I Have an Idea for an App. Now What?

The demand for mobile apps is increasing year after year. People worldwide rely on different mobile apps to complete many tasks.

Now, if you have an idea for an app, you have just taken the first step toward success.

It is not to demotivate you, but actual work starts after that. Moreover, many people who have converted app ideas into reality are earning millions.

As of now, many people are clueless like you after getting an app idea. With that in mind, you might be thinking of a few questions like

• I have an app idea. Where do I start?
• How to get my app idea developed?
• How can I validate my app?
• How can I patent my app?

Don’t worry! We got you covered with all these questions.

We have years of experience working in the mobile app development industry. Hence, we know what to do with an app idea.

In this blog, we will walk you through essential steps to consider on getting an app idea.

Before that, we will look at the current scenario of mobile apps worldwide.

State of Mobile Application Market

As per BusinessofApps, the revenue that Android and iOS apps generated in 2021 grew by 19%, reaching $133 billion.

According to Statista, the number of mobile apps on the Google play store is 3.50 million, and 2.18 million on Apple’s app store. The number is increasing every year.

If you have an app idea, it is the right time to convert it into reality and present it to the world. However, having an app idea is not enough. You need to conduct development and then marketing to make your app successful.

Here is the list of essential things you should consider on getting an app idea.

Before You Start

Initially, you should be aware that building an app is not a cakewalk. You need to spend sufficient time & money to develop an app. You also need the best developers to create a successful app.

The best thing is to hire a mobile app development company. When you hire one, you can get access to best-in-class developers, designers, testers, and more.

Moreover, you can constantly remain in touch with the development team to build your app.

Where to Start

The core purpose of any app is to provide a solution.

Hence, the first step after getting an app idea is to sit down and list all the pain points of your target audience. Considering these pain points, decide on a solution you would offer to the target audience and the UX.

The ultimate goal is to make a detailed note of the solution. Here is the list of things that you should include in the description.

• Choose a suitable name for your app.
• Create a pitch that explains well the problem and solution you want to solve. Ensure that it gains and holds the interest of users & investors.
• The features you want to add to your app and how they would benefit the users.
• A quick navigation map that describes the way users will engage in your app and the entire flow of information within the app.
• A value proposition that explains how the app is unique.
• Look at different industries and decide which your app falls into. Then, research that industry well if you are trying to build an app outside your vertical.

Lastly, if your app is similar to your competitors, try to integrate something unique in your app or present your app in a way better than competitors.

Protect Your App Idea

Protecting your app idea is very much essential. The reason is you have done the hard work of finding a relevant idea and then gathered resources to convert it into reality. Due to this, losing it would cause a lot of harm.

Here are some surefire ways to protect your app idea.

1. Choose the Right Development Company

Here are some essential points for selecting the right development company.

Consult the clients:

• Check out the company’s client testimonials.
• Approach these clients via LinkedIn or any other social media platform.
• Ask them about their experience working with the company.

Check Reviews on B2B Platforms: Any company doesn’t want to display a negative review. To check unbiased reviews, check the company’s reviews on B2B platforms, such as GoodFirms, Clutch, etc.

Evaluate their presence & portfolio: How long has the company been providing app development services? Which industries and clients a company had worked with over the years? Don’t just blindly follow the information on their website. Verify their presence on platforms like Quora.

By following these things, you will find a relevant development company.

2. Sign an NDA

One of the primary ways to protect intellectual property, such as an idea or business plan, is by signing an NDA.

NDA stands for a Non-disclosure agreement and is an agreement signed by you and your app developer. As soon as you sign this, the app developer can’t share any project details with a third party.

If the app development company breaks the contract, you have the full right to take legal action against them. As a result, before disclosing any of the essential details of the project with the app development company, you should sign an NDA along with proper terms & conditions.

3. Never Share Your Idea Until It Gets Live

You must keep your idea private from the stakeholders. Besides, you should also not share your idea with your friends or relatives.

You may have a question, Why?

The main reason is that the higher an idea gets shared, the higher its chances of being stolen away.

Therefore, it is crucial to keep your idea confidential until it becomes available to the public. Doing this will reduce the chances of your app idea’s revelation before the launch.

Validate Your App Idea

Validating an app idea is essential before building it. There are some methods to validate your app idea. Here, we will look at the three most effective ways.

1. Set Your Potential Audience

What kind of people will use your app? Identifying & defining your potential users is challenging. However, it would be beneficial in the future.

To identify your audience, you should know what they want and think about your idea. You should also collect all the essential details about the users.

2. Define the App’s Usability

How would your app be beneficial to users every day? How many times would they require your app in a day? Identifying all of these things will help you determine the usability of your app.

By understanding these things, you can add or remove features in your app.

3. Schedule an Interview with Targeted Users

Taking an interview with the users would help you validate the app idea. In addition, it helps well in the further stages of app development. Reach out to all the users who are excited about your app.

