Are Mobile Applications Still a Profitable Venture? (crosspost)

Our cellphones are a great tool for us since we use the variety of Apps that allows us to solve a problem, help us with something, or we use them just for fun.

Since the launch of the app market for cellphones, there has been a lot of developers that have created a lot of mobile apps and have earn some money with them since they are so popular and in some cases, profitable.

The truth is that although there are thousands of mobile apps, the market is still growing, and some experts believe that in the following years every company will have their App as part of their marketing strategy.

If you’re a developer, and you’re considering launching a mobile app to get revenue, there are some things you have to know first to determine if it’s going to give you the earnings that you want.

Google Play Store vs. App Store

One important aspect before developing a mobile app is that you have to know if you’re going to upload it to Google Play Store or the App Store.

You have to decide this because for Android phones you can create simpler apps, while for the App Store is more difficult since they are strict on the quality and they don’t upload just any app.

Many developers prefer Android, but if you want to make more money then you should aim for creating mobile apps for iOS phones since they have more consistent software and you’re guaranteed that your app will work correctly, whereas this is not the case for some Android devices that might not work as you expect with your app.

Besides, if you want to charge for the mobile app, you should aim for iOS phones since they have a less price-sensitive user base.

Deciding where you’re going to upload your app will save you a lot of work, and will make you focus on one specific type of apps.
Free vs. Paid Apps

Once you have developed your mobile app you have to determine if you want it to be free or paid, and this is very important because this will make an impact on the profits.

In the case of free apps, the competition is higher since there are many more of them, but the good thing is that the likelihood of download is higher since users won’t mind downloading it to try it. This will help your app to have a better position in the store, so you’ll have more visibility for new users.

Also, in the case of free apps, the user isn’t expecting great functionality, but this doesn’t mean that you have to put a buggy app.

In the case of paid apps, the competition is less, but the advantage is that if a client pays for it, it’s likely that they will purchase another product or service from you, so they’re more qualified leads.

If you’re planning on launching a mobile app that is a complement of your business, then it’s best if it’s free so you’ll get more customers, but if you’re offering high-quality service or content, then it’s better if it’s paid.

Some of the best mobile apps are those that can be downloaded for free, but that offers some extra features if the user pays a specific amount of money, so you’ll get a lot of downloads and also you’ll receive profits, but just if your mobile app is good and engaging for the users.

How to make money with your App?

Most developers start designing mobile apps without knowing first what the audience wants, so this causes the developer to be discouraged because he/she is not receiving the expected profit.

Creating a mobile app shouldn’t be a blind process, especially if you want to make money. It takes a lot of work, but it’s worth it if you’re taking the right path.
Market research

If you want to be successful in developing mobile apps you have to know that your only job is not just programming and designing, you need to think about it as a business, so you have to take all the steps to make it profitable.

One of the things you have to do is market research. You have to see a problem and think about providing a solution with your mobile app. There are many useless apps in the market, but you want yours to be useful.

You want your audience to download it and give it good use, so they can recommend it and you can gain more users.

You have to identify your customers, establish a target audience, and start your marketing strategy to make it visible.
Specific purpose

One of the best ways to make a decent living by developing mobile apps is by focusing on a niche and creating apps that serve for a specific purpose.

You can develop a game aimed for a target group, make it a free app, and then add some paid-on features; this is the surest way to make money. But you have to make a great game, always focusing on your target.

You just have to be smart about the mobile app you’re going to develop, and then you have to create a marketing strategy that will help your audience find it.

If you own a business, you can develop a mobile app that complements your services, or that offer some help for your users, this way you’re being specific and you can even gain more customers with this strategy.

Marketing strategy

You’re focused on creating an excellent mobile app, and you nailed it, but that’s not enough for making money.

You can’t make an app, launch it on the market, and expect to get thousands of downloads and get money with no effort.

You need to have a strategy for promoting your mobile app; otherwise, it will stay in the market without any downloads.

To have significant earnings, you have to promote it effectively, and you can use social media, websites, and any other media to reach your audience.

Original post from my website: http://new.blicio.us/are-mobile-applications-still-a-profitable-venture/