Experts estimate the global wellness market to reach nearly $7 trillion by 2025. Fitness apps will continue to play a significant role in attracting potential paying customers and generating income for the health and wellness industry at an estimated $30 billion by 2030. As such, fitness app development is an enterprising move that can generate generous returns if done correctly. 

How Do You Create a Fitness App?

How do you create a fitness app? This article covers the five basics of fitness app development to help you get started.

Do Market Research

Market research is vital for any entrepreneurial attempt because it provides critical information about the industry you’re entering and the market you want to attract. The same holds when creating a fitness app. You need to know your competitors, study their strengths, discover their weaknesses, and what they do to attract users. More importantly, you should find out what needs are still unfulfilled by existing apps. 

• What can you offer that your competitors don’t? 
• What do people look for in a fitness and workout app? 
• What makes them uninstall workout apps? 

Understanding the industry and the target market should inform the design and structure of your app.

Determine the Type of Fitness App You Want to Create

A wide variety of fitness and wellness apps exist, and we can classify most of them into four different types:

1. Smart Coach App 

Akin to having a personal fitness coach, users get a proper workout plan with exercises calibrated to their fitness level when using a smart coach app. This type of fitness application may provide animated or recorded how-to videos showing users how to perform each exercise. The intensity of the workouts gradually increases, allowing users to graduate to a higher level after completing a workout plan.

An ideal smart coach app allows users to personalize their workouts and choose from various uploaded exercise programs, such as toning abs, toning arms, strengthening the core, burning calories, and building strength.

Common examples of this app are the Fitbit Coach and Nike Training Club.

2. Workout Tracker

This app type is a good option for first-time fitness app creators. Workout trackers don’t necessarily provide workout tips or personalized workout programs but often provide helpful information like muscle groups targeted and calories burned when you do specific exercises. 

User notes and third-party integration with other health and wellness apps are common app features for workout trackers. More importantly, this type of app lets users keep records of their workouts. They can use the information logs later to check whether a workout program produces the desired results.

3. Activity Tracker

Step counters and running apps are the best examples of this type of app. It’s a good choice for health and wellness brands that want to branch out into fitness app development because many people, including those who do not workout, like to use step counters. It’s a simple, straightforward app that gives users a sense of accomplishment each time they reach their daily targets. Their biggest appeal is they provide a measurable record of physical activity without the user having to do actual exercises.

4. Nutrition Tracker

Diet and nutrition go hand-in-hand with physical exercise. People who take their health seriously will appreciate apps that help them come up with a balanced daily, weekly, and monthly meal plan. 

Decide which type you want your app to be. While it’s not impossible to try and build a fitness app with all four functions, it would be too huge an undertaking for a first iteration. It’s more efficient to focus your resources and energy on making one good app that many people will love and support than a four-in-one in which all functions are underdeveloped because of the limited time and resources.

Consider How Additional Features will Keep Users Engaged

Features often make or break an app. If users aren’t satisfied with how an app works, they’ll keep looking for one that will meet their needs. 

Use the findings from your market research to determine which features to include in your app. For example, if you plan to create a fitness app that caters to healthy eaters, consider adding features like nutritional information on famous dishes, a food database, and recommended recipes.

Design an App with your Users Needs in Minds

Personalization is also important, particularly for smart coach app users. It would be fantastic, for example, if your app could propose a workout and diet plan based on the user’s current body mass index (BMI) and goals, i.e., to lower or increase their BMI. Third-party integrations like linking Spotify or Apple Music playlists to an exercise routine can make your app more exciting and appealing. 

Plan Ahead for Monetization

Even if you intend to offer your app for free, it always helps to have a plan on how to monetize and grow it. Common monetization strategies are paid ads, in-app purchases for premium features and perks, and paid subscriptions for content like training videos with popular health and fitness coaches. 

Hire an App Development Team

The success of all these plans depends on your fitness app development team. You can have funds and a solid app development plan, but succeeding is only possible with an experienced team of project managers and fitness app developers. So apart from the costs, consider their previous work and experience creating health and fitness apps. 

Build a Fitness App With Jackrabbit Mobile

Finding the right fitness application development team is key to bringing your exciting and innovative ideas to life. You’ll want experts on designing user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) for mobile applications. And if you envision your app to become wearable tech in the future or have Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, you’ll want developers with superior technical skills. 

Let us assemble a team to create your healthcare and wellness app. Jackrabbit Mobile is an app development company offering a wide range of custom digital solutions to customers around the world. We’ve designed and developed applications for many different industries, including healthcare and wellness. 

We offer a mutual non-disclosure agreement if you want to discuss your goals and expectations before committing to a contract. Contact Jackrabbit Mobile today to get started on your Fitness App.

The post Tips to Create Healthcare & Wellness Apps appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Build Your Booking App to Stay Competitive

If you manage a business in the hotel and travel industries, creating a hotel reservation app or booking engine (an app used in websites and social media pages that allow users to book reservations without leaving the page) can help you reach and attract more customers. 

Hotel booking app development can take your business to the next level. But what does it take to have a hotel booking app or booking engine that many people will love? Hiring professional app developers with extensive technical knowledge and experience is a given, but there’s more to creating a hotel booking application that satisfies travelers and vacationers. 

Tips on How To Build a Hotel Booking Engine or App

Here are some tips on how to build a hotel booking engine or mobile app: 

Study the Competition

Booking.com is the biggest hotel booking app in the world. It has over 135 million guest reviews and 127 million listed properties for users to choose from. Users can find many travel accommodations here, like apartments, long-term home rentals, bed and breakfasts, and large hotels. 