You can find these people on Quora, Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Initiate a conversation with the users. Thus, you can find the prospects for your app.

Patent Your App Idea

You have the option to patent your app idea. It prevents your idea from being stolen or utilized by any person. Here are some of the essential requirements to patent your app idea.

1. Ensure Your Idea is Unique

The most crucial requirement to patent your idea is that it should be unique. You can’t patent an idea that is a copy, whether written or in any other format. By any means, if your idea is present in the market, you can’t patent it.

2. It Should be Beneficial

If you cannot turn your app idea into reality, you can’t patent it. Hence, you should ensure that it can be built for real users.

3. It Should be an Innovation

A patent is generally meant for innovations. As your app idea is invisible, it can be patented. The main thing required is that it should resolve a real-world challenge.

Create an MVP Version

Creating a minimum viable product would be best if you have a secured app idea. It is one of the effective ways to test and validate your idea with a low investment.

In the case of MVP, you can add, remove or enhance any of the features according to the requirement.

Besides this, you also get an option to showcase the MVP to the stakeholders & investors. By doing this, you can obtain the necessary funding to build a fully-functional version of the app.

Testing & Launch

After building an MVP version of the app, it’s time to make it available for the users. But your development process doesn’t end here. The main reason is that you are building an app to satisfy the user’s needs, which never ends. Now, you need to continuously modify the app with new features & functionalities that would be rewarding to the users.

As you have made your app live, it is time to obtain user feedback and update the app. It will dramatically improve the value of your app among potential users.

Step-by-Step Process to Create an App

Here is the simple 10-step process to create a mobile app efficiently.

1. Define Your Goals

What is your purpose behind creating the app? What do you desire to get from the app? Mention the 3 most important goals to start your app development journey.

2. Do a Competitive Research

Before you initiate the app development journey, you should do thorough research and know your target market.

First, you should determine the sector in which your app falls. Secondly, you should identify whether your app is unique or similar to any app in the market.

If your app is unique, ensure to experiment with the app market. If your app is similar to an idea in the market, list your competitors, check out the features people love, and what users expect from such applications. This step will save a ton of your time.

3. Decide Features & Functionalities

Once you’re clear about your app’s goals, it’s time to plan your app’s features and functionalities. Make a list of the most crucial features your app must have.

If you are clear about the type of app you want to develop, it’s time to look at features & functionalities. You should define all the essential features you want to integrate into the app.

You should integrate essential features & functionalities that are primarily present in the leading apps, along with some unique features. For example, if you want to create a shopping app, you must include features like Quick Search, Product Catalog, Wishlist, Checkout Process, and Payment Gateways.

4. Choose a Monetization Strategy

The next essential question after, “I have an app idea. Where do I start?” is “, How to make money from it?”

There are various ways to monetize your mobile app. Here we will walk you through some of the most popular monetization methods.

One-Time Fee: Charge the user’s specific cost to download and use the app.

Ads: Integrate various types of ads in your mobile app. You can display pop-up ads or third-party banners in your app. By doing this, you can earn money every time ads are displayed, users click on ads, or someone installs the app by clicking on the ad.

Freemium: You can provide some of the features to the users for free. Further, you charge users and provide access to some particular features.

Subscription: You provide some basic features for free. You add a monthly or quarterly subscription plan to your app and offer some advanced features to the users.

You can check out the monetization strategies used by your competitors to determine what works best. Later, you can choose the most suitable monetization strategy for your mobile app.

5. Create Wireframes

As you have clarity about the features you want to integrate, you should start creating the wireframe of your app.

6. Choose Development Approach

After creating a wireframe of your mobile app, you should build an app design. Then, choose the development approach for your mobile app. Here, you have two options. You can choose a native or cross-platform app development approach.

In the case of a native app, you need to build an app for every platform separately. Talking about the cross-platform app, you can create an app that works on multiple platforms using the same code.

If you have enough budget & sufficient and want to build a scalable app, you can build a native app. If you have less budget and want to launch your app quickly on multiple platforms, choose a cross-platform approach.

7. Build Your Mobile App

Now, you should develop your mobile app. Based on your development approach, you should create your mobile app.

8. Test Your App

As soon as your app is developed, the next thing that you should focus on is testing it thoroughly. Ensure that your app is free from any bugs & glitches to provide a best-in-class experience.

9. Launch Your App

After testing, you need to launch it online to make it accessible to the users. Based on the type of app, you need to launch on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

10. Do Marketing of Your App

After developing a mobile app, your task is still ongoing. The actual work starts after that. You need to continuously market your mobile app to ensure it reaches the target audience.

Final Words

Right from having an app idea to publishing your app, you need to invest appropriate time and money. You must remain aware of features, development costs, ROI, and more. In the end, you can establish your app as a brand & generate revenue from it.

If you still have questions about the app idea, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Webdesk Solution is a professional mobile app development company. We have a highly talented team of mobile app experts who can create the most reliable app according to your business requirements.