It’s great to see in this day and age that even the most technologically challenged person could conceive of and have developed the next world beating mobile app.
It is happening time and again, where problems or inefficiencies in a certain industry with a certain task or approach can be seen from a totally different viewpoint and a great solution that was just waiting to be found is developed.
Today apps are so much more than Pokémon Go (although what a great lesson in marketing) or some basic app and in many cases they are solving real-world issues. Australian technology company Resapp Health (ASX: RAP) is developing an app that can detect serious respiratory problems by using your own mobile phone that just recently proved higher accuracy with the app, than a physician with a stethoscope. That’s outstanding, and medical health is fast finding that mobile technology can further improve detection of issues.
Each and every week we get many calls from people saying “I’ve got this great idea for a brilliant new app”.
And some do, and we’ve developed some fantastic apps for clients. But for the most part we can clearly see that many people have what they think is a great idea but an idea without much research behind the scenes.
With a typical app starting at a minimum of $5-7k and averaging $30-50k depending on the solution and functionality, clearly a lot of due diligence is required.
So we’ve developed the following information may help in brainstorming an idea and then evaluating its potential. This is not meant to be a negative critique, but rather to assist you to provide an honest appraisal of your app idea and an indication of how convinced you are of its potential.
Questions to ask about your new mobile app idea:
- What else is out there in the market? If there are competing apps;
- What is the feedback?
- What is your critique?
- Can your App be better?
- What would be your USP or competitive advantage?
Many people think that they have the new wonder idea for a great new app, however when looking online in app stores or for other solutions it’s quite clear that the market is already full of such apps.
If research has been done then perhaps it’s become clear that these apps are lacking in some way which is great as there is potential for a new competitor, however you would need to clearly define how your app be better than your competitors. Check out the competitors what is the feedback on their apps? What are the drawbacks, where is the potential to beat them and become new market leader?
Perhaps you’ve checked and it’s clear that this is a unique idea. Follow-on to next section to see what you need to next ask yourself.
- The App/idea itself?
- Is it truly addressing a problem?
- Will people keep using it?
- Will it be natively developed or a wrapped website? (Big cost difference).
- Does it require a login or data to be stored on a server?
Yes is the app truly going to solve a problem that people are having?
If it will how many people will solve the problem for is there truly a market out there for this app solution?
It’s quite clear that many people download even paid apps, yet use them once or twice and never again. How will you keep people coming back to use your app without annoying them with messages or other cheap tricks?
Apps can be developed today as mobile websites and then wrapped in an app container. This process is usually much cheaper than natively developing and coding and app. But do you perhaps require all the bells and whistles that natively coding an app can provide? And what about other functionality? Will you have a user account and need login functionality? Will you have in app purchases? Will you need data to be stored on a server?
- Which Platforms?
- Google Play Store (App Store link)
- Apple iTunes (App Store link)
- Windows Phone Store (link)
To be honest you can pretty quickly discount the Windows Phone store as Microsoft is stepping away from this arena.
But do you want to have just an Apple App or just an Android App of both? Many clients tell us that everyone has Apple so they just want that. However what is the current share of the Apple vs Android market? According to the in-depth research from IDC the market stands at 87.6% increasing share for Android OS versus a 11.7% big drop in use of the Apple iOS system. What market do you think would be good to attract? Well it depends, some argue that Apple users are more affluent, however how dominant is the Android OS. And plenty of techies won’t touch Apple… 🙂
- Will the app be monetized? If so, is it:
- Free
- Free with Ads
- Free with Modules to Purchase
- Paid
- Subscription
- Other
Obviously with an app being a substantial purchase you would be keen for there to be some return on investment (ROI).If it supporting your business perhaps simply free and part of the marketing cost of doing business.
It could also be free but have ads displayed providing a return to you, or perhaps you have extra modules or enhancements that could be purchased.Your app may be so useful that it becomes a paid app and people simply pay a cost for the privilege of using it. Or maybe you have some sort of subscription module or other idea.
- How will your market the app?
- Will a separate lead generating website be needed?
- Where else can it be promoted?
Once the app is developed how will you get the message out there? Many apps have a dedicated websites with the features and other items listed. Other apps of course you can promote through your own existing website or blog. Other apps we’ve seen promoted by sending to reviewers and other contributors that can provide a review of the app to their large audience.
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We trust that this article doesn’t dissuade you from your app idea but rather to assist you to give a realistic appraisal of the potential of your app.
In coming to us you have the opportunity for objective feedback and we know that after a discussion that many clients have realised that for whatever reason there app idea not feasible. On the flip side we’ve helped many clients to fully scope and idea, to build it, and to find success online with the app.
Please feel free to contact us at any time with your app idea and we’ll give you an honest appraisal.
