Build an app! Use software, get a business website, download an app!
How do you even use these technologies to improve your business? Everyone has their suggestions from their “experience” on using technology to promote creative business ideas, but what’s true and what’s not?
Well, if you’ve stopped believing in dragons and fairies then it’s probably time for you to stop believing in these myths as well!
Myth #1
Once my website is created, my work is done! My audience will find it and come to me.
Unfortunately, this simply isn’t true! Creating a beautiful website is just the first step. You need to take the necessary next steps to strategically market your website and actually make sales. Learn about SEO or better still get a professional to help you improve your website’s visibility.
Myth #2
I have an idea, let’s build a website!
False! There are different components that come together to have a complete website and having users and customers is important! It’s almost like building a shop without knowing if you will make a sale. Do you research and back your functionalities with realistic scenarios.
Myth #3
Affordable template platforms like WordPress and Wix are the answer to all my software problems.
Though these template sites make it easy to create websites, they are not always the answer. Apart from having to spend time to understand how these platforms work efficiently some web solutions must be created from scratch, customised and well suited to your business needs to alleviate some monotonous time consuming processes that could be automated!
Myth #4
The best way to reach my audience with technology is through a mobile app and not a web app.
This may or may not be true depending on the niche of your business. It takes a lot to convince a user to download and use an app after downloading it on their phone, especially when the business idea is new. So, ask yourself: Is this a new idea that has not been tested on the market? Do you have a ready customer base? In what industry is your business? Some industry brands may be better suited to either web apps or mobile apps.
If your business already has an established and loyal customer base and is the type of business with high customer engagement, a mobile app may be the way to go. If your idea is new and you are now building from the ground up, then you could consider starting with a web app which in some cases is more affordable, allows you to perform similar functions as a mobile app, allows you to test the market, and may generally be a better fit for your customers’ interest. This is not to say that one is better than the other. You just need to objectively consider your business needs, your budget and the options available.
Myth #5
I want an app built and I need it yesterday!
Bruh! App developers are not magicians and development takes time. There are ways to cut short your development time by reducing your feature list, using hybrid technologies and also having a scope that incorporates functionality that already exists. It’s not necessarily about developers being “lazy” and not being fast enough but understanding that each line of logic that is being written must be analysed and well thought through to avoid a lot of bugs in your app. More experienced developers could also build within a shorter period of time. It’s not about the time but the thinking and processes that go into building out the features.
Myth #6
After I build my website, I’m done with payments!
After your app is built, payment doesn’t end, you will need to pay for continued services that keep your app running. Your domain name (eg. mybusinessname.com) is typically an annual payment that needs renewal. “Hosting” is basically the space on the internet in which your website lives. Web hosting needs to be renewed monthly or annually. And finally, there is the fee paid for web development which usually consists of designing and development. This is usually a one-time fee unless you pay to have your website continually managed (perhaps because you don’t have the time or interest in managing it).
In conclusion, should you still build an app?
Yes! Keeping up with the trends of having an app is a game changer but in this world of apps it takes having your business plan figured out and thinking through how your app can stay relevant that will keep you profitable and not losing money. Figure out how your business will run without the app, so when you have the app it enhances your already existing processes, short term or long term, your app is always an extension of your business.
So there you have it!
Which of these myth busting facts surprised you the most?
Team Ampersand
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