Among all the key steps in building a successful mobile application, maintenance is undoubtedly a critical one. It’s simply a must if you really want to keep your app functional, scalable and user-friendly. Follow the article to learn why it’s highly recommended to invest in long-term app maintenance and what the best tips for doing it wisely are.
Why is long-term app maintenance important?
In our previous article: What is mobile application maintenance? We have listed the types of mobile application maintenance and highlighted a few reasons for making them a priority in the app development process. The obvious facts are that maintenance helps to keep the proper user experience, the right operational speed and a bug-free environment. All kinds of negligence can play a role and losing customer's interest obviously decreases income.
To sum up, well-conducted long-term app maintenance can bring benefits such as:
- Cost-cutting. A well-maintained app contributes to reducing technical debt and minimizing the costs of further bug-fixing.
- Improved data security which means mitigated risks and price of dealing with the consequences of potential cyber-attack or data loss.
- Better user experience and user satisfaction that results in more frequent use of the application and higher incomes.
- Increased scalability thanks to being in line with the app development business and technical standards.
- Higher popularity thanks to users’ recommendations and positive reviews.
At Appunite, with the experience of building nearly 200 successful mobile applications, we’re fully aware of the importance of mobile application maintenance. However, the process involves more than just bug searching. It’s also about providing a holistic view and approach to both business and technical aspects of app development. This is why we provide support during the entire post-development process, long-term app maintenance and implement industry best practices.
Tips for long-term app maintenance
Let’s have a look at the best tips that will make your app well-maintained.
1. Follow the competition
Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. Being updated on your competitor’s actions might be a source of valuable knowledge about market trends and customers’ expectations and a chance to modify your steps accordingly. If you wish your users appreciated your product more than that of your competitors’, you need to learn exactly what the strengths and weaknesses are for you and them, and figure out how to highlight or hide them in your business communication.
2. Mind your PR
As we’re application development experts first and foremost, you could expect us to focus mainly on technical aspects. However, this is not the right approach. Having worked on nearly 200 successful mobile applications, we are aware that, in order to succeed, marketing and PR just can’t be neglected. And why is that?
Constantly strengthening your brand is the way to attract more users. In order to achieve this, you need to track whether your app receives positive or negative reviews and react accordingly. Basically, this is how you get or lose customers. So, there’s no successful mobile application without monitoring and improving PR - keep that in mind!
3. Add new features
Due to the enormous availability of digital solutions, customers are becoming more and more demanding. This means that regular improvements and updates are a must if you want to keep them satisfied and engaged. When the app is not updated and equipped with the most trendy solutions, your users might eagerly switch to more competitive options. In order to prevent it, monitor how your users are interacting with your app and what kind of functionalities they are using. Then, react accordingly by upgrading those which are most wanted and diminishing those that aren’t so popular.
4. Accelerate fixing bugs
As end-users of mobile apps tend to be so impatient, a fast reaction to errors and bugs isn’t negotiable. Remember that 21% of users abandon the app after one use. They don’t tend to stay loyal to you - and when they get annoyed, they will not wait for you to fix it. This is why immediate bug elimination should become your top priority, if you want to maintain a successful mobile application in 2022.
5. Check the licenses
Having your software updated is the next must in the mobile application maintenance routine. As most of them are built using a licensed technology, it needs to be checked beforehand whether the certifications need to be renewed in order to keep the app functional and well-maintained. So, it’s crucial to keep an eye on expiration dates in order to react in advance.
6. Ensure integrity
In the technology world, there is no space for stagnancy. With the new iOS and Android versions being launched every year, keeping the software updated is mandatory. Keeping your mobile app integrated with all newly-released third-party applications and tools is challenging, but has a significant impact on the app’s performance and speed. So, if you don’t want to lose customers and stay behind, it’s time to schedule a calendar for periodic follow-ups and updates.
7. Conduct regular testing
If you think that testing is something that needs to be done only before the launch, you couldn’t be more wrong. If you wish to keep your app functional and well-maintained, regular check-ups and bug fixing is the next mandatory step on your long-term app maintenance path. So, monitoring the performance of your app should become your daily routine, and include measures such as loading time, response time and responsiveness. This will help you to minimize the retention and loss of users and ensure the right condition of your app in the long run.
8. Mind the security
Along with the development of technologies, we can sadly observe an increasing number of cyber threats. According to Forbes, there are already 26,000 attacks per day and 18 per minute. This means that no company is safe, and even small organizations are already exposed to threats. So, you need to ensure that your customers’ data is safe, as it’s a matter of trust and loyalty.
9. Focus on UX
Last but not least, it’s the customer who must be satisfied. Following the trends and introducing regular improvements increase the chance that you will fulfill their expectations. This is why it’s crucial to never stop on the journey of learning your customers’ behavior and habits, and using this knowledge to improve the app in terms of UX and UI.
Long-term app maintenance
If you wish to keep your app well-maintained, but lack skills, experience or resources, no worries. Finding a reliable partner, who will support you holistically, not only to the moment of the release but will also provide you with post-development services and mobile application maintenance best practices, might be the right option for you
If you’re still looking for such a partner, feel free to contact us. With our experience and qualified team, at Appunite we will be able to provide you with an end-to-end app development process and long-term app maintenance services.
