Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building an App

Some of the best brand experiences these days come from creative apps. From gamifying the customer experience to simply making the customer journey better and more exciting, the right app can transform the way a business is presented online.

But all that relies on having the right kind of app that both serves a purpose and enhances the customer’s overall experience.

Here are just a handful of the most common mistakes we see businesses making when designing and launching an app, and how to bypass them.

1. Building an App for the Sake of it

The number one mistake a business can make is having an app that doesn’t really do anything.

If your app isn’t solving a problem experienced by either your team or your customers, then you don’t need it. Period.

It’s a waste of resources and time and will require ongoing maintenance – all at no real or tangible benefit to the business.

At Tappable, we overcome this hurdle by working closely with clients to understand the purpose of the app long before anything reaches the design room. If we don’t believe in the ‘why’, it’s better to know sooner rather than later – and save you time and money!

2. Building an App Solely for the Business (not the users)

Your app needs to support your business, and it goes without saying that if you’re going to represent the app, you need to love it and believe in it.

But that shouldn’t mean designing an entire app based solely on your preferences and ideas.

Far too many businesses remain incredibly insular when designing and building an app and never seek thoughts and feedback from customers and users outside the business. However, these are the everyday users that you are designing the app for – ergo, their thoughts are crucial!

Once you’ve decided to build an app, the number one item on your checklist should be identifying a focus group to help with the design and development of the app and its interface. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming you know what they want – ask them and find out exactly what they need from an app in order to make their journey and the experience with your business better.

NOTE: This is true for both customers using an app, and your team navigating a new web application for the business.

3. They Stop Testing

When it comes to app design and development, you will notice that the product teams and developers at the top of the industry are always testing and communicating with users. Not just before the app is launched to the public or throughout your business, but via an ongoing rota of testing and updates.

This is because trends and preferences change all the time, and the way that users interact with an app differs from one individual to the next.

It is crucial that, once you have a design in mind and your app is launched, you never stop testing it and getting user feedback.

4. Limiting Future Growth

This can be a difficult one to get your head around, particularly if you’re new to app design.

In short, there are lots of different frameworks that can be used to build a mobile or web application. The framework you choose needs to support what you want to do now, without limiting your future growth and the integration of new features.

This stems from the foundational design of the app you build and is a conversation worth airing early on with your chosen developer. At Tappable, we future-proof every business app – internal or customer-facing – to ensure it remains open to any and all future growth.

5. Using Your App Solely for Marketing

This is a mistake that mainly affects businesses that use a mobile app for customer outreach and engagement.

While an app provides a great opportunity and platform for direct connection with customers, there’s a fine line between being engaging and being overbearing. Too much, and customers will move in the opposite direction – looking to disengage from you completely.

The mistake here is building an app with the sole purpose of sending notifications to users. Push notifications in particular should be reserved for high-value, time-sensitive announcements – and should be used sparingly.

Building an App to Boost Your Business

The right app can elevate your business, streamlining internal processes and levelling up your customer outreach and engagement.

It all comes down to designing and building an app with intention, backed by testing and gaining regular insight and feedback from real users.

At Tappable, every app development project starts with a ‘why’, future-proofing apps so that they are suitable for current needs and future growth. For more information on our development services and to build your business app without falling down a rabbit hole of common mistakes, get in touch with the Tappable team directly.