Running an app and running a business isn’t exactly the same, but there are enough similarities that you can use the same principles for both. In fact, you should run your app as a business - with all the forethought that it takes to plan, execute, and implement a business plan.
Apps are not self-sustaining. Your time doesn’t become yours again once the app is written and distributed.
There’s a lot more that goes into it than that - and it’s not really spoken about among developers who’ve been working in app development for so long that they’ve probably forgotten what it’s like at the beginning. And hey, it’s understandable: with app development, you learn so much in such a brief amount of time that the lessons at the beginning can get blurred out.
So here’s a list of things to keep in mind that any entrepreneur who wants to go into app development as a business needs to know.
If your platform goes offline at the beginning of your app’s life cycle, it isn’t such a big problem - you can probably fix it yourself! However, it might be easier to just invest in someone to work as IT support from the start. The reason for this is that as your app gets bigger and you get busier, you might not have the time to dedicate to platform upkeep - and an app that doesn’t work properly with cloud computing and data storage services might really struggle to make as much of an impact as it could.
Most apps today rely on cloud computing and data storage, and it’s also common that servers have issues. The best way to make sure your app stays online no matter what, is to have someone there ready to jump in with IT support when it’s needed.
You’ve built your app. You’ve put it on the App Store. People have downloaded it, and it’s growing slowly but surely.
Over time, as other apps come onto the market to compete with what you’ve built, you might find that your popularity isn’t dropping - but it’s not as strong as it used to be.
The thing is, there are billions of apps out there, and humans are curious creatures. There probably isn’t anything wrong with your app, but as new and innovative things come out, a lot of people will want to try them - and they might just plain forget about your app.
So, you need to remind them.
Investing in good marketing is great for a couple of reasons, but it’s especially important for maintaining your app’s users. Using a company like Gummicube for ASO, email automation, and digital marketing agencies can really keep your app afloat, especially if you find companies that you work well with and that understand what you’re trying to build. Digital marketing agencies especially can take over the entire marketing segment, making it one less thing for you to worry about, and leaving you free to focus on improving the app itself - which, in turn, will give you a lot more marketing to do!
By their nature, phones aren’t very secure - even with the addition of antivirus software. And by their nature, people get really annoyed when someone hacks one of their devices and gains access to sensitive information. There’s not much you can do about phone security, but you can do a lot to limit the vulnerabilities your app has. Focus on the legal requirements that come out in your industry and the updates that come out on the stores themselves. Keeping your app in line with the most recent updates will go a long way towards maintaining your app’s integrity, and avoiding getting caught up in a cybersecurity scandal.
If your app has a subscription or in-app purchases, you need to start developing it with an accountant and payment handling system in mind. This kind of thing has to come first because once you have an idea of what your users are willing to pay, you need to safeguard the way that they’ll do it, and to make sure that you’re on the right side of the law when it comes to collecting those payments. An accountant can guide you through this easily, and they’re a safe investment for the future when your app gets even bigger.
The laws that apps have to comply with change often, usually because the technology that is underlying them changes, or because new laws come out that firms need to follow. As with accountancy, having a legal retainer on hand to guide you through the process of compliance is much, much easier than trying to do it yourself - and a lot more beneficial both for you and for your users. This way, nothing gets missed, and you know that you’re giving your users the best possible experience.
Your app won’t be done the second you finish writing the last line: after that, you have to maintain and upkeep it, a little bit like a start-up. You’re not just building one thing: you’re building an entire business that needs your attention.
And if you need any help on how to do it better, we’re here to help you figure it out! Check out our website or drop us a line and let’s talk.
Getting your company’s website and app to the top of search results takes time and effort. However, you can hit the jackpot faster when you unify your search engine optimization (SEO) and [app store optimization](https://www.gummicube.com/what-is-app-store-optimization-aso) (ASO) keyword strategies
Getting your company’s website and app to the top of search results takes time and effort. However, you can hit the jackpot faster when you unify your search engine optimization (SEO) and [app store optimization](https://www.gummicube.com/what-is-app-store-optimization-aso) (ASO) keyword strategies
This is a guest post from EMBIQ, a software development company with a wide range of competencies from project and construct hardware - dedicated to the needs of mobile app dev, IoT (Smart City, Smart Metering, Smart Industry, Smart Agriculture), Asset Tracking, Indoor and Outdoor positioning systems concepts.