How to create an app in 10 simple steps? Make an app without coding

November 6, 2020

How to create an app?

This is a fairly valid question. Enough people use smartphones today to make the process of building mobile apps important.

From booking movie tickets to watching them on a mobile, apps cover great ground to make the life of an average person simpler. Never have everyday services been more accessible. This is thanks to the march of mobile apps in our lives.

The popularity of mobile apps makes them an in-demand commodity. A blogger wants to have a personalized mobile app just as a global conglomerate does. In our new digital order, mobile apps represent the primary medium of communication.

The numbers tell a similar story. 57% of the world’s digital media is consumed through mobile apps.

Social media, search, OTT platforms, online shopping, and various other channels reach people through mobile apps. This level of integration with mobile apps naturally makes it necessary for anyone in the tech world to know how to create an app.

The development of a mobile app is a long and complex process, at least in the traditional sense. An entire world of aspiring tech entrepreneurs wants to learn how to create an app for free and make money.

This piece offers readers a comprehensive guide on how to create an app from scratch and further promote it on the right channels.

Research and reconnaissance – What to do before making an app?

Individuals and companies do not just make an app. A lot of consideration takes place before the final decision to start app development takes place.

Building an app is much harder than making a typical website. Even marketing an app is more complex and tedious than promoting a website.

Starting the journey towards app development should trigger some form of questioning. The following sections highlight the areas that entrepreneurs and companies must cover.

The app strategy

What is your plan of action?

Developing, promoting, and managing a successful app cannot be done by instinct alone. Companies need to have a clear strategy in mind.

Creating an app comes later. There are many ways of doing the same. However, companies must have answers to other burning questions.

Is there a market for the app?

This simple question will tell you whether the entire venture is worth pursuing.

Not all app ideas have a clear audience. In some cases, the market is already saturated with existing mobile apps. There is no point in making an app for such a market segment.

Finding a good answer to this question requires a considerable amount of market research. Going through engrossing and long market surveys, reading studies and reports, and creating possible user personas is only a fraction of the task.

Companies are advised to spend extra time on app market research. This can help them save a lot of money and even stumble upon other possible app ideas.

Is there a gap in the market?

Finding a gap in the market is not the same as discovering whether there exists a market for an idea.

For example, let’s say your app idea is selling shoes online.

Is there a market for this idea? Yes.

Is there a gap in the market? At first glance, it seems impossible to find a gap in the footwear niche. Delve a little deeper and you can discover more niche segments like recycled shoes.

Finding a gap in the market is important for many reasons. First, it creates a unique place for your app in the market. You don’t have to deal with a lot of competitors as you’re solving a problem no one or a handful of others are.

Secondly, it automatically creates your marketing pitch. You don’t need to spend hours tearing your hair out trying to pitch yourself as an ‘app with a difference’. The service you provide speaks for itself. Not thinking about a gap in the market can become a perilous app marketing mistake.

Answering these two questions can give your push to create an app much more heft. More than anything, it can help give your app strategy a sense of direction.

Related read: The complete guide to mobile app strategy

Development or app builders?

A few years back, there was no need to ask this question. To make an app, companies had to either hire a team of developers or a third-party development agency. The cost of both these options was precipitous and still is.

Now, however, the choice does not lie within these two options. The following sections highlight the state of the app development world.

Coding an app from scratch

Coding from scratch refers to the old school world of mobile app development. Developers start coding from scratch and create the front and backend of the mobile app.

The scale of the task depends on a range of factors. The complexity of the features a client demands plays a significant role. If the app solution a client demands is fairly non-standard, the time and cost can both rise.

For example, developing a standard ecommerce app is one thing. Creating an AI-powered ecommerce app with AR capabilities is another thing.

Most developers take 2-8 months to develop an app.

Such a wide range of time is not viable for most entrepreneurs and small companies. They need an app building solution as simple and efficient as WordPress is for building websites. This brings us to mobile app builders and the role of free app makers.

Using a free app maker

When people used to ask how to create an app for Android and iOS five or ten years back, they were not talking about app builders.

The reality of the mobile app world is now changing rapidly on the development side.

Free app makers are emerging as a real viable solution to building an app with code. Not all app builders are free. Most of them offer some set of features for free while bringing the rest under a premium version.

Does the cost of using an app builder match the cost of hiring an app development agency?

Not by a long shot. App builders charge nowhere near as much money most dev agencies do for creating an app.

Yes, app makers are cheaper. Are they as good as custom app development?

