In this new age of technology, mobile apps have are being developed everyday to make life easier for individuals and businesses. Mobile applications are here and they’re here to stay. The mobile app market is expanding in leaps and bounds, and these days there seems to be a mobile app for everything, from social networking to beauty. Consequently, the mobile app market is becoming more competitive.

The mobile app market here in Nigeria is also thriving excellently as more people are beginning to use apps to enhance their lifestyle and businesses. What more, developing a mobile app for Nigerians which would resonate around our peculiar lifestyle can be very lucrative. Even better is; being able to design an app that will cut across many different world cultures and needs. Have you ever thought of developing a mobile app of your own in Nigeria? Here’s how.

To create a successful mobile app, you need to follow a systematic approach to app development. You can follow these basic steps.

Identify a problem which can be resolved by your App

To successfully develop a mobile app in Nigeria, you need to first determine the following;

• Identify a problem which your app can resolve
• Come up with unique features for your app
• Identify your target market of your app

 

Looking for an App to Create so Here are List of 25 App Ideas 

 

Your app should be designed to provide users with tangible benefits, such as; reducing costs via productivity, multiple enhancements and features, improving customer experience and satisfaction, new revenue etc.

Your mobile app should be developed based on the peculiar needs of your target market. Have a clear vision regarding the target group; this will greatly impact the success of the App.

Mobile platforms should be selected keeping in mind, hardware performance, battery life, ruggedness, and other required peripherals.

You need to also keep in mind, your finances; how much are you looking at? How much do you need to keep aside for the app development, marketing and eventual release of the app?

 

Designing your app

The next step to be considered is; the app design. Designing your app is another very significant factor that will be responsible for the success of the mobile app in the market. You should concentrate on the UI design, multi touch gestures for touch-enabled devices and consider platform design standards as well. Use these websites for common app design patterns:

http://www.android-app-patterns.com/

http://mobile-patterns.com/

 

For wire framing, you can visit this website;

http://xiffe.com

HOW TO BUILD YOUR MOBILE APP

After designing your app, the next step in developing the app would be; building the app.

But before you start on that, you will need to put the following into consideration; for a successful app development

• The app should provide multiple entry points
• Your app must be built to adapt to different devices, such as; androids, tablets, Iphones, PCs, and also supports different phone versions so on.
• The app should be built as a combination of components. For example, an app that provides user interface
• Create different layouts for different screen sizes
• To start building your app, keep in mind; basic app fundamentals and app compatibility.

 

In order for your app to be successful on different devices, it needs to be able to tolerate some feature variability and provide a flexible user interface that adapts to different screen configurations.

https://developer.android.com/guide/practices/compatibility

Use this website for more information about how to make your app adapt to different devices and also for basics on how to build your mobile app in Nigeria.

 

Getting started

Here are five app development platforms you can use to build your mobile app.

Appypie  You can easily build an app on this site without any design knowledge whatsoever. First start by choosing your app’s category and then a basic layout. Then, by clicking through a demo of the app on a sample on-screen phone, you can adjust text, and add pages, photos, colours, media, links and more, to your own design specification. Using this app building platform, you have control over the flow and general architecture of your app.

The site isn’t free of course, although there is a “free” pricing plan that involves Appypie involved in your app. Other price ranges include; the $15 plan which allows you to build apps for androids only, the $30 plan and the $50 plan, which covers all the major platforms including Microsoft and Apple.

 

AppMakr  This is another easy to use platform, much like the Appypie; though less slick. Just like the Appypie, you’re being provided with a mock-up of an Android phone, and you’re able to drag ivons directly onto its face, all from a menu of choices. You can also change the look of each icon and customise the background image, make changes to architecture and general layout. However, with AppMakr, changes to architecture aren’t as robust as they are with Appypie.

Using the free version of AppMakr allows you to create an ad-free mobile website. With $2 per month, you can develop an Android-only app with AppMakr branding; $39 per month let’s you create up to ten Android apps with no branding and let’s you publish your app wherever you want; and $99 per year let’s you publish an Android app in the Google play store or an iOS app on iTunes with no branding.

 

AppInstitute  Here’s another exciting online app builder. A great feature of this site is that when you start the app-building process, you’ll be asked to choose a template based on your goals, such as; “Earn loyalty” “Sell stuff” “Get bookings”. After clicking on the tab that represents your design needs, you can further hone your app by choosing the proper category such as ” church ” “Cafeteria” or “good cause”. Another unique feature of this platform is that; after you choose your template, you can enter e phone number and you’ll instantly receive a link to your pre-made app. The site provides good videos and a live chat service that can help you walk through the entire building process with ease.

Pricing ranges from $40 to $115 per month. To publish an an Android-friendly app, you will need to budget up to $70 per month, with $115 you can have access to an iOS version of your app as well.

 

GoodBarber  GoodBarber is another really great choice for online app building. As with other apps, it puts it smartphone mock-up front and center for its design process. So you get to click through the app as if it were live and see your changes take effect immediately. GoodBarber also offers app checking tools so that before you are ready to publish an Android version of the app, it will give you a checklist of completed items and those that still needs to be completed; such as naming your app.

The site offers a 30-day free trial, after which you will be charged $32 per month for an Android app and $96 per month for an Android and iOS.

 

GameSalad  Despite its strange name, GameSalad offers you a chance to create an app that truly holds the potential to earn money. If you want to make your own game and sell it through iTunes or Google play, GameSalad offers a great way to make it happen. Unlike the other app creators in this list, GameSalad operates through a software that needs to be downloaded on your computer.

You will be charged a fee of $29 per month, which will let you publish to all the major platforms such as Android and iOS.

 

Develop a prototype

The next stage after building your first app is; developing a prototype. This involves taking an idea and turning it into an application with some basic functionality. Having a prototype makes it much easier to sell your ideas to potential buyers who get to actually view and have a feel of the tangible benefits of your app, instead of just hearing about or reading product description. With a prototype in place; you’ve got a major tool to attract investors. It is also very helpful for sourcing and working with manufacturers and also to get licenses.

Also, keep in mind that while working with a prototype; you must have taken measures to secure your app against unauthorised usage and access to otherwise valid data.

 

Integrate an analytics tool

Once your app prototype is completed and out. You need to be able to track how many visitors used your site, what they do on your site, how that arrived on your site, and how likely they are to revisit your site. To keep track of all these data; you will need to incorporate an appropriate analytics.

Here are some mobile analytic tools you can use for this are:

• Google Analytics
• Flurry
• Localytics
• Mix panel
• Preemtive

All these can help make your app highly marketable.

 

Identify beta testers for feedback

Beta testing is a means of getting feedback from your target customers. This is rather necessary, as it will help enhance your visibility in the app store. It will also provide the initial push in the app store. Clearly defining your target customers will enable you identify the right testers during your beta testing recruiting. Beta testing is the best opportunity to get real feedback from Target customers and provides the opportunity for you to better understand your target customers and how to best satisfy them.

Release your App

After all these processes; your app is then ready to be fully released into the market.

Continue to upgrade your app with improvements and better features.

 

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