Airbnb is another major competitor: globally popular, trendy, and offers unique features like “Split Stays,” which allow users to split reservations that span more than one week across two different properties.

Learning how these apps work and dissecting their strengths, weaknesses, and features will give you insight into what pleases customers. It doesn’t mean you should try and replicate these apps; it will be tough, not to mention expensive. Instead, look for inspiration and ideas on how your hotel app design can be better than these bigger and older competitors.

Choose and Focus on a Target Market

Hotel booking apps can be classified into three types based on function and target users: 

• For Travel Agents: Apps that offer bookings for things people need while traveling or on vacation, like car rentals, tour packages, flights, and restaurant reservations.
• For Aggregators: Apps that aggregate available hotel rooms and lodgings within a geographic area, showing their prices, amenities, and reviews to help travelers choose the best accommodations that fit their budget.
• For Hoteliers: Apps created for hotel chains where customers can conveniently reserve rooms and claim perks or discounts exclusive to the chain.

We recommend choosing one of these three and focusing on meeting the needs of its target audience for your first attempt at hotel booking app development. You can always expand your app’s functionality and accommodate the other two markets later after you’ve perfected the functionalities for your primary audience.

List the High-level Objectives for Your App

This is closely related to choosing a market and app type. Decide what you want your app to do and be known for. Do you want it to be like Booking.com with extensive hotel listings? Hotels.com, which gives the best deals and reservations for affordable hotels? Or HotelTonight, which lets users make same-day reservations from hotels, motels, and boutique lodgings? 

Identifying high-level objectives helps focus your attention and resources toward developing features that matter the most. This leads us to the next tip.

List the Features You Want Your App To Have

Be specific about your hotel app design and identify the features you want to develop. To start you off, here are examples of hotel reservation app features that customers appreciate:

• Booking alerts or notifications for hoteliers and travel agents.
• Multiple payment gateways, such as online banking, credit card, or debit card.
• Google Maps integration.
• Chat or private messaging.
• Gmail, Outlook, or email client integration.
• Guest and reservation history.
• Real-time room availability.
• Customizable and varied search filters.   

Choose A Hotel API (Application Programming Interface)

Selecting a hotel API is crucial to booking app development. A hotel API is a web service that provides real-time information about the availability of hotel rooms, their rates, and other information like amenities. Hotel APIs feed crucial information into hotel booking apps, making it possible for users to find and reserve accommodations for their travels.

Many years ago, when hotels started digitizing their processes and made online bookings possible, each establishment or hotel chain kept their reservation information private. People who want to book rooms in a specific hotel must go to their official website and book from there. Hoteliers quickly realized the advantage of making their available rooms more accessible and started to share APIs.

Today, the hotel industry is connected through API portals that retrieve room inventory information and allow guests to book rooms through various hotel reservation apps and websites.  

Here are the top APIs today:

• TripAdvisor API
• Airbnb API
• Expedia API
• Amadeus API
• Hotelbeds API

Work With an Expert Hotel Booking App Development Company

The final and most important tip for building a hotel app is to find a competent hotel booking app development company. Experience in hotel app design and app development is an advantage, especially if the app you envision requires a high level of coding expertise. 

You’ll find these criteria and more at Jackrabbit Mobile. We are a custom digital solutions company that empowers businesses, non-profits, and entrepreneurs by developing apps that enhance their services and satisfy their customers. Our developers build customized products for clients from various industries from our headquarters in Texas.

Contact Jackrabbit Mobile today to discuss your plans and goals for your hotel booking app. 

The post Tips To Create Hotel Booking Apps appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Basic Principles to Keep Users on Your App

To understand which mobile UX design principles work on retaining your users, you must understand the most basic design principles that matter for mobile app usability. Here are some creative principles to consider when designing the right UX and UI design for your mobile application. 

Let’s dive in!

4 Important Mobile App Design Elements to Consider

App Design Element # 1: Navigation

If you’re developing an online shopping app, you want to get every mobile app user from your homepage to the checkout page with as few clicks as possible. That means providing a clear path toward the products or information they’re looking for. 

For example, suppose you have a travel agency app. In that case, you want to provide your users with a straightforward way of finding relevant hotels, comparing results, and booking – all within your app and as seamlessly as possible. 

Navigation and Usability

Navigation is an essential part to consider when thinking about mobile app usability. Apps that are well thought out can determine user behavior and either guide users through the app or make it easy for users to find the next step you want them to take. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean limiting your app to the basics or creating a very restrictive app that doesn’t give your users much control. Considering navigation as one of your app design principles means finding a balance between interactive features and simplicity to help users find what they need from you. 

App Design Element # 2: Color

There are plenty of studies done on the psychology behind colors, and these can also apply to mobile app design elements. Color is one of the first things users will notice about your app, so find a balance between colors that match your branding and colors that match the purpose of your mobile app.

Consider How Color Affect User Conversions 

For instance, green is often associated with growth, while gold can be associated with money. Apps related to finance and money growth can use these colors if it doesn’t clash with their branding. 

App Design Element # 3: Icons 

Your app’s graphics play a functional role in your app user interface, and not just for aesthetics. 

Icons, for instance, are a more accessible way for users to understand the different options. In comparison, using words can come off as clunky, and the design can have too many readable elements that make a page overwhelming to users. To avoid this, some of the icons that can help include:

• App Icons: The mobile application’s app logo has to be recognizable among other apps on a user’s mobile device. 
• Clarifying Icons: These are icons that explain a task. For instance, you have loading icons when users navigate to another page. This indicates that the app is taking some time to load in the background, so users should wait a moment. 
• Interactive Icons: These are icons that help users navigate to different pages. Many social media apps have magnifying glass icons to help users search for accounts, while online shopping apps have a cart or shopping bag icon to quickly direct users to the checkout page.  

