8 Steps To Build And Viralize Your App

Posted on Aug 5 2014 - 9:02am by Vani Gundara

Mobile App

With the days of smart phones turning into mini-computers completely upon us, no one knows quite what the future will hold for hand-held devices. What we do know, is that mobile application design is here to stay. In this post we are going to talk about the eight steps needed to successfully build, market, and viralize your application. Listen up app designers, we are talking to you!

  • Step 1: You’ve come up with the idea for your app, perhaps you have even completed building the first prototype. Before you go any further you need to determine the unique selling point of this upcoming app. And don’t think for one second that a catchy name is going to sell the app for you. In this first step we want you to answer the basic question of: Why are people going to buy it? Once you can answer that question move on to step two.
  • Step 2: Now that you have discovered the unique selling point for you mobile application design, it is time to give it a competitive edge. This effect is achieved through quality content, easy navigation, an attractive price tag (consider giving it away for free by selling ad space to potential investors), and simple operations. Once the competitive edge(s) is in place, set-up a website design to launch your app to the world via a successful marketing campaign.
  • Step 3: This step is actually a bit of cautionary advice. As you start to market your new app, make sure that you stay out of trouble by following all app store agreements and policies. Nothing is worse than building a great app, letting it out into the world, only to have it kicked off of the app store due to simple policy breaches. Remember, once your app is live, it can inspire someone else to build a similar app that might just take you out of the competition. Speaking of competition be sure to add patents and copyrights to the various components of your app and subsequent marketing campaign. Better safe than sorry!
  • Step 4: As the marketing of your app continues, make sure that you release plenty of test versions. Test versions are a great way to get user feedback and incorporating improvements in a timely fashion. Happy users = successful app.
  • Step 5: Once the user feedback is relatively strong, be sure to properly optimize your app within the chosen app store. This is a crucial step to achieving the maximum level of exposure.
  • Step 6: Is your app starting to pick up momentum? Great! Now is the time to get creative with marketing. As discussed in some of our previous blog posts on innovative content marketing formats, be sure to try out video trailers, infographics, and smart website display to get users truly interested in your new app.
  • Step 7: Time to ramp-up marketing with eye-catching press releases, links to your app website, and consistent viral marketing.
  • Step 8: Finish with a viral marketing bang by making sure that your app is being promoted across all types of avenues. Don’t forget to keep an eye on finances; once your app “goes viral” you will be able to re-target some of your marketing dollars, in an effort to continue to achieve further success.

Good luck app designers and happy building, marketing, and viralizing!

About the Author

I am Vani Gundara Founder and Creative Director at DesignSpinners a Web designing and web service company. Design Spinners is located in Los Angeles, California but works with teams across the United States and Internationally.