Over half of all mobile apps on the market today will have to be completely replaced or rewritten in the next two years. This scary statistic highlights that there is a very complex, resource-rich and problemsome process involved in making a mobile app successful. After hearing stories from hundreds of mobile app developers, here are the top five reasons why most mobile apps fail as a business.
Problem 1: making a complicated mobile app
Business websites and webapps work in a common fashion - users log in, navigate through several pages, find the page they are looking for and access / manipulate data to perform a desired task. Mobile apps are very different, they are built with a limited set of tasks in mind and enable users to quickly perform these tasks while on the run with minimal navigation. Mobile apps should be simple, single-serving gateways into the larger, more complex offerings of a business or enterprise website.
If you build your mobile app like your website, you will fail.
Problem 2: Underestimating resources
According to Forrester Research, creating an enterprise mobile app takes approximately $250,000 and almost a year. To complicate this process even further, finding quality mobile developers is not an easy task. Mobile app developers are currently enjoying a high-demand market in which they often pick and choose the projects they'd like to work on. Sadly, a business-oriented mobile revamp of an enterprise website isn't nearly as sexy as the startup app that might be the next big thing.
Problem 3: Security risks
One of the toughest parts of the mobile app creation process is creating a public-facing API that gives consumers access to your data and functionality. This process normally takes 12-24 months. Anytime developers deal with access permissions and exposing business logic, they assume a large risk and multiply the layers of complexities. The more you can create without exposing logic via APIs, the more the solution will be.
Problem 4: Low app downloads
More often than not, app developers spend a considerable amount of time and money creating a mobile app only to find that no one is using it. SAP found that over 75% of mobile apps are downloaded once then never used again. It is imperitive to gather feedback and measure behaviors within your mobile apps immediately after they are launched. The more frequently you release updates, the higher the ratings will be. Mobile app
Problem 5: Mobile app marketing is tough
Mobile app development is expensive, and time-consuming. Even when the long, complicated process is over, only half the battle has been one. Gaining exposure in the industry over your competitors in a saturated market is no easy task and requires even more investment. CPC ads on popular ad networks are usually a first-step taken by new apps on the market, but a lot of apps have gone back to print-ads in magazines and, if the budget allows, tv spots on popular networks.
Credibility adds an advantage to the mix, which is why we at The Best Mobile App Awards are here to help. We've found that developers and agencies that enter our award contests and win garner many more downloads and a competitive edge by displaying their winner's badge on all of their marketplace listings.