The answer lies in the specific need of a client.

If someone wants to develop an elaborate graphic intensive game like PUB-G, custom app development is the only option.

However, if users need a standard ecommerce app for their online business, app builders are a brilliant solution.

There are many app builders in the market. Each offers a special range of features.

AppMySite is a DIY app builder platform that enables users to make an app and not write a single line of code in the process. The following sections explain how to create an app without coding with AppMySite.

10 steps to create an app with AppMySite app builder

Creating an app with AppMySite is straightforward. Most of the steps are largely self-explanatory. However, users new to app development should understand each step at a deeper level.

The following steps explain the process of creating an app from scratch with AppMySite.

Step 1: Create an AppMySite account

The first step is to create an account with AppMySite. Follow the steps below to create an account and start your app building journey.

Create an account by signing-up on the platform and fill in the relevant details. You can also use Google and Facebook signup options to proceed.
You will arrive at the ‘Add new app’ page. Enter details about your website and choose a name for your app. Do not worry if you’re not sure about an app name. You can always update it later
Click on ‘Build App’

You will be redirected to the app maker dashboard. There you will create your app one step at a time.

Go through our web story and get a quick lesson on creating an app in 10 steps.

Step 2: Design an app icon

Anyone who owns a smartphone understands the importance of a good app icon. People generally do not remember apps very well, but they do recall their icons very vividly.

You can design an app icon that suits your brand’s tone. There are many factors that together contribute to an optimal app icon.

Sometimes a simple logo that contains the brand initials is good enough. An elaborate design is needed in other cases.

AppMySite allows you complete freedom to design your icon. You can either use pre-existing features on the platform to create a simple design or import your pre-made designs onto the platform.

Here’s how the process takes place.

You can design your own logo on the platform. The free online app maker allows you to choose the icon background color, text, font, text size, and text color.
You will find a preview of your app icon on the live screen to the right
It is possible you may find these options a little restrictive. The platform enables you to import your own app icon design as well.
Select Upload and proceed to import your own icon design
You can see the imported app icon on the live screen.

Checking the live screen on the right helps as it shows if the app icon stands out on a typical smartphone screen.

You can keep changing your app icon until it meets the aesthetic standards needed. Make sure it matches the overall tenor and feel of your brand.

You can create an app launch screen on the app maker dashboard. This is how you need to proceed.

a. Select a background for your launch screen. You have many options here. You can either.

- Choose a solid color as a background
- Select an image from the AppMySie image library
- Import your own background design

b. If you choose the second or third option, you can also set a tint color to reduce the darkness of your background and alter image opacity.

c. Add some text or your brand logo to the background next. You can play around with the size, font, and color of the text. Import your app logo in case you want the same to appear on the launch scream.

d. Shift the position of your text or logo with the different alignment options.

The launch screen you create must engage people. It does not need to be the most engaging work of art in the world. A simple design that effectively presents the app and the brand is enough.

Step 3: Create app’s log-in and sign-up screens

User onboarding is the first step in customer success. It is the first task an app asks a user to perform.

Log-in and sign-up screens are at their best when users cannot even recall what their design was like. The entire purpose of user onboarding is to verify the identity of incoming users to personalize their app experience later.

It should not take more than ten or twenty seconds for users to get past the log-in and sign-up screens.

The AppMySite app maker enables users to create their signup and login screens.

The following steps provide detail on the same.

a. Select the background image. You have the following options to complete this step.

Choose a solid color as a background
Select an image from the AppMySite image library
Import your own background design

If you choose either option two or three, you can set a tint color (to reduce darkness) and update the image opacity of the background as well.

b. Add app logo or text. To add an app logo, select the upload option and import the image from your device. You can bypass the app logo entirely and add text instead. The app maker offers options to alter the text’s font, color, and size.

c. Choose a color theme. This section allows you to set the color of the different fields and buttons on the login and signup screens. Ideally, these colors must be coherent with the background and overall tone of the app design.

You can preview your design choices in real-time on the right side of the screen.

When learning how to create an app, it is easy to lose sight of some basic yet important details. Designing the login and signup screens is one of these things. This free online app maker enables you to customize every little part of your app’s login and signup screens.

Related read: How to enhance onboarding experience?

Step 4: Set color theme

The role of a good color theme in the overall design of an app is crucial. This section gives you the opportunity to update the header and lower button design of your app.