Remember, using the wrong type of icon can cause confusion or make it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for. 

App Design Element # 4: Branding

Branding is your business’s personal touch that helps users remember and recognize your app and your business. When considering your mobile UX design principles or developing your UI, remember to add your own branding elements to the overall design. 

For example, social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram add their logo on the app home screen design as well as their homepage. Meanwhile, apps like TikTok and Airbnb don’t open on a homepage screen, but the center button at the bottom uses recognizable colors and logos.

Your App and Brand Identity are Connected

Also, keep in mind that because your app represents your brand, all the elements users see have to represent your brand’s standards. For instance, high-quality images can reflect the type of product or service your business provides. If you’re a brand known for good deals, placing promotions right in front of a user can help create a good first impression. 

Turn Your App Design Principles into a Reality with Jackrabbit Mobile

These are just some of the many mobile app design elements that play a crucial role in creating a successful app. At Jackrabbit Mobile, we consider plenty of factors that go into creating the app you want. From production design to development, our team uses advanced techniques and skills to develop an app that enhances your brand and helps build your business.

Contact Jackrabbit Mobile to turn your idea into an app with effective app user design. 

The post Mobile App Design Elements: What’s Important? appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Creating a Mobile Banking App to Attract Users

But just how can you create a mobile banking app that attracts users? If your app is effective, navigational, and compatible with most users’ needs, you can build a banking app that users can really appreciate. Below, we share some tips to help create the best mobile banking application for your business. 

Let’s get started!

Four Tips to Building a Successful Mobile Banking App

1. Conduct Market Research and Find Your Target Audience

You might already have a rough idea of your app or know a team that can create a mobile banking app, but doing initial research can determine the banking app landscape and if there’s a demand for your idea. With plenty of major banks, lending companies, and other financial institutions creating their own mobile apps, it can be a fairly competitive market that you shouldn’t walk into blindly. 

Explore What Users Need In a Banking App

You might think you have a good idea only to find that it’s not the type of features that users need or are accustomed to. If you’re creating a new feature that comes with a learning curve, you need to justify that it’s worth users leaving what they’re used to and switching to your app. Also, creating an app that’s essentially the same as an app that already exists isn’t going to attract users or stand out from the crowd. 

2. Identify Your Competitors to Create Your USP

Find competitors for your market to determine their strengths and weaknesses. While you shouldn’t copy banking app features, you can improve on what they already offer. From there, you can find out what kind of unique selling proposition (USP) will entice users to switch from your competitors to your new app. 

From your research, you can decide on your core banking and financial services, what strengths your app has, and what could be improved on. When you build a banking app, make sure that the strengths address what’s lacking from your competitors to gain a unique advantage in the banking app market. 

3. Choose Both Basic and Secondary App Features

Next, you need to decide on both the basic and advanced features that your banking or finance app will have. Basic features are those that are common in similar apps like yours. For instance, if you’re developing a banking app, it’s common to have these features:

• Security measures which include secure payments and transactions processing, two-factor authentication, encrypted data, and other security measures compliant with regulations.
• Real-time balance checking.
• List of recent transactions.
• Transfer money to other bank accounts on your app and to other banks.
• Add money to an e-wallet.
• Pay utilities, loan repayments, and other bills.
• Customer support.

On top of the common features, there are also secondary features that, although not necessary, can be unique and can help users with their finances. This means having to reduce the number of apps they have on their mobile device as your app addresses their needs. A few of these include:

• Expense trackers.
• Automatic monthly payments.
• Bill splitting with those who have the same app.
• Blockchain, stocks, and other investments.

4. Never Stop Improving Your Banking App

Once you’ve built your app and released it to the public, your job isn’t done just yet. There’s a difference between conducting research on the banking app market and getting feedback on your own product. There could be bugs and errors that appear, and you’ll need to address this in future updates to keep users satisfied and prevent them from finding other apps. 

Your App Should Adapt with Your Users

Even if you’ve managed to address all the bugs, your app will have to keep improving to meet the ever-changing user needs. These include:

• Ensuring your app is compatible with any software updates on mobile devices.
• Adding new features that are in demand for the industry.
• Adding new security measures to comply with any changing regulations.
• Changing the user interface and design of the app to match any branding changes.

Build a Banking App with Jackrabbit Mobile 

Banking and finance apps need to comply with regulations while also addressing the needs of your target audience. You might already have an idea of how to make a banking app that could be the next trending app on the market, but you’ll need a reliable app development company to make it a reality. 

At Jackrabbit Mobile, our team provides full solutions to help you develop your app. From performing research and creating a prototype to launching your banking and finance app, we’re dedicated to turning your app ideas into digital solutions that reach your target audience. 

Contact Jackrabbit Mobile to discuss your banking app’s development needs today.

The post How to Build a Banking App: Tips to Create Banking & Finance Apps appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Mobile Apps Have Become a Necessary Part of Many Online Businesses

Whether providing entertainment or offering services, mobile apps have become an essential part of people’s lives. But which ones are the most popular apps in 2022? With some obvious big contenders in top spot, we list the top 10 most downloaded apps this year.

The Most Downloaded Apps in 2022

TikTok

Topping the list is the massive social media platform for creating, sharing and discovering short-form videos – TikTok. The app was the most downloaded photo and video platform in the App Store when it was first released in 2018. Over four years later, TikTok has amassed many loyal audiences with approximately one billion active users worldwide. So unsurprisingly, TikTok is the most downloaded app in 2022.

