These days, the world runs on all things mobile. We can pay our bills, go shopping and play games using devices on our cell phones and tablets. As such, small business (SMB) owners should take advantage of this trend by creating apps for consumers that will allow them to utilize your service and purchase your products. If you own a company and want to ensure that you don’t fall by the wayside, then consider following the tips below from Prasant Varghese, a usability analyst at New York City IT services firm Icreon. His advice, which was published courtesy of Entrepreneur Magazine, will help you create the best apps possible:
1) Think about the box
As a mobile user yourself, you’re probably well aware how many of the same types of apps exist. Because of this, you’ll want to create something that is going to make you stand out from the crowd. To have a better idea of what you’ll need to do to set you apart, study your competition.
“Learn their apps by heart – every nuance and interface component,” advises Varghese. “Then write down every annoyance, every seemingly unnecessary component and software glitch that their apps have. When working on your app, avoid those mistakes completely.”
2) Make it user-friendly
No one is going to use an app that is confusing. Strive to make them accessible and easy to understand. What good are expensive images if they don’t serve any purpose? As an SMB owner, trying to create a product to help your consumers, you should prioritize usability over everything else.
3) Don’t take up too much data
Varghese said that most cell phone plans in the United States allow consumers to use approximately one gigabyte of data a month. Because of this number, he recommends that your app not take up more than 100 megabytes. Anything more than this could increase the chances of a hefty bill for your clients at the end of the month.
If you want to learn more about what apps can do for your small business, consider contacting a local online marketing firm that is well versed in mobile optimization. These agencies can help ensure that current customers stay loyal to your business and help you gain new clients as well.