These Embarrassing Mistakes are Killing Your Mobile App’s Reputation
May 27 2019 - 5 MINS READ
app mistakes to avoid

Developing an app is challenging. Mistakes are expected and a lot of the time, trial and error is the best teacher.

Everyone wants to make money from their app, but there is a lot to do first.

There are some mistakes you can learn from. On the other hand, there are some errors and vulnerabilities that could really kill the credibility of your app. These types of mistakes could cost your app customer loyalty and diminish your reputation. So understandably, it goes a long way doing your best to avoid making them.

How can these mistakes have such a huge impact?  

Well, users are quick to try alternatives since there’s so much available. Consider the following mistakes and how it reflects on the ability of the developer, not to mention the quality of the company.

Underestimating your cost and time

app costs and time

Attributing a low budget to a big process that should establish your business in the mobile world does not make much sense. This will show one way or the other. It is worth investing sensibly into your app development. It does not hurt to seek an affordable and reasonable expenditure for the goal, but sourcing cheap labour and making it a rush job will only deliver a low quality app.

Display resolutions may be off, bugs rampant, and a lack in responsive design are just a few issues that will arise from not putting in the proper time and expenses. AppBoss offers seamless native WordPress mobile app development that’s meant to cut down on the daunting time frame in the process at a better cost.

Not being optimized for mobile

mobile optimization

Thinking that because it’s a mobile app means you don’t need to optimize for mobile performance is another silly mistake that tells users you aren’t clear on what you aim to do. Including features and elements that clash with device compatibility, causes crashes, and slows down a user’s phone can make your app persona non grata. Take the time to make sure your app is functional for mobile capabilities, not desktop.

Spelling and grammatical mistakes

Errors in spelling and grammar are always embarrassing. That’s why you always hear “proofread, proofread, proofread”. It’s hard to take something seriously when the spelling is inaccurate or the sentence structure is off, even for just a simple mistake or typo. Users are watchful; it’s all about perception.

Complex or Incomplete UI

Your app is downloaded by someone, and they’re eager to get started with it. They open your app and the screen is not clearly displayed. They bypass it and decide to move on to the next screen, but it’s cut off. What’s worse, it’s a crucial aspect of the app, such as a button they need to press to move forward that isn’t visible on screen. They can’t do anything else at this stage but uninstall the app or leave a bad review. That’s how important a simple but appealing user interface is. Not to mention testing for different mobile screens.

Use an app flowchart or design map to outline everything and at all costs, put yourself in the user’s shoes.

Draining battery

draining battery

You want your app to be powerful and do everything possible, we know. But your app is only as strong as its device. If your app is super useful but literally sucks the life out of the phone or tablet, that’s counterintuitive. The pro does not outweigh the con here. Don’t make users have to choose between their battery life and your app. Inevitably your app will lose and become the mobile bully.

Neglecting data protection

Taking security measures is a vital part of anything customer-related. The more sensitive the information your app holds, the more important this step is. Not taking data protection laws seriously, or avoiding the necessary measures for security of user information makes your app and company look irresponsible. Leaving user personal information vulnerable to attack is one of the biggest deterrents for users. If users feel your app can’t be trusted, you risk losing everything. Take a look at the VPN data concerns that occurred in 2018 — lots of seemingly trustworthy apps lost users due to being listed as a source for data leakage.

Ignoring user feedback

user feedback

You can’t please every single one of your users nor appeal to every need/request made for the app. But not taking them into consideration, giving your users updates they never wanted, or changing things they actually enjoyed about the app could give the impression it is a you-focused app and not a user-focused app. It tells users you don’t value their feedback, and unless your app is a monopoly, chances are users will move on.

Blatantly copying another app

This just makes your brand look lazy and unoriginal. Plus the chances of you succeeding in getting listed on the app stores with a copycat app is unlikely. Need we say more?

Any app that is not properly built with the target user in mind is already off its path. These mistakes will more than likely happen when you are not thinking of the user. Thus in the user’s mind, your app will be a poor reflection of your brand. If you want your app to succeed, to be favourable — avoid committing these embarrassing mistakes on your app development journey.

Once you’ve ironed out issues like these, you can focus on getting your app featured on the app stores.