You’ve read countless posts about people who “hit it big” by developing a winning app.

Now, you’ve dreamed up a few app ideas of your own, and you’d like to give it a go.

The only issue?

You’re not sure how the process of developing mobile apps actually works.

In this post, we’ll tell you the basics of mobile app development. (We promise, it’s not as complicated as you might think.)

From understanding how your app genuinely improves the lives of your users to creating a wireframe that will keep you organized and motivated, read on to learn what you need to know to make it in the App Store.

1. Know What Your Users Want

You know need to find your app’s user niche — the demographic that’s the most likely to both use and directly benefit from what your app has to offer.

This means you’ll need to conduct thorough market research.

Understand the colors, design schemes, types of apps, marketing strategies, and more that your market gravitates towards.

Understand the tech trends and topics they like the most.

Maybe they’re interested in augmented reality apps that allow them to heavily edit their photos. Perhaps they need assistance with organization and communication in the office. Maybe they want to learn about upcoming events in their city.

Whatever your app offers, make sure you’re delivering it in a way that’s the most attractive to your market.

2. Research Your Competitors

One of the app development basics you can’t afford to ignore?

Strong competitor research.

First of all, this helps you to ensure that you’re truly bringing something new to the app market. You don’t want to give users a slower or less fun version of an app that’s already out there.

But you’ll also learn what works and what doesn’t, so you can exploit the gaps in their apps later on. Maybe users are bogged down by ads, in-app purchases, or lag times.

Maybe the app doesn’t offer strong privacy options, or the ability to communicate directly with others who use it.

Whatever your competitors aren’t doing yet is exactly what you need to focus on.

3. Create Wireframes

When you’re coming up with an idea for a commercial or another marketing plan, chances are you come up with some sort of a storyboard.

A wireframe for mobile development apps works in much the same way.

You create a diagram and detailed outline of each page of your app, focusing on both design and explaining the functions.

This way, you’ll have a kind of “map” for every part of your app. It’s incredibly helpful when it comes to keeping you organized and on task throughout the development process.

Check out more tips on the wireframe aspect of Mobile App Development on this post on the app creation lifecycle.

4. Get Professional Help

So, you’ve come up with an awesome idea for your app.

You’ve mastered market research, you’ve drawn up a wireframe, and you have some great ideas about the design and functions you want to incorporate.

The only problem?

You’re not exactly sure where you go from here. You know you don’t have the technical chops to develop a strong backend on your own. You need help bringing the app to life.

The good news is that there are a few DIY app building tools, like the ones on this list, that may allow you to build simpler apps on your own.

However, sometimes the best thing to do for your app is to work with a professional app developer. They’ll help you to ensure your app is released in the store with as few issues as possible and will optimize your app to keep it user-friendly.

Yes, it’s a bit of an investment. However, when your app starts bringing in serious profits, you’ll be glad you did it.

5. Testing Matters Most

No one wants to download an app that’s full of bugs, impossible to use, or just not very much fun.

Testing — both using robotic automated testing and human user testing — is likely the most important part of mobile app development.

You want to deliver the best possible product to consumers on the first release.

Through testing, you’ll learn how to improve user experience, catch glitches, and ensure that your app is optimized for all different phone and tablet sizes/operating systems.

6. Take Marketing Seriously

You don’t just launch your app in the store and then walk away.

You’ve worked incredibly hard to master basic app development. Without advertising your app consistently and across multiple platforms, all that hard work will go to waste.

Ask for reviews, customer feedback, and rankings, and even write guest posts on blogs about apps and all other tech toys.

Post about your app on social media, work with influencers in the tech industry and even create a video trailer for your app.

Follow These Tips for Successful Mobile App Development

Now that you know what it takes to do mobile app development the right way, we know that you’re ready to bring your own app ideas to life.

Of course, you may still have quite a few questions. We’re here to help make sure you get all the answers you need.

Keep checking back with our blog for the latest trends in app development, advice on how to make a profitable app, and the kinds of things your target market is looking for.

We can’t wait to help you get started on a lucrative — and fun — career as an app developer.