How to launch a successful App development business from home

App development is growing and will keep doing so for decades to come. Because of this, it is emerging as one of the most lucrative businesses to start right now. Many app development businesses started from home, so if you do not have the resources to rent expensive office space or have in-house staff, you are in good company.

Starting an app development business from home is slightly different from starting a huge business enterprise, but most of the steps are similar, only at a smaller scale.

Choose your platform

Before you start making any plans, it is important that you choose your platform. There are two main platforms that you can choose to focus on right now; Android and iOS. The platform you choose to focus on will depend on the skills you have as well as the talent you can bring in.

If you are looking to go fast, starting with the Android platform is the best bet because there are more Android users than there are iOS users.

Plan your business

Once you choose the platform you will focus on, it is time to start planning the business. A good business plan will help a lot here, but even if you decide to not come up with one, there are a few things that you must absolutely have planned out. One, you need to choose your target market. There are many different types of apps with their own markets out there, which makes choosing one niche easier than you think. Choosing your target market will also determine things like your set up costs, how many people you need to hire, as well as your marketing budget.

Next, you need to consider what your startup costs are going to be. Because you are starting and will likely be running the business from home, your start-up costs are going to be very low. At the very least, you need a computer, an office chair, a desk, and a stable enough internet connection. You also need to plan for the different licenses for all the development software you will use as those can cost quite a bit, especially if you plan on using a number of them.

Deal with the legalities

Once you have an idea of what types of apps you would like to build and have a good enough business plan, it is time to name your company. The right name is very important because you might choose to expand your business, at which time you will need people to recognise and respect your company. There are lots of different ways to find a good name for your company and a simple online search should help you out if you get stuck.

Next, you need to establish a legal business. Establishing a limited company is the most common ways to go about this, as it absolves you of personal responsibility if your business or company is ever sued.

You will also need to register your company with Companies House before you open your business.

Get your finances in order

It is always better to use a separate business account for all your business transactions. This ensures your personal and business finances do not mix and offers a certain level of personal asset protection. Opening a business bank account is easy enough, as is getting a business credit card. A business credit card is especially important as it helps your business build credit, which you might need if you require financing or need to raise money for business investment.

Get into App Development

Once your business is up and running, it is time to get into app development. The first step will be hiring the talent you need if you are not a developer or if you cannot handle everything by yourself. Hiring the right talent can be expensive, so it is always a good idea to go it alone if you have the skills and cannot afford to hire someone right now. Some of the people you need to hire include developers, copywriters, designers, and photographers because some of your apps might need bespoke photography.

Although you might have a high-level understanding of your target market, it is time to get into the details of what that entails. You will need to find what your ideal customer looks like. This will require that you create user personas and user stories. These are important to guide you to fulfill the needs of your ideal customer or user rather than developing the app blindly.

It is also important to always stay up to date with the latest changes in the app development market. This will help you stay atop of the latest trends and see what potential clients need, which ensures you are not coding in the dark. To stay up to date, you should regularly read popular app development blogs. Global App Testing has an amazing list of app development blogs worth exploring. Global App Testing provides app testing solutions for businesses that help you solve any QA challenges you might have.

App testing is the next step in ensuring your app is bug-free. User experience is vital in app development because if users do not have a good experience, they will not keep using your app. Ensuring your app is bug-free and intuitive to use are all good ways of ensuring you give your users a good experience.

Define your brand

Once you have a few apps made, you need to think about branding. Branding is the way your business will be viewed by the public. A strong brand is vital if you want your business to stand out.

Promoting and marketing your apps and business

To grow your business, people need to know about it. There are many different ways of promoting a home-based business, including social media advertising, using PPC ads, and offline marketing like attending trade shows. No matter how well you market your app and business, it will likely not work if your apps are not able to sell themselves. So, you should have apps that speak for themselves before marketing them to the public.

Keep your customers coming back

Your reputation is a very important asset that will bring your business and keep bringing it for a very long time. You can build your reputation by being the business that creates apps for businesses or one that does so for companies. Your reputation will be enhanced by building apps that fulfil an important need for your users that your users love using, as well as their ability to recommend your apps to others.

Web presence

All app development businesses should have a web presence. It does not have to be intricate as you are starting out, but you ideally need accounts on all major social media platforms and a website or blog. Therein you can share what you are building and your progress so that users and potential customers can follow the journey of all the apps you make. Getting and keeping your audience engaged increases the likelihood of them downloading and using your apps, which is another reason to have some web presence.

Starting an app development company from home can seem daunting, but it is now possible seeing how interconnected the world has become. You can establish your business, hire the right talent, develop your app, and get it out to the world, all without leaving the comfort of your home.