The steps below explain how you should proceed.

a. Design the header. Update the color of the header panel and header text under the top header section. Also choose appropriate header text and text font. Generally, the header text is the name of your app. However, you can be innovative and choose another CTA instead.

b. Design the button. You can change the color of the button and the button text.

It helps if both the header and button have a certain level of design resonance.

Step 5: Create an app dashboard

The app dashboard is the first screen users will see once your app finishes loading. You naturally need to capture the attention of your users as they arrive on your app for the first time.

One of the first things beginners imagine when learning how to create an app from scratch is their app dashboard.

AppMySite offers a plethora of customization options to enable users to personalize their dashboard.

In the following points, we will cover the different parts of the dashboard users can customize.

a. Section colors

This section enables you to change the overall color scheme of your dashboard. You can update the color of your dashboard’s background, buttons, button text, and heading.

You can choose a design theme that is coherent with the previous design choices you made while designing the icon, launch screen, and login & signup screens. A difference in color scheme on the launch screen and dashboard can confuse users and affect the overall experience.

It is wise to settle on a common color scheme to bring the entire design under one pattern.

b. Main banner

Welcome incoming users with an app banner. The feature can prove beneficial when you’re trying to bring the attention of your app users to something specific. From a discount sale to a new blog post, write convincing CTA to engage visitors when they first arrive on the app.

The platform offers all the essential features to create a main banner. Users can again upload their own background image or use a solid color for the same. The option to use the AppMySite free image library is also available.

Other customization options include adding CTA text to the banner and changing its color, size, font, and alignment.

c. Product categories

The section offers a lot of category management options. Users can change the display and arrangement of their product categories.

The customization options in this section include –

Number of columns (for categories)
Choice of displaying category images or using solid colors
Choosing shape of category tiles and color of category text
Category display options
Sorting categories based on alphabetical order or product volume

Users can note the changes on the preview screen and make their customization choices accordingly.

d. Sale items

Display items on sale when you launch a WooCommerce sales campaign on your store. Allows users to display a separate section for items on sale

e. Recently viewed products

Creates a section on the dashboard that displays products a user has seen previously. This is especially useful for apps that have many regular shoppers who spend a lot of time on the app.

f. Featured products

Creates a special section where you can display products you wish to promote exclusively. If you plan on selling products from a particular brand, adding this section can give them some traction

g. In cart products

Displays the products users have in their shopping cart

h. New products

A section to showcase all the new products on the store.

i. Web view

The web view section enables users to directly load a web page instead of a native app screen. AppMySite generally advises users not to enable this option. Using a native app screen is much better than loading a web page in a native app vessel

j. Pages

Enabling this option allows users to display their website pages in the footer of the app. Users also have the option to choose the pages they want to see on their apps

You can drag many of these sections up and down based on your specific needs. For instance, it makes sense to push the ‘New Products’ section to the top when you are bringing something new to the market.

Many of the sections covered here are only visible when you choose ‘ecommerce’ as your type of website.

Some of the app dashboard options are different if you choose ‘blog’ as your type of website. The different options include.

k. Blog banner

Allows users to display their blog banner. This can typically contain an image that represents the general content of the blog

l. Blog categories

This section offers users many blog category management options. They are covered in the following points.

Number of columns (for categories)
Choice of displaying blog category images or using solid colors
Choosing shape of blog category tiles and color of category text
Category display options
Sorting blog categories based on alphabetical order or number of posts

The preview screen on the right will change as you make the changes. Keep experimenting until you hit the right aesthetic

m. Popular blogs

Creates a section to display the blogs with the highest readership

n. Recent blogs

Displays the blogs published most recently

App users can see their app dashboard changing in real time on the preview screen on the right. This can help them get a better picture of how their eventual app will look. In the journey of learning how to create an app, imbibing valuable lessons is crucial.

Step 6: Connect website to app

Till this point, you have learned how to design the first few screens of your app. The next stage is populating your app with content. You can do this by connecting your website to your app.

Anyone learning how to create an app for iPhone and other devices should have a clear idea about app content. Ultimately, people will only come back to an app if the content appeals to them.

Connecting your website to the app helps you manage your app content. App builders like AppMySite import content from the website an app is connected to. Any change in the content of the website is reflected in the app as well.

How does this work for users?

Let us say you run a WooCommerce store and add a new product to it from your WordPress backend. If your website is connected to your app, the new product will become visible there as well. Changes to product categories, description, images, and prices will be visible on the app in real time once a change in initiated from the website.

