“The future of mobile is the future of online. It is how people access online content now.” – David Murphy, Founder and Editor of Mobile Marketing Daily
Today’s world runs on mobile apps. From learning to shopping, and interacting with others, there’s an app to do everything. In fact, according to a report by eMarketer, mobile apps account for 90% of the time users spend on their smartphones.
This growing trend of apps is now extending to the business sphere. Customers no longer ask for your office address or telephone number to get in touch with you. Instead, they ask for your mobile app.
So, if your business doesn’t already have an app, it’s high time that you get one. A good mobile app can offer you so many benefits, including increased visibility & brand awareness, a direct marketing channel, better customer service, and brand loyalty among other things.
But before you go headfirst into building a mobile app for your business, it is necessary to consider the right features for it. A well-built mobile app can provide you with skyrocketing business growth while a poorly designed app can just be a waste of your money which you surely don’t want, do you?
So, to help you build a robust and successful mobile app, here’s a list of top 10 key features that you must implement during your mobile app development.
Top 10 Features for a Robust Mobile App
1. User Friendly Interface
People judge a book by its cover. And the same goes for your mobile app. If your app doesn’t have a good look and feel to it, chances are, users will soon abandon it or worse, won’t even click on it.
So, to avoid this unwanted outcome, you have to make sure that your app is user-friendly, responsive, and easy to use. It should have an intuitive interface and provide users a seamless browsing experience no matter their device types and screen sizes.
One more thing to keep in mind here is to not duplicate the app’s browsing experience with your website. Otherwise, users will not have much incentive to use your app.
2. Exclusive Design
With so many apps available in the market today, it’s important for your app to stand out from the crowd. An exclusive design helps you do exactly that by making your app distinguishable from others and helping you build a brand identity of your own.
You can tweak and tailor different elements of your app including layout, content, and functionalities to get noticed by your users. Also, pay attention to details like spellings, sound, and colors to create a cohesive overall outlook.
3. Fast Speed and High Performance
Nobody likes an app that takes forever to load. Ideally, your app should load within 2 seconds. Because every single second delay after that amounts to a 7% reduction in conversions.
Keeping your app optimized for all in-app processes will help you get a faster load time. It is also crucial for the app performance to be consistent across all devices.
4. Cross Platform Compatibility
Your mobile app should be compatible with the different operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows) and must be available on both Google Playstore and iOS App Store to offer the best possible user experience. It should maintain a high-level uniformity in its look and feel when viewed on these platforms.
For this, you can use cross-platform app development frameworks like ReactNative, PhoneGap, NativeScript, etc., to create mobile apps that comply with the different features and guidelines of each platform.
5. Customer Support and Help Module
Not all your users are tech-savvy. Some of them will need help with the installation, usage, and in-app purchases of your app. So, you must have efficient customer service to answer all their queries.
You can also create an FAQ section and use chatbots to interact with your users 24/7. Another good option is to outsource your customer support for smoother internal workflows.
6. Regular Updates
A good software product needs continuous improvements to perform at its best. Regular updates will help you improve your app’s weak points and push new features for better performance.
They also help remove any bugs that your app might have to ensure that it doesn’t crash. Regular updates are also instrumental in keeping your app relevant and useful to build trust over time among the users.
7. Push Notifications
Push Notifications are an effective way to drive user engagement and retention. They are easier to send than an email and are targeted to users through behavioral insights.
Relevant push messaging also enables you to up-sell and cross-sell your products, tackle cart abandonment, and increase return visits, ultimately leading to higher conversions.
8. Security
Security should be among your topmost priorities because users will only use your app if they feel secure.
The recent increase in cybercrime has made users skeptical to even download an app that doesn’t look authentic to them. So, you need to make sure that your app is foolproof and follows a security-led approach with encryption and secure codes.
If your app stores customer’s private and sensitive information like credit and debit card details, it should also have stringent data integrity measures in place.
9. Integration with Social Channels
In today’s connected application ecosystem, social media integration is no longer a bonus but a must for your business. It will not only help increase your social shares but also enhance the end-user experience.
By integrating social channels, you can simplify the user signup process to reduce friction in accessing your app. The integration will also give you additional access to users’ data for personalization.
10. Search Option
It may look obvious but many apps miss on this important feature. You should understand that since your users have different levels of technical understanding, it’s not easy for everyone to find the right content.
A search option helps them better navigate your app and easily find the content they are looking for. This not only provides faster results but also increases user satisfaction, thus, helping enhance customer loyalty.
To Wrap Up
Building a mobile app is a big decision with a significant investment on your part. Incorporating the above-listed features in your mobile app will help ensure that it turns your investment into a successful project with high ROI potential.
Want to Know More About Robust Mobile App Development? Book a Free Consultation!