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In an abundance of apps, the key challenge for developers isn’t just app discovery anymore. Active and repeat usage is often a much more difficult challenge to overcome.
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There are several challenges that mobile app developers face today. To start with, app discovery itself is broken. • Current app stores lack the robustness that Google brings to web content discovery. They also lack the design-for-discoverability mindset that SEO encourages.
First use is often a poorly understood topic among developers but it essentially boils down to this: A user’s first time with the app is different from his 3rd visit, which is different from his 10th visit. • An app essentially needs to treat a user like a good teacher would treat a student, easing her gradually through on-boarding to gradually increasing levels of proficiency. Apps that fail to do that get abandoned.
The focus on first use has always been important but it’s uniquely challenging for mobile apps. Mobile apps have a lot less on-screen real estate to play with and thrive on a minimalistic UI design. Providing multiple educational hooks can clutter the small screen
Finally, marketing strategies need to be sustainable. PR and advertising are obvious ways to build awareness but awareness creation works best when it is a natural consequence of app usage work flow, much like Instagram’s photos being shared on Facebook.