Is My App Idea Good Enough?
Developing an app is easier than ever. There are multiple frameworks you can use to develop an app for several operating systems at once. Instead of coding using native languages, you develop the app once and compile it for platforms like iOS and Android.
The entry barrier to developing your own app is also lower than ever. Courses about developing an app are easy to find. There are third-party service providers that can help you develop an app based on your ideas too.
The latter option is actually very interesting. As long as you have a good idea for an app, you can turn that idea into an app that users actually love. The real question is, is your app idea good enough?
The Reason Behind Idea Validation
Validating your idea for an app is important. Instead of developing an app that users don’t like – or one that doesn’t solve any problems – it is much better to simulate how the ideas will work in the eyes of potential users. It is worth noting that validating your idea is easier than you think – we will get to that in a second.
The benefits of idea validation, however, go beyond saving you the trouble of actually developing a bad app. Along the way, you will also learn about your market, your target audience, and the overall probability of your app achieving market success. These are crucial elements that are also needed as you craft a business plan for your app.
So, how do you validate the idea you have for an app?
Consult Experts
The last part of the process is getting a fresh pair of eyes – or several of them – to look at your app idea. You can work with top names like Appetiser, an experienced app development company, to see if your idea is suitable enough for development. in the case of Appetiser, you can talk to experts about your app ideas for free.
Getting a yes at the end of the process means you can continue with the development project. Now that you are confident that the app idea is solid, you can focus on developing that idea into an app that users love, and then getting your new app to the intended users.
Start with a Mature Idea
The temping thing to do is immediately start thinking that you have the best idea for an app. The truth is, your first idea is usually – well, mostly – rubbish. It will take several iterations before you have a complete, mature idea that is ready to be developed into an app.
This too is an important process that should not be skipped. Working on the initial idea lets you really test if it will work as an actual app. Does the app solve a problem? Will the app be interesting for users based on the value it delivers?
At this point, you also need to develop the mechanics of the app. With tools like Adobe XD and Sketch just one download away, rapid prototyping of your app becomes something you can do on your own. These tools clearly make crafting a working app easy.
Size the Market
The next thing you want to do when validating your app idea is sizing the market. There is no easy way to do this; you just have to dig deep and do your own research.
If your app solves a problem, for example, you need to calculate the number of people facing the same problem. If you are selling products or services through the app, you want to make sure that a large chunk of your target market is comfortable with using an app.
The market size determines whether it makes sense to move forward with the development project. Based on the market size, you can quantify the number of target users you can reach.
From there, you can further calculate the potential revenue that the app can generate over time. Using these metrics, you can forecast the return on investment of your app before the development project.
Market Interest
Keep in mind that you also need to market the app once it is completed. For the app to gain traction early in the game, a comprehensive digital (and sometimes offline) marketing campaign is needed. You will need to use ads and other marketing instruments to attract the right audience groups.
Here’s the good news: the digital marketing instruments you will use to market your new app can also be used to measure market interest for the app. Google-related keyword tools, for instance, can be used to measure the interest level of apps in a particular genre. The same is true with social media channels.
You also have the option to review your competitors, particularly if your app idea is an improvement of existing ones. Read reviews of existing apps, learn from the pros and cons, and make sure you don’t end up making the same mistakes when developing your own app.
Are you working on a new app?
