Don’t forget to update your app
Once you have built your app, your focus should shift automatically to updating. A recent survey by The Manifest showed that 38% of companies update their app monthly. Google Play Store shows that the average update schedule was 58 days, but social media apps, the ones with the most engagement, are updating, on average, every 13 days.
Some updates are forced on developers; each time Android and iOS update with new features, applications and security, existing applications need to be updated to catch up. This shouldn’t be the only time you update your app; the most successful app releases typically have an update schedule between once and four times a month.
It is unrealistic for most businesses to follow this frequency of update schedule, with a full update costing anywhere from 10% to 30% of the original development costs. But updates, at the correct times, are definitely worth the investment.
Why Update and Refresh Regularly?
Think back to the business decision to create an app in the first place. Your mobile app was going to be an excellent marketing tool, giving you the ability to prioritise customers as individuals and push the correct information to them based on their interests. Your app was going to give your business a competitive edge. Having an app meant staying ahead of your competition, allowing you to offer a more straightforward customer experience than your competitors. Building your own app also meant you could provide better customer service. Your mobile app gave your customers a direct link to support they needed in the best way possible, providing them with an exceptional experience.
Does your app still do this? If it does, you may have updated your app regularly or recently.
If you aren’t sure you are still providing an exceptional customer experience, you probably aren’t!
There are two categories of updates for your apps:
Compatibility and Security
User Experience
The compatibility and security are routine updates; if you are not doing this, there is something seriously wrong with your app strategy! The broader user experience category should be part of your overall UX and business strategy.
User Experience in Your App
Technology is not static, nor are your customers’ expectations; there is no reason your app should remain the same. Customers today are much more likely to demand self-service than previously; if your business app doesn’t provide this option in a well-crafted and modern way, they may look elsewhere. Knowledge bases integrated into your app give a fast and much-improved level of customer support, allowing your customers to independently seek answers to product questions they have at any time. Your availability is irrelevant because the answer is there all the time.
Updating your app keeps your users happy. No matter how much testing you do on your app, nothing compares to the feedback you get from your actual customers. Whether your app is perfect or still needs improvement, your customers will give you feedback on a refreshed app. By collecting and implementing the changes your customers are asking for, you demonstrate that you care about them and the quality of service you offer. With this care, your users become much more loyal no matter how competitive the market is.
Your app is competing not just with your direct competitors but also with every app on your customers’ phones. Regular updates bring regular attention. An update is shown as a reminder to a user, and you can even use an update as a reason to send a push notification, highlighting the new features for your customers. Frequent updates show you are committed to your app, which shows a customer that you are committed to them. This can form a powerful marketing tool and help build a connection between your business and your customer.
As the tools available to your customers change, they will start to expect it from every business they interact with. Video calls with customer service agents, voice note messages to your support, or even a chatbot will become commonplace in the app. If you don’t take the time to update your app along with customer trends, they will update it to a different app.
Stay Ahead with Regular App Updates
Is your app delivering the best user experience it can? Don’t fall behind—ensure your app stays relevant, secure, and user-friendly with regular updates. Invest in your app’s future and keep your customers engaged. Start planning your next app update today!
Need help with updates? Contact us for expert guidance and support!