Total downloads: 186 Million

Instagram

Another social media platform that made it to the top apps of 2022 is Instagram. It was initially a photo-sharing app that capitalized on people’s inclination to consume visual content. Recently, they introduced Reels, which is Meta’s version of short-form video sharing within the app. Since its release in 2010, Instagram has consistently been one of the top apps in the USA. In 2022, the app has approximately 1.4 billion active users.

Total downloads: 166 Million

Facebook

Facebook is today’s most recognizable social networking website. The platform’s popularity is attributed to its user-friendly interface, allowing people with minimal technical knowledge to sign up and create a profile. Mark Zuckerberg released the social media site in 2004. Eighteen years later, it is still among the most downloaded apps in 2022. According to Backlinko, Facebook has 1.9 billion active daily users.

Total downloads: 161.5 Million

WhatsApp

One of the most popular apps in 2022 is a messaging platform called WhatsApp. It allows users to send messages, images, videos and audio to their contacts. It functions similarly to text messaging services, but since WhatsApp utilizes the internet to convey messages, it is significantly cheaper than texting. The latest statistics reported that WhatsApp has about 2.44 billion unique active users worldwide.

Total downloads: 134 Million

Snapchat

Despite experiencing massive changes in the last few years, Snapchat remains among the top apps in the USA. The platform was initially intended for person-to-person photo sharing. However, users can now use it for various tasks, including messaging, live chatting, sending videos, creating Bitmoji avatars and sharing “stories” that are only available for a short time before they become inaccessible. As of July 2022, Snapchat has approximately 616 million users, according to DataReportal.

Total downloads: 107 Million

Telegram

Telegram is another instant messaging tool that is one of the most popular apps in 2022. Unlike WhatsApp, it allows users to share and receive messages without sharing their phone numbers. The app’s signature feature is its end-to-end encryption, making it a highly secure platform for sharing information. According to Demand Sage, Telegram has over 700 million active monthly users.

Total downloads: 98 Million

Messenger

Messenger is a messaging app developed by Meta for its social platforms. It was initially released as Facebook Chat in 2008, but the company revamped the service in 2010, then published it as a standalone app in 2011. Messenger is free to download and allows users to message their contacts from Facebook and phone. The app has at least 1 billion monthly users, as reported by DataReportal.

Total downloads: 95 Million

CapCut Video Editor

CapCut is a free video editing software that allows users to edit videos on their smartphones and share them on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. Although many video editing apps are available, CapCut is the most popular due to its simplicity and user-friendly interface.

Total downloads: 92 Million

WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp Business is a messaging app developed especially for businesses. It makes engaging with customers easy and provides business owners with tools that allow them to sort, automate and quickly respond to customer inquiries.

WhatsApp Business is a messaging app developed especially for businesses. It makes engaging with customers easy and provides business owners with tools that allow them to sort, automate and quickly respond to customer inquiries. 

Total downloads: 77 Million

The last app on the list is Spotify, a digital streaming service that gives people access to millions of songs, videos and podcasts. It has free and paid subscription tiers. The Spotify Premium plan is priced at $9.99 a month and gives users an ad-free listening experience.

Total downloads: 74 Million

Create World’s Next Most Downloaded App With Jackrabbit Mobile

Jackrabbit Mobile is a leading mobile app developer dedicated to providing customized digital solutions that meet our clients and their users’ needs. Create the next most popular app and contact a member of the Jackrabbit team today.

The post The Most Popular Apps of 2022  appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Here, we share some of our top picks for mobile app inspiration to help you create an application that hopefully sells through the roof. But, before we explore cool app designs and their unique elements, let’s first get into the definitions. 

What Is Mobile App Design?

Mobile app design pertains to the complete user interface (UI) from top to bottom of a phone screen. 

But, how do you create the best app design?

Blending the Use of UI and UX to Create the Best Apps

The most successful apps have one thing in common – they effectively combine UI and user experience (UX) elements. UI lends itself to the style of the app, which constitutes colors, layout and fonts. Your goal is to create a simple and engaging design through visual elements. On the other hand, UX focuses on usability and functionality. Therefore, the system must fulfill the users’ needs and have a smooth experience while interacting with the application.

Our Top App Design Inspiration & Trends

Aside from blending UI and UX elements harmoniously, it’s helpful if you also inspect the latest design trends to figure out what design components are practical for your target user pool. 

Here are our top inspirational design trends and ideas to make your mobile app stand out:

Asymmetric Galleries

Asymmetry has recently grown popular in design, especially in mobile apps. Much of it concerns how asymmetry allows the app design to move the same way as the user’s visual flow. Since people’s eyes move in a particular direction when processing optical information, asymmetry allows for a more effortless visual experience. 

90’s Style

Recently, there has been a widespread revival of 90’s trends. Stranger Things, anyone? The younger generation has developed a fascination with everything vintage. In addition, retro styles allow the older generation to experience nostalgia. 

While the 90’s style is commonly found in fashion, the influence has also breached the mobile app design community. 

Examples of 90s Style Retro Design

Below is an example of what some would consider the best app design, which takes inspiration from the colors and patterns of the 90s. Retro fonts, colors and graphics are evident, with large blocks for buttons that resemble those from PlayStation games. However, this trend won’t suit all products and services, so it’s best to experiment first to see if retro is a design suitable for your brand. 

Related: How to Write Content for Mobile App

Comforting Colors

People stare at screens for extended periods, resulting in eye strain and discomfort. To reduce adverse effects, designers and developers created a way to make the browsing experience more comfortable. Cool app designs nowadays often include hues that are easy on the eyes, including pastels, muted tones, soft-focus images of nature and easy-to-scan layouts. 

