Is your Mobile App Under-performing? Here’s How to fix it

If you were to take a look at your own mobile phone, how many apps do you have installed on it? And truthfully, of which of these apps do you regularly use?

According to app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, Apple’s App Store is estimated to have 5 million apps available by 2020 and, considering that in March 2017, the number of apps in the App Store already consisted of 2.2 million, it looks like this figure is doubling in the next couple of years. This clearly proves the mobile app industry is dynamic and developing at a rapid rate.

However, quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality. As more businesses begin to invest in mobile apps, this shows that it is becoming a highly competitive market in which, if your app is too complicated, outdated and not focused around your audience, it will fall behind your competitors.

To prevent your mobile app from under-performing, ensure you are following these five tips:

Define Your Target Audience

As with anything you do as a business, whether that’s opening a new store, launching a new marketing campaign, or redesigning your website, you initially research your target audience with the aim of reaching the attention of those consumers. This approach should be the same for your mobile app.

Considering the huge number of apps available it’s no surprise that there are many unhelpful apps out there. Your mobile app should be designed with your audience in mind and to attract the attention of your target market. Your app should serve a purpose, offer a solution to the customer and provide a benefit.

For example, health/fitness apps may provide useful information to those wanting to monitor their daily steps or achieve a fitness goal. These apps are specifically targeting exactly those consumers needing this type of service.

On the other hand, the Starbucks app provides a loyalty scheme. This works well as the app entices people to visit Starbucks for their morning coffee and they are given a star for each purchase. Once the user has collected a certain number of stars, they receive a reward which could include being given a free drink.

So, as a business, when you are reviewing your app’s performance, carefully consider how your app benefits your audience. If you are unsure how exactly your app could be more beneficial, why not reach out to your customers for their opinions to gain a better understanding of how you can tailor your app to your specific target audience.

Keep UI/UX in Mind

A recent survey by The App Developers revealed that 58% of users will use a company’s app instead of their website, providing the experience is better. Consider how different a mobile phone is to a laptop/desktop; the biggest differences are the screen size and limited functionality. With this in mind, the reason your mobile app may be under-performing could be due to the fact you need to change your approach to the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) on the mobile device.

Mobile app marketers and developers should focus their attention on creating an attractive design and ensure that all the text, graphics and interactive elements, are kept to a high standard. Design is an integral part of any app. Even apps produced by big name brands can fail simply because of a poor interface and UX.

When it comes to the UX, the most important element for a user is that the application performs the basic functions it is designed to do. The experience should be smooth with no issues involving long loading time, freezing or sluggishness and it should be simple to navigate through the app. If your business is thinking of a mobile app redesign, visiting websites for app development UK can help you start your research.     

Reduce the Number of Features in the App

As mentioned earlier, keep the UI/UX in mind, beware of overloading your app with a large variety of features: too many features can make it complex for users to navigate through the app. Mobile apps require simplicity so that it is easy for consumers to identify what benefit they receive from the app.

When you look at the most successful smartphone apps you will notice that they focus on a few key features, addressing particular needs or problems. Apps that are designed to fulfil a particular purpose are more successful, for example Google Maps was designed to help final local businesses, view maps and get driving directions and it does exactly that. So, it may be time to define what the purpose of your app is and stick to key features that are valuable to the user.

Advertise Appropriately

Promoting your app effectively is crucial. Sometimes it may not be the design or functioning of your app that is causing it to under-perform, but how you are advertising it to reach your audience. During a recent survey, the marketing channel that influenced the most people to download an app was social media, which is highly credible because 31% of respondents said they use social media apps the most.

There have been brands that have gained huge success by utilising social media platforms such as Instagram and creating videos to promote their brand and mobile app. As mobile apps and Instagram both share the same space on smartphone screens, targeting your ideal audience in their most natural environment on mobile devices seems to pay off.  

For example, Snail Games (video game developers) ran video ads with Instagram, which featured mixed martial arts champion Ronda Rousey, to promote their Taichi Panda video game. The creative video ad combined live action and animation involving Rousey and the character from Taichi Panda, facing off in a fight. The campaign resonated so well with their audience that Snail Games saw an incredible 339% lift in their mobile app downloads. Instagram provided a huge stage for this company to be discovered and to get their name out there.

However, for those who only download free apps, 58% of respondents from The App Developers preferred downloading mobile apps from websites. This shows that, to some consumers, the branding behind an app is essential in convincing them to download it.  Some may need reassurance that an app is legitimate and that the company is truly invested in the app: a good example of a brand doing this well is Hilton Hotel:

You’ll notice how they have dedicated space on their website to explain their app and its benefits. It showcases how easy it is for customers to plan their trips and make bookings via the app. Consumers will also receive loyalty points from using the app which may encourage more downloads. As you can see above, they clearly show that their app is compatible with iPhone, Android and Windows, making the process to download it simple for all devices.

Don’t Focus on Monetisation

A recent survey revealed that 68% of mobile apps users do not buy in-app purchases. If your app heavily focuses on in-app purchases, you may have a high number of downloads but a poor retention rate. Without retaining your users and maintaining loyalty, a high number of installs or one-time users may not be beneficial to the overall success of your app.

If a user has gone as far as downloading your app, they clearly have an interest in it. But, once installed, they discover that to truly enjoy the app will come at a cost which will only lead to disappointment for the user. Instead of pushing added revenue through upgrades, premium versions or incremental in-app purchases, focus on providing a more streamlined UX or gaining user loyalty.