5 Top App Development Mistakes to Avoid in 2022
Tags: mobile, programming, android, ios
Published: 2022-01-04 12:05:24

Investing in [mobile app development](https://www.goodfirms.co/directory/platform/app-development) will help your brand get a competitive edge over your rival. Mobile apps can help you build your brand awareness, boost your company's revenue and provide better support and services to your customers. Also, it lets you forge brand loyalty and increase customer engagement and satisfaction. 

So, it comes as no surprise that apps have massively inundated businesses. Just check out these interesting stats to see how apps have effortlessly weaved into the fabric of our lives:  
 

- Mobile app downloads [have grown 23.3%](https://sensortower.com/blog/app-revenue-and-downloads-q3-2020) since the pandemic. 
- Mobile app downloads will reach 258 billion by 2021. [That's a 45% increase since 2017](https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/app-annie-2017-2022-forecast/). 
- Customers have spent [3 hours and 45 minutes](https://www.emarketer.com/content/average-us-time-spent-with-mobile-in-2019-has-increased) on their smartphones daily by 2020. It's a 9-minute increase compared to the previous year. 
- Mobile apps account for [70% of all digital media time](https://www.marketingcharts.com/digital/mobile-phone-111093). 
- [48% of customers](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/app-and-mobile/what-users-want-most-from-mobile-sites-today/) admitted that an app helps determine brand credibility.
 

The point is that developing a mobile app for your brand will be one of the best decisions for your company. Although, people make many mistakes when building one, which leads to failure of their application. 

We don't want that to happen to you. So, through this post, I will be sharing what mistakes you should avoid when building your mobile app. Let’s get started.  



## Mistake #1. Failing To Understand Your Customer’s Requirements

 
People often assume that everyone will love their mobile app. They don't conduct any research regarding their customer's requirements and needs. Such endeavors always end up as a disaster. Always determine your target audience before you start working on the project. 

User research is essential. Conduct a thorough understanding of your customer's motivations, personas, behavior patterns, and demographics. 

Ask yourself the following questions before commencing the app development: 

- Is your mobile app’s solution valuable and sustainable? 
- Is the app designed as per the latest market trends? 
- Are the features well-executed and user-friendly? 
- Is the app idea original? Are the markets oversaturated with similar ones? 

Both marketing and the development of a mobile app depend on user research. Hence, you cannot rely on assumptions regarding consumers' behavior and needs. 

Also, determine what your competitors are doing and how you can be different from them. 

Good research will save you lots of time and energy in the long run. 



## Mistake #2. Underestimating the Total Budget 


You have to consider the resources required to develop the mobile app. It's not like you have a dream of owning an application one fine day and immediately start building it the next day. 

Every resource will require an investment. Hence, creating a budget is essential before starting the mobile app development.

There are multiple online calculators to determine the mobile app development cost upfront. We will share with you the best one. 

We will share with you the [GoodFirms survey report](https://www.goodfirms.co/resources/cost-to-develop-an-app). It will help you determine the cost of developing a mobile app.  



## Mistake #3. Poor User Interface


First impressions matter! Pay close attention to the user interface of your mobile app. There are abundant applications at the app stores. People don't hesitate to remove apps from their devices if they don't find them interesting.  The point is: User retention is more important than ever now.  So, if you want your app to be downloaded in the first place make sure it’s UI is user-friendly. Hence, prioritize the [mobile design process](https://www.goodfirms.co/blog/effective-tricks-mobile-app-designing) to build an application that users will love to use. 

Keep the following points in mind when designing the application UI: 

- Design an app flowchart first before you start working on the application 
- Focus on resolution. Avoid designing for low resolution. 
- Don't add animation in the intro. People are impatient, and an unskippable one will lead to the uninstallation of the app.
- Ensure that the animation used in indicating the loading time keeps customers engaged. 
- Add a gesture-based interface to your UI.
- Allow users to navigate easily via shortcuts and also reverse their actions quickly. 
- The UI design should be consistent. 
- Provide informative feedback 
- Design dialog to allow closure
- Prevent errors as much as possible
 



## Mistake #4.  Adding Too Many Features 


Adding too many features won't make the user appreciate your mobile app more. Nowadays, the word "**feature-rich**" gets frequently used by marketers, [developers](https://www.goodtal.com/app-developer), and companies. They believe it to be a positive quality of their application, but it's a common mistake.   

Having too many features can make a mobile app cumbersome. Adding those extra features means you will have to spend more time, resources, and effort during mobile app development. 

Hence, go for the main feature and add only those side ones that support the application's purpose. 

If you check out the Zomato app, here are all its features: 
Adding food to the cart

- Location detection for address 
- Payment portal
- Order tracking
- Help and support
 

All these side features fulfill the essential purpose of the app. None of them feels extra. That's how your mobile app should be too.   
 


## Mistake #5. Focus on Downloads Instead of Retention


One major blunder most app entrepreneurs make is focusing on the total no of downloads instead of retention. They consider it as proof of their app's success. 

It is not always the case that high download rates mean that the application is a hit. Nonetheless, the app's true strength and quality depend on the user retention rate. 

Regardless of this reality, People spend thousands of dollars on user acquisition and completely ignore user retention. But then that’s not how it should be, as existing app users can bring in massive ROI (return of investment) if they are correctly engaged. 

Loyal consumers not only repeat purchases but also give quality feedback and word-of-mouth advertising.  

Here I will share some tips for improving user engagement and app retention:  

- Create a pleasant onboarding experience.  
- Add push notifications in the right way. 
- Use branded in-app messages. 
- Attract people with different offers, discounts, and loyalty programs.  
- Encourage and reward feedback from your customers. 

User retention will save you a lot of money that you are spending on marketing. A truly successful app will generate both high downloads and retention rates.



## Avoid the above Mistakes to give your App a Strong Start and a Long Lease of Life
  
A mobile app will aid you in promoting your business products and services to customers from anywhere and at any time. To ensure its success, keep the following points in mind: 

- Have a thorough understanding of your customer's requirements. 
- Properly plan your budget.
- Add only those features that are relevant to your application's core purpose.
- Focus on retention rate. 
- Make the UI of your mobile app user-friendly.

If you are ready to start working on your mobile app, head over to Goodfirm's [mobile app development service companies](https://www.goodfirms.co/directory/platform/app-development), and from there, you can choose which of the companies is ideal for transforming your app idea into a reality.    
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I hope this blog helps you in launching a successful product in the market. Keep these five points in mind, and your app’s success will be inevitable.