The same is true if you write a new blog post on your website. A connection between your website and app will mean the post would be visible on the latter as well.

How do you connect your website to the app?

The following steps will guide you through the process.

Install and activate the AppMySite WordPress mobile app plugin on your WordPress backend. You can also download and upload the plugin to your backend from the WordPress plugin library.
Come back to the AppMySite platform and select Verify in the Install Plugin section. The verification will be successful in case the plugin is active on your WordPress website.
In case you wish to connect your WooCommerce store to the app, you additionally need to generate REST API keys. You can easily generate these keys if you have the WooCommerce plugin installed on your websiteNavigate to Settings under WooCommerce on your WordPress backend. Select Advanced and go to REST API.
Come back to the AppMySite platform. Enter the Consumer Key and Consumer Secret in the designated fields in the API Details section.
In case you do not have an SSL certificate, turn on the Force authentication as query string toggle. This will allow the app builder to verify your website in case you do not have an SSL certificate.
Select Submit when you are done.

The REST API keys are only needed in case you wish to connect your WooCommerce store to the app. You don’t need REST API keys if the website you’re connecting AppMySite to is a simple blog or a CMS website.

In case there are some connectivity problems between your website and app, you can always come back to the Troubleshooting section.

Running the troubleshooter will enable you to pinpoint the exact reason your website is not connected to your app. This can help enormously if you don’t exactly know why the connection between your website and app is having issues.

Step 7: Configure app settings

App settings allow users to bring specific changes to their apps. These changes can help enhance the overall experience of a typical app user.

The options users get in the app settings section differs based on their type of website.

The app settings users can configure in this section include –

a. General

The general section covers the most basic parts of the app.

This includes the app name, website URL, website type, business email, contact number, website’s privacy policy link, and custom share link.

You can update your app name in this section.

b. App menu

App menu allows you to update the menu people access on your app. You can either use the pre-made menu on the app platform or import one from your website.

c. Pages

You can update how people interact and input content on your website in this section.

There are three things you can update –

Enable web view for all app pages. This will ensure every part of the app loads content directly from the website. Enabling this option means giving up a traditional native app environment
Enabling hyperlinks will allow app users to be redirected to the default mobile browser after clicking on a link in the app
Enabling user input allows users to enter information on the app. This option can allow apps to collect user information.

d. Social

The social section enables users to provide a link to their various social media handles

These app settings above are visible to users who select ‘blog’ as their website type. The settings we will discuss now are exclusively available for ecommerce apps.

e. Users

The Users section is for configuring exactly how incoming visitors login to the app. Options such as enabling social login and guest browsing are made available.

f. Checkout

Optimizes the checkout process for shippers. Users can choose when to display payment options to app visitors and whether they are allowed to update their shipping address during the checkout.

g. Products

Enables users to optimize the general shopping experience of app visitors. Options to display discount percentage, enable search option, and provide sorting and filtering features can be configured under this category.

Users should keep updating their app settings based on their needs. There are no optimal settings. Some options become smart at one point of time and sub-optimal at another. Users and companies creating the app must have the awareness to enable and disable certain settings at the right time.

Those studying how to create an app and make money must understand the potential of configuring app settings at the right time. This lesson is true for most people in the app world, from those learning how to create an emoji app to those studying how to create an app like Uber.

Step 8: Preview the app

We finally come to the app preview section.

This is where you will finally be able to review the app you have built until this point.

Previewing the app is important for many reasons. For one, app testing is a crucial part of the overall process. The preview section allows users to test their app thoroughly and check for any bugs, performance issues, and design discrepancies.

Insufficient app testing is one of the key reasons that many apps fail. Thus, companies must never entertain the prospect of a lightweight testing phase.

AppMySite allows users to preview their app on a live emulator as well as mobile devices.

Using a live emulator on AppMySite is remarkably simple. Navigate to the app preview section and tap on the live screen. You will be able to open every page of your app and fish out any design or navigation bug.

The other option is to preview the app on the AppMySite demo app. Users need to download the demo app on their mobile device to complete this task. AppMySite has a demo app available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

It is important for users to preview the app on both a live emulator and the demo app. Testing an app on a mobile device can shed light on various performances and navigation metrics that are otherwise difficult to find.

Anyone learning how to create an Android app or one for an iOS device must take app-testing seriously. Even when using easy-to-use DIY app builders, it is vital to test the app thoroughly and resolve any bug or performance issue.

