With almost 4 million mobile apps available for download on Google Play alone, it can be difficult to see how you can develop a business mobile app that will stand out. However, as adults spend an average of nearly 4 hours a day using them, mobile apps are not something that a modern business can ignore.

There are many aspects of a mobile app that will determine its success. But, if you get the core principles right, it will go a long way towards making your app an app that people want to use. Here are the key features that any mobile app will need if it is to be a success.

Successful Mobile Apps Satisfy a Need

Any type of product needs to satisfy a need. When you are designing a business mobile app, you should not simply copy what your competitors are doing. You should think outside the box and think big. A successful mobile app is one the solves a problem for its users better than any other solution. It is an application that makes a user’s life simpler.

Simplicity

While people are spending more and more time on mobile apps, the amount of time they are willing to spend on any one app is very limited. For that reason, an app must be easy to access and easy to use. Content and functionality need to be available with the minimum of user interaction. A key design feature of a good mobile app is effortless simplicity.

Customization

Allow the users of your mobile app to customize the app the way they want it. That can be as simple as giving them control over the fonts and the colors. Or, it could be allowing users to save their own favorites. Customization gives the user a sense of ownership. Once they have the app the way that they like it, they will be less willing to switch to using a competitor’s app.

Performance

Speed is of the essence with mobile apps. Mobile app users are often multi-tasking. So, if an app takes too long to load or to perform a function, users will switch off and do something else instead. Performance testing will be part of the development cycle for a mobile app. However, ongoing performance testing will also be needed to ensure that changes to the app do not cause any performance issues.

Develop for Android and iOS

It is important to develop mobile apps for both Android and iOS. These are the two most popular platforms. This can be achieved by developing the app in a cross-platform development framework, like Xamarin. Cross-platform development tools reduce the total cost of development and make your app available to a wider audience.

Social Integration

Social media integration is a must for most types of mobile apps. For simplicity, you can allow users to sign in with Twitter or Facebook. Users love to share their experiences too. So, allow users to share posts or purchases easily. It improves the user experience, and it can be a valuable form of marketing.

Feedback

Make it easy for users to leave feedback. It creates a sense of involvement and it shows that your business listens to its customers. It should be simple for a user to leave reviews and comments. You should also encourage comments about the functionality of the app. It will help you to improve your services and it will help with the future direction of the app.

Security

Recent well-publicized online breaches of confidentiality have made app security even more important. It is a fundamental requirement of any mobile app that users’ private data remains confidential. It is also important that the users know that robust security is in place. So, make sure that the app’s confidentiality statement is easy to locate.

Offline Functionality

It is natural that most apps will require an internet connection to work fully. However, there should be some features that will work off-line as well. If an app can offer even limited functionality offline, it could represent a major advantage over competitors.

Upgrades and Support

A business mobile app will need ongoing development and support. That will be both in terms of fixing bugs, and in terms of ongoing software enhancements. An app needs to be kept fresh and relevant. If a mobile app stagnates, users may become bored and switch to a more modern app.

The way that people access the internet is changing. Mobile device access to the internet has already surpassed desktop access. Today, businesses, large and small, need to develop mobile apps if they are going to stay ahead of their competitors. Developing an app for an app's sake, though, will be counterproductive. Mobile apps of the future will need to connect with and engage customers. They will need to be easy to use, relevant, and they will need to fulfill a need.

When you’re ready to consider a mobile app for your business, choose a development partner like Aezion with years of native and cross-platform mobile applications development experience.