This article will guide you through the eight steps of mobile app development. With this guide, you can avoid costly mistakes and streamline the process. Whether you’re opting for app development services from Purrweb or building in-house, you’ll gain valuable insights and control.

How mobile development services work?

Mobile app development involves several stages. In this section, we take a detailed look at each of them.

Step 1. Start with market research

To make the app pay off, you need to understand the demand for your app. Market size research can be conducted using two primary approaches: top-down and bottom-up.

Step 2. Define your target audience

Target audience analysis helps in designing features and functionalities. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:

• Demographics: age, gender, income level, and location
• Psychographics: interests, values, lifestyle choices
• Behavioural traits: app usage patterns, spending habits, and device preferences
• Pain points and needs: what problems are they facing that your app will solve?
• Platforms: do they prefer iOS or Android?

Step 3. Native, hybrid, or web app?

The choice of an app type is influenced by app complexity and features. In this section, we compare the main app types developed by application development services.

Step 4. Choose monetisation options

Do you know how your app will make money? Below are the most common methods.

Step 5. Build your app marketing strategy

Effective marketing guarantees your app's success. You need to engage users long before the launch. Consider the following strategies:

• Define your branding: establish a distinct brand identity. Your name, colours, logo, and tone of content should stand out among competitors. Ensure consistency across all platforms
• Find your channels: determine where your audience spends time. It can be social media or other platforms. Target your campaigns to those resources
• Create content: develop written and video content that resonates with your audience. Share this content on the platforms they frequent
• Kick off your outreach: connect with influencers in your industry to promote your app. Personalized outreach helps build strong partnerships

Step 6. Plan for App Store optimisation

App store optimisation improves your app’s visibility in app stores. Here are the key actions to take.

Step 7. Know your resources

To understand the time and resources required, you can analyse the following app development elements.

Step 8. Ensure security measures

There is not a single scenario where mobile development services are allowed to sacrifice security. Here are the steps that you should take to make an app safe for users.

The bottom line

To create an app from scratch is scary. Especially if you’ve never done it before. That’s why we decided to create this guide. We wanted to give some beginners confidence to navigate the process. Whether you choose to work on your own or with mobile development services, having a clear understanding gives you control over the process.