Users can go back and make endless changes to the app design if they don’t like something while previewing the app. Thus, this part of the app building process enables users to update every part of their app until they are satisfied.

Step 9: Download the app from app builder

AppMySite allows users to download both Android and iOS versions of their app.

Users need to subscribe in order to download the app from the platform. They can do so at the pricing page.

After subscribing, users can proceed to create a new build for their app. This process can take some time. Once a build is generated, users can download their APK and IPA file and submit it to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store respectively.

This way, you can go from website to APK and IPA in this step.

Step 10: Publish and promote app

The final steps in the process of creating apps are publication and promotion.

After learning how to create an app, the final step is always publishing the app on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The app must meet certain guidelines set by app stores in order to get approved. Publishing an Android app is generally easier compared to an iOS app.

Users also need to upload the app from their Google and Apple developer accounts. We will discuss the nitty gritty details of publishing an app on Android and iOS in a forthcoming section.

Once an app is live, the next step is promotion.

This brings app marketing and analytics into the picture. You can learn how to create an app for Android and iOS, but it all comes to nothing if no one downloads it.

Companies and entrepreneurs using AppMySite to build an app must also have a clear strategy in mind regarding marketing and analytics. The entire process covered in these 10 steps can literally be completed in just 15 minutes. AppMySIte can allay the challenges of development. However, it up to companies and entrepreneurs building the app to prepare for challenges after development .

There are many avenues you can take up to promote your app. We will discuss both app marketing and analytics in the forthcoming sections.

Publishing the app on app stores

Publishing an app on app stores is the final part of the app-building journey. Since it’s the final part, many are prone to take it for granted. After many hours of hard work, most developers think that approval from app stores is only a formality.

This misconception is a key reason behind many apps getting rejected from app stores.

What can you do to avoid this? After all, who wants to get rejected from an app store after learning how to make an app?

The key lies in understanding the process of app submission. The following sections explain this in detail.

Android

You can generate a new build for your Android app and download the AAB or APK file from the platform after subscribing to a paid plan.

The next step is to publish the app on the Google Play Store.

You will have to start by submitting the app to the Play Store with your Google Play Developer account.

Google Play has certain guidelines regarding app submission and approval. When you learn how to create an app, you must also get a grip over the various Play Store guidelines.

iOS

Publishing an app on the Apple App Store is much more complicated. Compared to the Play Store, the Apple App Store mandates a lot of pre-requisites from developers submitting an app.

You will need to submit a few essential certificates and provide a few details before generating an iOS build on the AppMySite platform. These essentials include –

Apple team ID
iPhone Distribution Certificate
iPhone Provisional Profile
Push notification certificate (if you wish to enable notifications)

After generating your iOS build, download the IPA file. Now you need to upload this IPA file from your Apple developer account.

If you do not have an Apple Developer account, here’s a guide for creating one.

Publishing an app on the Apple App Store is difficult not just because of the documentation one has to submit. Apple has a higher standard when it comes to app performance and experience. You need to make sure your iOS app does not have any obvious bugs or performance issues that are likely to hamper user experience.

Like the Google Play Store, the Apple App Store also has certain app guidelines. Those studying how to create an app for Apple devices must know these guidelines inside out.

Beyond creating an app: App marketing and analytics

Now that you’ve learned how to create an app, the next step is chalking out a plan to market it. It all matters for nothing if you don’t have a clear plan to make people download the app.

Much of mobile app marketing comes after an app is built and live on app stores. This is at least the perception people have.

App marketing should ideally begin before a live app comes to the market. Professionals must start identifying early adopter groups and create a general buzz around the app launch.

More than anything, the pre-launch phase must go into marketing strategy. It is difficult to stand still and closely analyze an app marketing campaign after it goes live. Thus, creating a plan is something professionals must do before the app launch.

What should a typical app marketing plan generally contain? There is a lot of literature you can find on this topic. Here are a few things that a typical marketing plan must address.

The primary, secondary, and tertiary goals

Here’s an example. When bringing an app to the market, the primary goal is to grow the user base and increase app downloads. The second goal is to increase the revenue. Finally, the tertiary goal is branding.

The goals of your app can be different. The important thing is to identify them. These overarching goals provide a clear direction for a marketing campaign to move in.

The tactical blueprint

This simply means you need a well-defined plan of action to meet your goals.

This is the most difficult part of every marketing campaign. It’s easy to identify goals than actually meet them. Let’s say the goal is to increase app downloads. App marketers have to find the right channel of promotion where the conversion rate is much higher.

