We live in a time where it’s possible to connect with peers, shop, conduct research, work, and consume content almost any time, anywhere.

Today’s the on-the-go consumer mentality is the order of the day, and as such mobile apps are at the peak of their popularity. As a matter of fact, Gartner states that more than 268 billion mobile downloads will generate an income of $77 billion by the end of the year.

There’s little doubt about it – mobile apps hold masses of potential, particularly if you’re a retailer hoping to boost engagement and interact with your customer base on a more personal level.

That said, to enjoy mobile app success, you need to get things right. But what are the key ingredients for a successful mobile app in the digital world?

App Performance

A one-second delay in page response can harm customer satisfaction by up to 16%. Mobile apps are no different.

If a phone or mobile app takes what seems like decades to install or its performance is on the sluggish side, most people will delete it and move onto the next. Typically, consumers only use three to four apps regularly, so to enjoy success, your app will need to perform with maximum efficiency.

By making sure your developers keep app coding as functional as possible, you’ll prevent weighing down the back-end of your app and making it run slowly.

User Experience (UX)

A visually breathtaking design and a catchy gimmick are of course essential elements of a successful phone app, but user experience is the most critical. And that means adopting a design thinking mindset.

88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a poor user experience. Once again, also applies to mobile apps.

Providing users with a seamless UX is critical in this day and age. By building an app that’s intuitive and simple to navigate, you’ll be able to create an exceptional user experience, increasing your chances of success exponentially. To achieve a premium UX for your app, conducting a host of design test phases before signoff is essential.

App Security

Cyber fraud is on the up, and today, trust coupled with security is everything.

Before you decide your app is finished and ready to go, you will need to guarantee its security by allowing plenty of time for QA and user testing, making sure your database is not only watertight but built to last as an end result.

If your app asks users for personal info, you need to be wholeheartedly sure that it will be safe; breaches in security will damage trust beyond repair, ruining your reputation, and rendering your app unworkable. So, when developing your phone app, make sure security is at the top of your priority list.

Mobile apps are still a viable option for the ecommerce business of the future. To make yours work for you, acquire the skills you need to build and launch it, ensure you focus on performance, usability, and security while remaining open to feedback – and your app will be all singing, all dancing in no time.

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