Your Target Market Should Dictate the Apps Style

Just like the 90’s style, it doesn’t suit every offering in the market. This type of design is often found in meditation and lifestyle apps, such as the example below. 

Spherical Patterns

Spherical patterns have been in design since we can remember. Circles are present in both natural and artificial environments. When used in digital format, they provide interest and fluidity, giving the style a soft and inviting feel. 

Endless Options with Mobile App Customization

The best feature of circular and spherical patterns is that they allow limitless possibilities for experimentation. The app inspiration presented below is just one of the many ways to incorporate the shape into the app layout.

Unusual Text Alignment

One of the most recent design trends is taking liberties with the text alignment of the layout. As a result, you’ll find numerous mobile apps with unconventionally aligned text done vertically and diagonally. But, if you are planning to actualize this app design inspiration, you also need to test out different cases, fonts and spacing until you come up with a style that doesn’t clash with your app’s imagery.

Choose Eye-Catching Designs For Functional Apps With Jackrabbit Mobile

Improve client satisfaction and increase app performance with Jackrabbit Mobile. We develop mobile applications that utilize the best app design principles in the industry, allowing you to give meaningful user experiences to your customers. Create your dream app and reach out to our team today.

The post <strong>Mobile App Design Inspiration & Trends</strong>  appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Mobile apps are everywhere. “There’s an app for that” just about sums things up, right? More on that later. From shopping, cooking, business, wellness and entertainment to everything else in between, mobile apps help make life easier. The word “app” is an abbreviation of the word “application” and refers to a software program that can be downloaded onto a mobile device.

Everything You Need to Know Before Building Your App 

Below, we delve into the introduction of mobile apps and the various components of a mobile app. We hope this post gives you better insight into all things apps––if you’d simply like to know more or have an idea for your own app. Let’s get started!

Introduction of Mobile App

The first mobile apps were developed in the 1980s by Psion for their Psion Organizer I, which was branded as the “World’s First Practical Pocket Computer.” The device came with pre-installed software applications like a clock and calculator. As more mobile phones got released throughout the years, utilitarian apps also came with them until Apple’s App Store was released in 2008.

Apple Revolutionizes the App Market

Steve Jobs envisioned the App Store in 1983 when he imagined a place where software could be bought over phone lines. Decades later, he released the App Store after launching iPod and iTunes to the consumer market. Of course, it was a massive hit and permanently changed the consumer landscape.

According to Forbes, the App Store had 37 billion app downloads in the first quarter of 2022. In addition, the year’s first quarter also saw the highest consumer spending in mobile apps, hitting a whopping $33 billion.

Common Types of Mobile Apps

Apple famously ran an ad using the slogan “There’s an app for that” in 2009, showing off the many apps they had available in their App Store. But it’s become more than just a catchphrase. Years later, the statement remains true – if you want something done, there IS almost certainly an app that can help you accomplish it.

What are the Types of Apps?

Apps come in various types. The following are some of the most popular:

• Gaming apps: Games are the most popular type of mobile app. According to Statista, over 14 billion mobile games were downloaded in the first quarter of 2022 in both the App Store and Google Playstore.
• Productivity apps: These apps aim to help users handle their daily activities better. Thanks to these applications, people can perform complex tasks on the go using their smartphones or tablets.
• Lifestyle apps: This is a broad category that includes fashion, virtual fitting rooms, dating, workout and diet apps.
• Educational apps: These apps help users gain new skills and knowledge. A famous example of this is Duolingo, which recently became popular for adults and children. Education mobile applications are gaining more traction because they offer flexibility in learning that’s difficult to find elsewhere.
• Mobile commerce apps: These are mobile versions of popular eCommerce websites like Amazon and eBay.

Components of A Mobile App

There’s no magic (well, maybe a little) in the apps we use – they are made with meticulous planning and significant investment in time and resources. If you are planning to make an app or hire a third party to create it for you, you should know the essential components of a mobile application to make it successful.

What Makes an App Successful?

• Services: This pertains to the app’s business logic and data sources.
• Libraries: These are packages of codes that developers use so that they don’t have to write that functionality from scratch.
• Codebase: This is the most important among the four components of a mobile app. It is the code that developers write to build features and functionality. 
• UI and UX: The components mentioned above are all essential for making an app, but the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) elements are what attracts people to keep on using it. The goal is to create a pleasant and valuable experience for the user.

Related: The Basics of How to Design an App

Mobile App Terms of Use

While you are not legally required to write a Terms and Conditions agreement for your app, it’s highly advisable that you should do so. It establishes a legal relationship between two parties, allowing you to manage your app better and gives your users a sense of security since they will know what to expect. 

Mobile app terms of use should include the following fundamental principles:

• Rules that users must follow
• Penalties for app misuse
• Copyright information
• Payment or subscription information (if applicable)
• Things you are responsible and not responsible for

Start Creating the Perfect App with Jackrabbit Mobile

Ready to create your own app? With the help of the capable professionals at Jackrabbit Mobile, you can turn your ideas into a reality. No matter your budget, we will create a functional mobile app for your business that meets your needs and goals. So let our passionate team help you, and contact us today!

The post What is a Mobile App?  appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

Stand Out in a Competitive App Market with Great Content

If you want your app to stand out from the rest and reach the target audience you’ve set, you need to improve your marketing efforts. And, content marketing is your strongest tool- if you know how to use
it.

7 Tips for Improving Your Mobile App’s Content

Fortunately, this article covers all the ground rules of writing content for a mobile app, so just keep
reading.

Jackrabbit Mobile has compiled 7 tips that will help improve your writing for apps!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Know Your App Users

Start with a simple question and find the most precise answer you can.

• Who are your app users?