These tactical decisions can’t just be made instinctively. Marketers need to study platforms and find little specks of audience ready to be converted.

Naturally, marketers can be innovative in their tactical approach. They can find channels that every other competitor is ignoring and take advantage of the same.

The resources needed to meet the goals

A marketing campaign needs certain resources to succeed. This doesn’t necessarily mean money. Resources also refer to marketing tools, content, and professional expertise for collaboration and networking.

What does one need to make a marketing plan work? Besides goals and a clear plan of action, the last part of the puzzle is the resources needed.

Marketers can take reference from other successful campaigns to judge the resources they need.

The success and failure of a marketing campaign is never easy to determine at the planning phase. Doubt invites risks and someone who has spent a lot of time learning how to create an app wouldn’t want to risk a lot.

Risk reduction only happens with app analytics.

Serious app analytics is rare because it requires a lot of devotion. On a practical level, app analytics is important for every major part of developing and promoting an app.

There are various app analytics tools for analysts and marketers to use. Generally, app analytics are used for marketing purposes. Professionals use them to identify their target demographics as well as study the app usage of existing users.

Again, the instinct amongst marketers is to always think about analytics after a marketing campaign is launched. This is a short-sighted approach. Hard core analysis can help marketers make better decisions during the planning stage. This is not something many marketers only realize later.

Focusing on how to create an app without coding for free is an instinct. However, other practical tenets like marketing and analytics are also important.

Mobile app monetization – How to make money with an app?

A prevalent question budding mobile app entrepreneurs ask is – how to create an app and make money?

Finding a way to make money is important because that is what will keep the app and business alive. Thankfully, there are many great ways to monetize mobile apps. Some of the more popular strategies have been covered in the following sections.

a. In-app purchases

In-app purchases refers to an app monetization model that involves selling products and services within a mobile app. You must have played a mobile game where you’re asked to pay money to buy.

Be it fictitious gold coins or some other inner-game currency, the app is asking you to pay real money for a product and experience.

Some of the most popular games in the mobile app market earn money from in-app purchases. It is a sustainable way to earn money provided the product offers value to the target audience.

b. Mobile app ad monetization

The other common way to create a revenue model for a mobile app is publishing ads on the platform.

Various mobile ad networks exist for connecting both advertisers and publishers. These include the likes of Google AdSense, Media.net, and so on.

When learning how to create an app, people always have an end goal of making money with the app. The first thing that springs to mind then is publishing ads. Ad monetization is not exactly a new revenue model. Newspapers make their money through ads, as do news channels. The same model also works well on websites and apps.

It is important to choose the right mobile ad network . There are many different alternatives in the market besides the popular ones like AdSense. You must choose the one that provides you the most value in terms of revenue while not depreciating the quality of your website.

c. App subscriptions

A subscription model is also a sustainable way of monetizing an app.

The lure of deploying app subscriptions comes from the prospect of getting money every month from an app user. This drives many towards adopting a subscription monetization model.

However, simply offering subscriptions is not enough. It is important to understand how a subscription model actually becomes successful.

Why do people keep paying money for an app? Take Netflix as an example. It has a vast library of quality content that brings value to a subscriber. However, Netflix also tries to launch new and original content. Furthermore, it keeps adding content to its existing library. Its subscribers can never feel they’re not getting their money’s worth.

Deploying a subscription model to an app means making a big commitment to the subscriber. Your app must be ready to deliver on this commitment or risk seeing the model fall apart.

People generally associate subscription models with service businesses. However, companies can subscription models to monetize both products and services. Your app can thus serve as a product or offer a service under a subscription model. There is no established rule where it has to be one or the other.

d. Paid apps

Using paid apps is the most straightforward way of making money online. Users directly have to pay for your app before downloading it.

While this may sound like a good model from a purely financial standpoint, you also risk driving away a lot of people. Most users are not used to paying money to install an app.

There are different strategies you can put in place to drive app downloads and payments. However, they can take a lot of time to bear fruit.

Ideally, you should avoid using the paid app monetization model if you’re just starting on your journey and learning how to create an app for your business.

e. Freemium model

The freemium model refers to having both free and paid app users. The users paying for an app subscription generally get some premium features that free users do not.

This is seen in apps where users are offered an ad-free experience in exchange for subscribing. Free users are repeatedly shown ads and encouraged to subscribe to a paid plan. Spotify is a clear example of this strategy.

