Local application developers need to develop apps for the African market that are useful and solve local problems, says OnePixel COO Nicholas Rixon.
For Rixon, the rise of mobile technology has brought about a gold rush of companies looking to create the next big app for consumers and businesses, but the market is overrun with international applications, many of which do not add value in the African context. "The South Africa market, while producing some great apps for enterprise sectors, is yet to produce a world-dominating app concept. Local consumers are looking for apps that help them in their daily activities to solve local problems and increase their effectiveness," says Rixon.
Localised projects help entrepreneurs create successful businesses looking to tackle African problems using mobile devices, he says. "Within the next two to three years, we can expect to see some of these mobile businesses create real socio, political and economic impact across the continent."
According to Rixon, there are two fundamentals that stand true in each app development project. The first is to know the target audience. "Understanding your target audience and finding out their pain points is the first vital step to making a successful mobile application," says Rixon. "This information will dictate which platform the app is developed for, how you design the app, and what brand messages you send out when marketing the app."
Secondly, the app needs to create an exceptional user experience. "New mobile applications are being developed almost hourly. The way to differentiate your app from the rest of the market is to develop a well thought out and designed mobile app that provides maximum utility with very little effort," notes Rixon.
Developers must think about how they plan to distribute the app, how much it will cost, what platforms it will support, and whether to make it native, hybrid or Web-based, advises Rixon.
However, the biggest problem faced by developers remains how to market the app once it has been built. "A solid offline and online marketing plan is required to get the best marketing results. Simply submitting an app to the app store is not enough. In order to be successful, developers need to get their apps into the hands of tech writers and review sites that their target audience frequents," he concludes.
"An effective marketing plan is critical to the success of a mobile app, and is often overlooked in the planning process."
Share