Knowing your target audience means knowing the type of content they’ll lie reading and interacting with. The answer needs to include as many details as possible:

• age
• sex
• location
• social status
• online behavior
• problems they face
• education level

Define them precisely and create your user persona. 

Related: Choosing A Company For Mobile App Development Services

2: Speak Your App User’s Language

Writing your app content for a specific target group of people requires you to speak their language. There’s no universal way we can all write app content, but we all need to adjust to the needs of our users. 

That means a car maintenance app and an app with children’s developmental activities won’t use the same:

• tone of voice
• personality
• vocabulary 

Adapt to your users and imagine your speaking to them, as you write your content.

3: Solve The Problems that Your Users are Facing

When potential app users are looking for an app online, their main focus is on solving a problem they’re experiencing. So, most of their searches look like this:

• weight loss app
• baby sleeping app
• language learning app

They need an app that can help them solve a specific pain point. That’s why your content should focus on it, as well.

So, when you’re writing, make sure the essence of the content is:

• the main purpose of the app: This weight-loss app provides tips and guidance…
• the goals they can reach by using it: Lose up to 8 pounds a month…
• the ways it will make their lives better: You’ll feel healthier, more motivated, and confident…

If the content is about the users and how they benefit from the app, more people will be on board for giving it a try.

4: Create A Structure to Help Users Digest the Content

Most people reading the content about a mobile app are doing it from a mobile device. The smaller-sized screens require your attention when creating this content.

Why?

Because you don’t want to lose potential app users just because your content was poorly structured. Here’s what you need to do:

• divide your content using subheadings with catchy titles
• write in smaller content chunks using paragraphs
• write short sentences that are informative and concise
• use bullet points and lists

When your content is well-structured, it’s also visually richer. People enjoy reading it more since it is dynamic and keeps them engaged all the way to the end. You can find editing help at SupremeDissertations, to make sure you’re nailing the structure. It’ll make all the difference for your target audience.

Related: swiftScreen, A Mobile Application Developed In Hybrid Language Flutter

5: Use Storytelling to Keep Users Engaged

Is your app a life-changer? Share it with your audience using storytelling and provoke an emotional reaction from them.

For instance, your app helps people find and book accommodation when traveling. Share a story about a woman who fell in love with the destination, decided to stay there for good, and start a business.

Stories such as these are meaningful and will have more people memorize your app by connecting it to the emotional reaction they had.

Make sure the stories are aligned with your brand and created for your specific target audience.

6: Be Accurate and Reliable – NO Misleading or Incorrect Material

Remember earlier when we discussed competition? Well, yours is probably as strong as any other, which means you need to focus on standing shoulder to shoulder with them. 

You’re fighting for the same target audience, and these people are looking for an app that is:

• reliable
• trustworthy
• professional
• perfect in every sense

If they find even the smallest weak link in your presentation, they’ll just move on to the next app. That’s why your content needs to be spotless. That means:

• no grammar or spelling mistakes
• no typos
• consistency in style, tone, and voice

You can use TrustMyPaper or Grammarly to improve the quality of your writing. Make sure it’s all well-organized and clearly formulated. This will help you build a reputation as a credible and professional mobile app.

7: Always Add A CTA

Finally, all this content you’re writing as a part of your mobile app strategy has one goal- to get people to download and use your mobile app. To remind and inspire them to do so, you should always include a convincing CTA in the picture.

CTAs are short, imperative messages that create a sense of urgency and motivate people to do as you say. Those include:

• Download Today!
• Start losing weight!
• Yes, I want fun activities for my toddler.
• Let’s get started!
• Learn new tricks every day!

You get the idea. Use CTAs with every piece of content you write to make it more convincing and make better results with your content writing efforts.

Schedule Your Next App Build with Jackrabbit Mobile

Writing content for a mobile app is a powerful marketing tool and means of communicating with your target audience. It helps you fight your competitors and get your piece of the market. It also helps build loyal relationships with your app users.

The 7 tips we’ve shared above will guide you through the process of writing brilliant content for your mobile app. So, have no worries and start writing today.

Interested in developing a mobile app? Jackrabbit has you covered. Contact us here.

About The Author

Donald Fomby is a Digital Marketing Specialist with a Master’s degree in Advertisement. At a relatively young age, he has already amassed impressive experience as a freelance writer. He partakes in different projects that allow them to grow his list of experiences and expand his interests. His body of work consists of articles, essays, and news reports on trending topics that aim to help readers with practical advice.

The post How to Write Content for Mobile App appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

No business that wants to remain competitive can survive and thrive without a mobile app.

But here is the other statistic that must be considered. Studies show that at least 25% of mobile apps are uninstalled within a month of being downloaded, and 80% of mobile app users stop using their downloaded apps after three months.

Why are Mobile Apps Abandoned So Quickly?

Why are so many mobile apps abandoned or unused? Certainly, because users have lost interest or no longer need the products/services offered via the app. But just as often, it is because the user experience has not been a good one. And when the user experience is not good, the business owner of the app loses that customer/follower.

A Bad Experience Will Derail Your App

Poor user experience is usually the result of app development mistakes and poor performance. 

The “cure” for this is to be proactive in the development phase by first asking yourself some key questions:

• What is the purpose of the app?
• What exactly do you want the app to do
• How are users going to achieve your purpose?

But this does not guarantee an app that will provide an amazing user experience and keep those users engaged and staying with you.

You must ensure that your or your development team has not made some of the common mistakes that result in failed apps.

This list of those common mistakes should help drive the development process and beyond.