The freemium model can work if the paid plan is offered at low and affordable prices.

f. Enhancing app with add-ons

A cake is incomplete without a cherry on the top.

App add-ons are like cherries for your mobile app. They skyrocket your app’s performance and liven its appeal. When you’re learning how to create an app, you always dream of building the perfect application one day.

Add-on products help you come closer to building the perfect app.

When using AppMySite to build your own app, you can use add-ons to enhance its performance. Some of the popular add-ons are covered in the following points.

White label – Enables you to white label your app and remove the AppMySite branding
Upload to app stores – Lets AppMySite upload your Android and iOS apps to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store
Mobile app design – Gets you an opportunity to allow professional designers to create your app icon, launch screen, login & signup screens, and dashboard banner.
App store design – Professional designers will design your app store featured image, app logo, and app screenshots.
App store optimization – Enables you to let ASO experts optimize your app store meta fields with powerful keywords
Consent form – Allows you to create to add a consent form pop-up that comes up every time a new user launches your app
New app version – Enables you to update your app icon and launch screen after your app goes live
WordPress Web Hosting – Provides users the chance to supercharge the performance of their website and app by changing the hosting partner to WP Engine, a renowned WordPress host.

There are many other prominent add-ons AppMySite offers. The list here covers some of the most popular ones. You can find the link to all the add-ons AppMySite provides below.

Investing in add-ons can payoff in the end if your users value the experience and performance your app offers. After spending a long time on how to build an app, it is foolish to compromise on app performance and refrain from buying add-ons.

Some tips on how to create an app with AppMySite

The sections covered in this article discuss how to create an app using an app builder like AppMySite. The process is effortless and shouldn’t take someone a lot of time to grasp.

Yet, there is a difference between knowing how to make an app and mastering the process. The same is true with using AppMySite as well. Learning how to master the AppMySite platform can enable you to make the perfect app.

Here are some tips on how to create the best app possible with the AppMySite app creator.

1. Get the design right

You have the option to customize your app design to a large extent on AppMySite. You should use this and create the best possible design for your app

From the app icon to the launch screen and the app dashboard, all these elements must be bound together by a common design idea.

This will naturally be difficult for you in case you don’t have a background in design. In such a case, it’s best to go with simplicity. Choose a color palette most suitable for your target audience and replicate it across every design element. A minimal clean design is ultimately better than a hot mess caused by many conflicting elements.

You also have the option of getting the Mobile app design add-on. The choice is entirely yours. The add-on will give your app a professional look and appeal at the very least.

The app builder enables users to implement many well-founded design guidelines. It is wise for readers to also learn more about mobile app design before going through the Appearance section.

2. Have the best possible web host for your website

Why is a web host important for making an app? It is if you’re using an app builder.

Your app will load all its content from your website. This means your website must have a good response time and overall speed to respond to the app’s request.

A slow website also means a slow app. This connection is difficult to digest especially for those who’ve always regarded mobile apps and websites as different entities. However, app builders like AppMySite blur these distinctions to the point where app performance largely becomes a factor of website optimization.

Getting a good web host can help serve the performance needs of both your website and app. Remember the host must accommodate both website and app users at any given point.

Thus, it’s necessary to analyze factors like server speed, uptime, and bandwidth before selecting the right web host.

The WordPress Web Hosting add-on covered in one of the earlier sections is a simple solution to this problem. It enables users to stop worrying about both website and app performance with blazing fast speed thanks to WP Engine.

3. Get an SSL certificate

This can be added to the previous point as well, but it deserves a mention nonetheless.

An SSL certificate secures the transfer of data between a web server and the client. When using AppMySite, the client is usually the app itself requesting content from the website. An SSL certificate can secure this connection and improve the overall security of the app.

People are becoming increasingly cognizant about matters like cybersecurity now. This rise of awareness only makes getting an SSL certificate a more pertinent solution. Generally the web host you choose will provide you with a free SSL certificate.

4. Permalink settings

Set your permalink settings to postname on your WordPress backend to ensure your website content is accessible on the app.

5. App preview

One of the unique offerings of AppMySite is its app preview section. As a previous section explains, it is beneficial from an app testing perspective.

You should ideally test your mobile app on both the live emulator and a real mobile device. The live emulator will help you accurately predict the basic layout and design functionality of your app.

A real mobile app device can furthermore increase your knowledge of user experience in different conditions.

Different conditions here can mean a lot of things. From testing an app in a cellular network to check its loading capability or using it on a cheap smartphone to test design consistency, a lot of different considerations are possible.

