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Go for a Check-App and Improve your Mobile Performance

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Has your app been in poor health lately? Low percentage of downloads? Less traffic than before? No reviews in the stores? Perhaps your app has a weak immune system and could have a nasty case of “Lack of optimization”.

It's time to see the doctor!

Today I'm inviting you to step into my “doctor's office” to figure out what is wrong with your app through an App Check-Up. I will check out your perceived mobile brand identity, the user experience feedback, the relevance of your content, your users' response to notifications, your mobile communication strategy, and the optimization of the app in the stores.

Fear not, after I give you the proper remedy to take care of your app it will be just fine! 
So, let's start with a few questions and diagnose the problem. 

1. Does your app have strong and consistent identity ?

What is your customers' first impression when they search for your app in the stores? When they see your app, is it obvious to them that it is associated with your business? Or is this link unclear and your app is therefore ignored? As far as after they've downloaded it, do you think there is any chance that they believe they are mistaken and have downloaded the wrong app?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, maybe it's time to take a look at your app's visual identity and see how it can be optimized. If your purpose and identity is not perfectly clear, your users will frustratedly remove it from their smartphones and you will lose time and money—nobody wins. 

So... maybe your app has a low level of defense caused by insufficiency in brand identity. Here is the solution for achieving a well perceived mobile identity:

Step 1: Maintain consistency between your presence on desktop and mobile. Choose a similar design, background, colors, typographic, logo while offering something special that your users cannot find on your website. Choose icons and symbols that your users are already familiar with to put them at ease and increase their usage and engagement in the app. Keep the design clean and provide a simple navigation mode. By doing this, your app will meet the expectations of your mobile users and give them exactly what they are looking for.

Step 2: To improve the perceived identity of your app in the stores, choose a catchy icon that contains your logo. In the description, describe your product, service, or business in an honest and effortlessly comprehensible way. This will ensure that your app will be found easily in the stores by your clients. 

2. Does your app offer a great mobile experience?

Does it take your users a few minutes to understand your app and what it can do? Is your content difficult to read or even hidden? Is it confusing to browse different pages and navigate through your app?

Your app could have a high fever caused by an unintuitive mode of navigation

The content you provide for your mobile users is the main reason that they download your app. By not facilitating access to this content or making the mobile experience more complicated than it has to be, we can pretty much guarantee your users will immediately remove your app from their phones.

So… what you can do to change this?

Start by choosing the best template that is most compatible with your content and showcases it positively. If your content primarily consists of images, choose a visual gallery that presents the beauty of your photos. When your content is more rich in articles/text, you should find a template that enhances the textual content with images.

Try to understand the type of readers that use your app (scanning vs. skimming readers) and organize the content accordingly. Use bullets to highlight important points, avoid big blocks of text and utilize keywords to make searches easier.

In addition, adding an intuitive navigation mode makes it easier and more enjoyable for users to explore the app. If you provide easy access to the main menu, a navigation mode that allows you to switch from one screen to another, and an ever present return button, you will add major value to the user experience. Little details make all the difference.

3. Does your app provide something relevant for your users?

Why should your users download your app? What about your app is valuable to them that they cannot find elsewhere?

If you are unable to answer these questions, perhaps your app is deeply depressed due to the fact that it is irrelevant to your users

If people are searching for your business on mobile, they want to know everything related to your products and service: the latest news, exclusivities, promotions, and extra features that they cannot find on the website alone.

If you don't provide the content that they expect to see, you may be setting yourself up for lost business opportunities. People do not wish to see outdated, irrelevant, or repetitive content. If your competitors provide better content, your app is out. 

Take advantage of the editorial and social data to gain a better understanding of the preferences of your users. By using this information you can discover their favorite sections and topics within the app (the social data will especially help you to target their preferred social networks). Providing content according to this data will ensure that you will maintain the interest of your users, and that they keep your app on their phones

4. Are your push notifications being sent at the right time?

Sending annoying and irrelevant notifications to your customers is the perfect reason for them kiss your app goodbye. Notifications that are inappropriate and sent at the wrong time are a common reason for users uninstalling apps from their phone. 

I
f this is the case, your app may be suffering from a psychological disorder that causes insomnia, disorientation and confusion. 

So, how can you cure this troublesome situation? 

Pay attention to the number of notifications that you’re sending to your customers— three or five notifications per week is plenty. Ensure that you’re sending them at a convenient time that users can read it (a.k.a. not 2 am) and consider you users who are in different time zones. Work breaks are generally good times for reaching customers, so keep this in mind when scheduling your notifications.  

5. Are you promoting your app in an effective way?

You just released your app—what's next? Did you share this news on your social media channels, newsletter, and website? Have you publicized the direct link to your buy your app in the stores?

If not, you can't expect a miracle to happen, which also means you cannot expect to see many downloads. This is a signal that your app could be suffering from an anti-social disease that causes isolation and loneliness.

The first thing to do is inform and motivate your audience/customers to download your app, and when it comes to doing this, social media channels are your strongest alley. Make sure you check to see that you have connected your app to the social media channels, as this will enable your users to share your content and attract a larger audience to your app.

You can also make a video tutorial of your app and publish it on your website. Your users will love getting to know all they can do in your app through a catchy video.

Lastly, don't forget to always publish the App Store and Google Play buttons which provide the link to purchase your app. Simple, efficient, and practical ;)

6. Did you respect all the parameters of optimization according to ASO (App Store Optimization)?

This is one of the most crucial steps for increasing downloads of your app. Are you familiar with ASO (App Store Optimization)?

If not, pay attention to what we're about to discuss.  ASO is the SEO for apps, that allows your users to find you easily in the stores (App Store and Google Play). If your users are struggling to find your app in the stores, it could be because your app is suffering from a high level of anemia that causes a lack of energy and low performance.

What can you do to optimize your performance in the stores?

A few examples include adding relevant keywords to your app, including a clear description about your business, and being transparent about what people can expect to find in your app. Present the most beautiful screenshots you have to offer, and as we said before, be honest about your business.

Then, ask for reviews of your app. The better the reviews are, the higher the probability of more downloads. GoodBarber has the pop up ratings that incentivize users to rate your app in the stores in a non-intrusive way.

Try this feature out in your app and watch its ranking go up in the store!
Now you have the quick-fix for improving the performance of your app, and you know exactly what must be done to make you business the best it can be. It's up to you to make it happen ;)