Mistake 1: Making Your Mobile App Like Your Desktop App    

Most business owners/marketers do not develop their own apps because they are not skilled in software development. While they may have marketing backgrounds and enhance their skills through study, such as a digital marketing course in Noida, they are not techies. And so they hire developers for their websites and their apps.

Most developers have had plenty of experience developing desktop apps, but mobile apps are a “different story.” If a developer sees a mobile app as just a smaller version of the desktop one, then smartphone users trying to use the mobile version will not have a good user experience. 

Consider, for example, just one difference. Desktop app users are seated at their computers with larger screens and usually more time exploring and navigating around. People on their mobile apps are “on the go.” They need much briefer chunks of information, broken up and navigated easily with swipes and fingers that are sometimes a bit fat.

In short, the objectives and experiences of mobile apps must be quite different.

Related: Choosing A Company For Mobile App Development Services

Mistake 2: Trying to Make a Mobile App Mimic a Website

Brands want to be memorable. They have certain colors, logos, etc., that consumers come to identify with that brand. Giving the same “feel” and “look” with these things is understandable and should be carried over into mobile apps. The mistake they make when developing mobile apps, though, is they want to provide the same functionality that their websites offer to users. 

Making a mobile app into a mini-website misses the whole point of having the app at all. If a consumer wanted all of the functionality, he would simply access your website instead. It, too, is available on all mobile devices. When he accesses your app, he wants a simpler, more streamlined journey. 

In short, consumers access websites and mobile apps with different purposes in mind. If your website and your mobile app are serving the exact same purposes, there is no reason to have an app at all.

Mistake 3: Your App Has Too Much to Offer 

Many businesses have email marketing campaigns. They know that each email should focus on one message only, or their recipients will become confused and irritated. While mobile apps will certainly have more than one feature, too many will have the same negative effect. 

Researching what your target audience uses most on your website and/or your website will tell you which features your customers are using the most. These are the ones you want to incorporate into your app. Once you have identified these features, craft a roadmap for your developer that includes just these functions.

Now you will have an app that is not “heavy” and taking up a lot of space. What’s more, you can always include a link to your full website in the app so that users who want additional functions can get there easily.

Mistake 4: Trying to Develop a Mobile App for Too Many Platforms   

The vast majority of mobile app users are on smartphones. And they either have Apple or Android devices. Thus, they download apps from the Apple iStore or from Google Play. When you develop your app, at least in the beginning, you have one choice to make: do you develop two separate apps, one for each store, or do you develop a hybrid app that will function on both? Newer technology has made these hybrid apps amazingly functional on both platforms. 

Make sure your developer has the expertise for both platforms.

You can ultimately develop your app for the few other platforms that are in use. But you will not pick up many users. Better to let those users use your website app.

Related: swiftScreen, A Mobile Application Developed In Hybrid Language Flutter

Mistake 5: Developing “Heavy” Apps

Mobile devices have limited space, storage, battery life, and screens compared to laptops and desktops. Any app development must take into consideration these limitations.  An app that is taking up too much space will be one of the first to be dumped. 

When you have provided your developer with all that you want your app to do, you must discuss how to reduce the size of the app and yet still meet your users’ needs.

A skilled developer will have several options to achieve size reduction:

• Remove and/or ruse resources
• Minimize the use of library resources
• Compress PNG files
• Crunch PNG an JPEG files
• Reduce and/or eliminate any unnecessary code
• Use WebP file format

Even if you do not understand how all of this is achieved, or even what it means, it does give you the “jargon” to use when talking with a developer you are considering. And be certain to ask that developer for examples of other mobile apps he has developed and references from clients.

Mistake 6: Failure to Use the Right Testing Procedures

Any developed app must be tested before its launch. And it must be regularly tested on a scheduled basis to ensure that it is continuing to function properly and within the right context.  

App developers run tests once development is completed and ready for launch. But unless a business owner contracts for regular long-term testing, that testing is up to him. 

The best testing procedure is really done in house conducted by actual people who download the app and use it. When business owners fail to have real people download and use the app, they do not know if it is working properly. It is the best way to know if the app developer has really done his job.

Other testing involves running analytics that most marketers already run on their other content – number of downloads in a period of time; number of users accessing the app over a period of time; which parts of the app are most popular, etc.

When businesses fail to test regularly and often, problems with an app can go on for some time. Users who have bad experiences with an app will dump it rather than have it take up space. If they are really loyal, they may connect to your website, but don’t count on it. If you want to read about some failed testing nightmares, order case study writing on the subject. You’ll get lots more information on how things go horribly wrong.

Mistake 7: Not Soliciting and Studying User Reviews

You may be testing and finding that your app is working well in all of its functions. Be sure that you have a link for users to write reviews, and promise a discount/coupon on that link when they do so. That review can be a short survey, allowing the respondent to provide both good and bad points and make suggestions for improvement. You will also want to ask which functions are the most-liked and which are never used. Studying reviews should drive your continued evaluation of your app and how you should consider modifications.

Ignoring user reviews tells them that they are not important to you, and that is never something you want a user/customer to feel. They will go where they are appreciated and valued. And consumer who is considering your app for download will often read others’ reviews before doing so.

Mistake 8: Not Being Ready to Install Updates

Things change. Once an app is launched and tested for solid functionality, a marketer’s job is not over. Consumer needs and demands change. It is the responsibility of the business, not the app developer, to keep an “ear to the ground,” to monitor the competition, and to see how a mobile app needs to be modified, eliminate functions, modify others, and add new ones. User reviews should also be used for this analysis. And when updates are needed, it’s back to the original developer. Using a different developer could cause some issues.