6. Keep revisiting app settings

App settings are potent in themselves if used from a strategic standpoint. This is especially true if you’re learning how to make an ecommerce app on AppMySite.

App settings enable you to make a lot of changes in the product pages, checkout, user onboarding, and so on. These changes help you personalize your app exactly according to the needs of your audience.

Revisiting settings essentially allows you to rethink how your app can provide a better experience to users with some little tweaks.

7. Avoid web view

The platform gives you the option to enable web view for your app. This essentially dilutes the native app experience you’re trying to go for and turns your app into a mobile website. The entire point of building a native app is then lost.

It is always better to choose a native app over a web view app. Native apps are essentially software built to perform on the operating systems of mobile devices. Web view apps are essentially like mobile browsers without the tool bar at the top. They are not designed to perform within the constraints of the operating system of a mobile device.

App stores like the Apple App Store don’t generally accept app submissions that contain even a single web view screen. The logic is simple. What is unique about an app that only loads webpages?

Thus, you should avoid enabling the web view option even though the app builder provides it.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is natural to have questions when learning something as complex as how to create an app. The following questions will help clear the doubts that readers have about the app building process.

Q1: How much does it cost to create an app?

The number varies depending on your requirements and choice of development. If you wish to develop an app from scratch with coding, here are the numbers.

A recent study showed the average cost of developing an app is $66,119. The study covered three different types of mobile apps and their development across fifteen countries and a total of fifty-five development teams.

Of course, you don’t need to pay this much to develop an app. App builders like AppMySite make things much easier.

Currently, AppMySite charges $19/month for its best plan. It will take nearly 289 years (yes, we did the math) for AppMySite to cost you as much as traditional mobile app development.

Q2: How long does it take to create an app?

Traditional app development can take about four and a half months according to recent reports. An app builder can get the job done in minutes.

Q3: How to create an Android app without coding?

All the sections above explain how to create an app without coding. There is no need to separately learn how to create an Apple app or an iPhone app. The app builder platform allows cross platform development without a single line of code being written.

Q4: I have created an app. How do I get it to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store?

It is not uncommon to find people asking how to create an app and sell it. Ultimately, the aim is to make people download the app.

To get an app to the Google Play Store, you need to create a Google Play developer account first. Fill out the necessary details and make sure your app follows all the necessary Play Store guidelines.

To publish an app to the Apple App Store, you again need an Apple developer account. You also need other details and certificates.

Related read: How to create an Apple developer account?

They include –

Apple team ID
iPhone Distribution Certificate
iPhone Provisional Profile
Push notification certificate (if you wish to enable notifications)

Q5: How do I make money from an app after the development process?

‘How to create an app and make money’ is probably the most popular question beginners have in their early days. There are many ways to make money using a mobile app.

Mobile app monetization is an important tenet of the app world. Some of the common techniques of app monetization include –

In-app purchases
Subscriptions
Advertising using mobile ad networks
Freemium model
Paid apps

Q6: Is it wise for me to create an app for my business?

There is no one who understands the fundamentals of your business better than you. Thus, it’s not wise for us to tell you whether it’s good for you to create an app for your business.

We can however help you come to a decision.

Look at the costs and opportunities. If you use traditional app development, the risk factor naturally goes up. The opportunity of creating an app for your business naturally becomes much more risky. Over 85% shoppers now prefer using mobile apps over mobile websites. The future lies in mobile apps. The only question worth asking is how you choose to make your own app.

App builders reduce the investment risk at the very least. They also enable you to get an app to represent your business in the vast mobile app market.

Weigh the cost. Weigh the opportunity. You will come to the right decision.

In conclusion

App development is not simply a process. It is a skill these days. If you know how to create an app and sell it in the market, you can leverage the vast mobile app market to grow your own business.

Given how entrenched our digital experiences are with mobile apps, it is difficult to imagine a world without them any time soon. If anything, new innovations in technology will only gain ubiquity if they come in an APK or IPA package.

Before creating an app, it is first necessary to have a clear picture in mind regarding stuff like app strategy, market demand, and market gap. The first few sections of this article provide guidance on this front and help you rethink your app idea.

This main part of this piece provides an in-depth analysis of how to create an app. The steps covered here can be taken by someone who doesn’t know programming as well.

Many sections of this piece also cover the popular tenets of the mobile app world such as app marketing, analytics, monetization, performance add-ons, and so on. These are intended to help set you up with the right knowledge and insight.