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Consumers who transact business on their mobile devices increasingly prefer to use a company’s mobile app over its website. This is especially true when it comes to making purchases, with one global survey finding that 78% of buyers regularly use retailers’ mobile apps.
But it’s not enough to just put together a basic, bare-bones app. A variety of research has found that consumers expect business apps to offer a range of robust features, including security, personalization, speed, enhanced performance, customer service capabilities and more. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council offer their tips to help companies across industries ensure their mobile apps remain fresh and relevant for consumers and provide an optimal ROI.
1. View The App As A Product
With the growth in offerings companies provide, a mobile app has become a key enabler, and keeping it relevant and updated is a focus for success. To drive newness, organizations should view the app as a product, developing a product roadmap that is “user first” in determining how things are added or changed. By viewing the app with a roadmap and a focus on the user, newness will be a consistent process rather than a challenge. – Robert Chapman, 101 Solutions
2. Plan For A Continuous Delivery Cycle
Plan for a continuous delivery cycle—that way, releases aren’t always a major undertaking, nor are they as overwhelming for users as they would be if they were only happening every year or two. Small changes that introduce minor features, done regularly, will keep users coming back and feeling like the app is growing with their needs. Pivoting is easier if you are already planning on another release soon. – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket
3. Prioritize A Human-Centered UX
To keep a mobile app fresh and relevant, prioritize human-centered UX design and continuous user research. Regularly engage with users through surveys, interviews and usability testing to gather insights into their evolving needs and preferences. By focusing on the UX, companies can create valuable and engaging apps that remain relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape. – Morgan Shuler, Tapplix Applications & Web Design
4. Stay On Top Of Security Issues And Bugs
To keep your app fresh and relevant, focus on security and the user experience. Regularly update the app to fix any security issues and improve how users interact with it. Listen to your users by checking app reviews and using heatmaps to see how they use the app. Use tools that automatically report bugs to the admin for quick fixes. – Amit Samsukha, Emizen Tech
5. Focus On Accessibility And Inclusivity
Ensure your app is usable by people with diverse abilities. Implement features such as VoiceOver support, adjustable text sizes and high-contrast modes. Not only does this expand your user base, but it also aligns with growing industry standards and user expectations. An inclusive app is a relevant app, demonstrating your commitment to serving all users. – Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC
6. Pay Attention To The Details Of The User Journey
One tip to keep a mobile app fresh and relevant is to prioritize attention to detail in the user experience. Focus on making the user journey seamless and efficient, minimizing the interactions needed to access information or perform actions. Regularly update the app with intuitive UI and UX improvements based on user feedback to ensure it remains user-friendly and competitive. – Ruchir Brahmbhatt, Ecosmob Technologies Private Limited
7. Tap Into Real-Time Analytics
Accessing real-time analytics to see how the app is being used (or not used) is very important. This data can help you decide which areas to double down on in the next releases. In-app feedback can also go a long way, as can in-app tutorials that share details about what’s new! – Amit S Phadnis, RapidAI
8. Update It Regularly
The most important tip I would share is to ensure regular updates to keep the app current with technological advancements, security patches and user expectations. Regular updates show users the app is actively maintained, building trust and loyalty. They also allow for new features, performance enhancements and bug fixes, ensuring the app remains valuable, smooth and relevant. – Ben Gebremeskel, TeckPath
9. Keep Up With Changing User Preferences
High-quality mobile apps must evolve to keep up with user preferences. For example, for years, mobile apps have included push notifications as a core channel for communications and marketing. However, as users and consumers make proactive choices, the utility and priority of push notifications may diminish. Stay close to market trends by tracking popular apps and engaging in periodic consumer research. – Aasim Saeed, Amenities Health
10. Implement Adaptive Learning Algorithms
To keep a mobile app fresh and relevant, consider implementing adaptive learning algorithms. The algorithms can personalize the user experience by analyzing an individual user’s behavior and preferences in real time, dynamically adjusting the app’s content, features and interface accordingly. This ensures each user receives a unique and continually evolving experience that’s tailored to their needs and interests. – Deepak Gupta, Cars24 Financial Services
11. Seek Out And Act On Users’ Suggestions
The first and foremost step a company should take to ensure its mobile app stays fresh and relevant is to listen to real user feedback and implement updates based on their suggestions. Such data is the most precious resource for continuous improvement, as it provides insights into what users really need and allows for truly meaningful updates that drive user satisfaction. – Yuriy Gnatyuk, Kindgeek
12. Provide Both Apple And Android Versions
It’s important to provide both Apple and Android versions of your app. Additionally, listening to user feedback when deciding on new functionality is vital, as are UI and UX tweaks to give consumers what they will actually use. – Bankim Chandra, DotSquares LLC
13. Address Users’ Pain Points
Regularly gather and act on user feedback to keep your mobile app fresh and relevant. Implementing user-requested features and addressing their pain points through updates ensures the app continues to meet evolving user needs and stays competitive in the market. – Kinil Doshi, Citibank
14. Leverage Gamification
Incorporate gamification strategies such as rewards, challenges and leaderboards to keep users engaged. These elements can make the app more interactive and fun, encouraging users to return frequently. Regularly updating these features and introducing new challenges or rewards based on user behavior can maintain interest and relevancy. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
15. Incorporate An Assistive GenAI Interface
To keep your mobile app fresh and relevant, use generative AI to create a conversational interface that adapts to the user’s needs. It acts like a personal assistant, engaging with users, answering questions and providing personalized recommendations. Continually update your AI to respond to trends and user feedback, ensuring your app remains dynamic and engaging—like a fun chat with an old friend. – Michael Haske, Krista.ai
16. Test OS Compatibility During QA
Include compatibility testing in your quality assurance process. While it’s important to test your app on the latest Android and iOS versions, there’s always part of the user base that hasn’t upgraded yet. Crashes and bugs due to incompatibility lead to frustration and negative reviews. Ensuring compatibility with older OS versions provides an enjoyable user experience for a larger audience. – Konstantin Klyagin, Redwerk
17. Conduct Benchmarking And Trend Analysis
One effective strategy for maintaining an app’s relevance and appeal is to conduct benchmarking and trend analysis. By comparing your app’s performance and features to the apps of your leading competitors and staying updated on industry trends, you can pinpoint opportunities for enhancement and creativity. This method assures integration of user preferences and aligns with changing market needs. – Sarah Choudhary, Ice Innovations
18. Choose (And Stick To) Update Intervals
Choose suitable update intervals. Most users hate changes to their routines. Thus, you can either make frequent small changes or rare large ones. Once you determine a model, stick to it—don’t randomly change it. – Kevin Korte, Univention
19. Innovate With A Purpose
Innovate with a purpose: Only add new features that solve a real problem or bring tremendous improvement to the user experience. Avoid adding features for the sake of it. To maintain an engaging app, each innovation should have a clear purpose and fitting value and address users’ needs and/or market trends. – Sandro Shubladze, Datamam
20. Build A Strong Community
Build a strong community around your app. Encourage user interaction through features such as social media integration, where users can share experiences, provide feedback and help each other. Facilitating a sense of community creates a loyal user base and generates valuable user-generated content and insights. Hosting webinars, Q&A sessions or contests can also boost engagement. – Roman Reznikov, Intellias