Getting Your App Right from the Initial Launch

Developing, maintaining, and updating a mobile app involves some work on the business’s part – finding the right developer, identifying exactly the purpose(s) of the app, understanding audience needs and preferences, ensuring that there are no “snags,” and performing updates as they make sense. There needs to be a strong relationship between business and developer – one built on trust and continual communication.

Contact Jackrabbit Mobile for a Quality App Build!

Interested in developing a mobile app? Jackrabbit has you covered. Contact us here.

About The Author

Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger at WritersPerHour with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.

The post Common Mobile Marketing App Mistakes Business Owners Must Avoid in 2021 appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.

The Austin Web Development Scene   

Much of Austin’s popularity as a tech hub stems from the same roots as its popularity as a travel and business destination. Compared to many other parts of the country with technology-focused economies, Austin enjoys warmer weather for most of the year. It also has a vibrant cultural scene, with excellent food, drink, and live music options. The city offers a plethora of outdoor activities and a lower cost of living when compared to Silicon Valley.    

A Huge Pool of Talented Developers in the Area

With six universities in the region, Austin boasts a high level of education and a large number of young professionals. Technologically minded millennials and Gen-Yers continue to flock to the city, both to found their own companies and find roles at established companies. This talent pool has created fosters a rich culture that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation within the tech industry.   

Because of the large number of tech companies in the city and its surroundings, Austin is also a popular destination for conferences, conventions, and other industry activities. From South by Southwest Interactive to local meetups, these activities provide space for professional development, synergy, and regular updating of skills.  

Do Your Research on Previous Projects Before Hiring a Company    

Since it’s a growing center for tech companies, it’s not hard to find high-quality Austin web development companies. With so many options, your biggest challenge will likely be narrowing down your list. So what do you need to know before you start interviewing web developers?   

If you’ve never been responsible for hiring a web developer before, make sure to do your research. Start by speaking with colleagues and others who have gone through the experience before. If you can, have someone walk you through the process so you know what to expect.

Have a General Idea for Your App  

Before you reach out to anyone, you should have a good idea of what you want the project to accomplish. Start by gathering ideas and requirements from internal stakeholders. A list of “must-haves” will make it easier for you to narrow down your list of possible developers.   

Hold some internal brainstorming sessions where you can discuss the following:  

• Is this a new website or a redesign?   
• Are you selling a product online?   
• Are you offering downloads or playing high-quality video?  
• Do you need to integrate a particular software?   
• Will you also need an app?  

You will need to know the answers to these questions before speaking with a potential web development company.  

Another good way to get started is to review competitors’ websites. Are there functions or designs that you like or dislike? How do you think you could incorporate those ideas or improve upon them? You can also check out the web developer that created their site.  

Related: 10 Tips on Choosing Web Development Services in Austin  

How to Narrow Down the List of Austin Web Development Companies 

Because of the talent available, selecting an Austin web development can feel overwhelming. Luckily, you aren’t the first to go through this process. Read on for a few ways to narrow down the list sensibly.  

Because of Austin’s fame as a tech hub, it is easy to find comprehensive, well-performed evaluations and comparisons of web developers in the region. “Best of” lists like Digital.com can help you navigate a large field of potential companies. These rankings generally consider customer service, quality, and other essential factors.    

At the same time, these lists not only provide a filter for quality. Since they explain their methodologies, they also give you a window into the selection process and ideas you should consider. Critical information like pricing, company size, services offered, and industry focus are easy to find and compare.

Competitors’ sites are also a great place to start since the developer has demonstrated a knowledge of your industry. If you like what you see, consider reaching out to the company that created the site. If you don’t, you may want to scratch them from the list.  

Evaluating an Austin Web Development Company   

Once you find a few companies that offer the services you need, your next step will be to do a bit of comparative research. Austin is brimming with talent, and you want to make sure that you are selecting the web development company that best fits your business.  

An excellent way to find out what others think about a company is to see what they say about them—in social media, in reviews, in press articles, and on their websites. Assess the public perception of the web developer by checking out this information. Look for consistency and volume, which will show that the company can regularly provide excellent products and service.  

You also need to watch out for any potential red flags. While negative reviews are not necessarily a deal-breaker, it’s still important to read between the lines. If opinions are consistently less than glowing, clients may not have been truly satisfied with the experience.  

Related: Pro Tips to Find a Good Web Development Company  

Questions to Ask Austin Web Development Companies   

You’ve done your research, and you have a shortlist of potential Austin web development companies to interview. What are the crucial questions that you should be asking? Here are a few critical issues to get you started.  

• References: Make sure to speak with references. When you talk to clients and partners about a company, you can confirm the information they’ve provided and get feedback on their performance. Remember to listen for subtle red flags, such as the hesitance to answer certain questions or provide details. This behavior could indicate that the reference isn’t comfortable providing negative feedback.    
• Timelines and budget: Although you’ll iron out the specifics of a project once you have chosen a developer, you’ll want to speak with them about your ideas. Confirm that your vision matches what they can do and the price they’ll be charging. You will need to go in with an estimate, so preliminary internal budgeting discussions should take place beforehand.  
• Portfolios: Select a few of your favorite—and least favorite—projects in their portfolio. Review them together and ask them to walk you through their thought process. Doing so will help you learn how they work and what to expect. Ask your marketing team and designers for their thoughts and include them in conversations as you get closer to making a decision about which developer to choose.   

Contact Jackrabbit Mobile for App Development in Austin

Austin offers world-class web development services, and with the proper research, you can find the ideal fit for your company and budget.  Are you looking for an Austin web development company? From discovery and design to development and testing, Jackrabbit has you covered. Contact us today, and we’ll work together to create the perfect website for your business or organization.

The post How to Choose an Austin Web Development Company appeared first on Jackrabbit Mobile.