.

These challenges aren’t just nuisances for you and the people using your app. They can also be expensive to fix.

You might end up spending more going for a cheap developer initially than you would have if you have invested in an experienced professional from the beginning. 

Identify a Money-Making Strategy

In addition to thinking about how you’re going to pay for the app, you also need to consider how you’re going to make money from it. There are lots of ways that you can make your app profitable, including the following:

Subscriptions

Subscription models charge app users a monthly fee in exchange for access to the app. 

Subscriptions help you to generate monthly income and experience some consistency when it comes to app revenue. As a bonus, the Google Play and Apple App Stores also make it very easy for people to subscribe and unsubscribe. 

Freemium Models

A freemium model provides app users with access to a free version of your app and an upgraded version that they can pay to use. A freemium model is a popular approach that allows people to test out the app and see whether or not they like it before they commit to the paid version. 

In-App Purchases

Some social media apps include in-app purchase options. These purchases may provide people with access to different features or digital products, for example, that can enhance their experience while using the app.

Ads and Sponsored Content 

Ads and sponsored content are also good options for generating revenue without having to charge your social media app users any additional fees.

Some users find ads annoying, but many people are willing to put up with them in exchange for a free product. For those who complain about ads, you may want to offer an upgraded, ad-free tier that they can access for a fee.

Contact an App Developer

Once you’ve figured out who your target audience is, what features you want your app to include, and how you’re going to make money from it, your next job is to contact an app developer.

Do your research to find an app developer who has experience creating social media apps. Ask to look at their portfolio, too, to see what kinds of apps they’ve worked on in the past. This can help you decide if they’re a good fit for your app.

Make a list of developers you’d like to work with, then arrange a consultation with each one. That way, you can feel confident that you’re hiring the best person for the job, and you’ll have an easier time choosing someone who can work with your budget and offers the kind of services you need to make sure your app is a success.

Once you’ve chosen an app developer, they’ll get to work right away turning your vision into a reality.

Create a Marketing Plan

As your app is being developed, you’ll need to figure out how you’re going to market and promote it. Some app development agencies also offer marketing services to help you through this stage.

Either way, though, it’s up to you to use the information you’ve gathered about your audience to come up with a marketing plan that is most likely to attract them to your app.

Where are you going to promote the app? What social media platforms are you going to use? Will you design a landing page where people can sign up for your email list to be alerted when the app is launched?

Figure these things out now so you can spread the word about your app and feel confident that people are going to download and start using it as soon as it’s on the market.

Test and Assess Your App

Once your app is complete, you’ll be ready to launch it on the app store. This isn’t the end of the road, though.

You and your app developer(s) should be monitoring the app’s performance to see how many people are downloading it, how many people are using it, how many people are signing up for subscriptions, etc.

Use this period to assess the app and make plans for how you can improve it in the future. 

Seek and Implement User Feedback

Finally, invite app users to leave reviews and provide feedback on the app. Then, take that information and use it to make the app better.

Remember, all feedback is good feedback, especially when you’re launching a brand new social media app. The more information you get from your users, the easier it’ll be to improve your product and attract more users in the future. 

Create a Social Media App Today

There you have it — the steps you need to take to create a social media app. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be well on your way to building a successful app.

 

Do you need more help creating your social media app? If so, we’re here for you at Alpha Bravo Development. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to get a quote!