A guide to updating your mobile apps

Being successful in the current mobile app market means accurately monitoring and reacting to user feedback while carrying out regular testing in order to identify bugs. More than that, regularly updating the structure and design of your app is an important part of keeping your app business competitive and relevant in an industry that is always changing and developing new trends.

These tips will help you figure out when and how you should be updating your apps.

Monitor user feedback

No matter how rigorously you test your app during the development process, some things are bound to slip through the cracks. It’s rare that an app will enter the market without hitting any speedbumps but mobile users are sure to point out any bugs or problems that you overlooked. Ensure that you regularly check feedback in the comments section of the app store(s) that your app is available on. Users will often flag up any usability issues or important requirements that have been missed out.

Keep an eye on market trends

The app market is constantly changing and new trends are always popping up. In order to stay relevant and maintain engagement from mobile users (and to make a success of your app development business opportunity), keep your ear to the ground and stay up to date with all the latest innovations within the industry. New design trends will help you keep your app looking fresh while innovative new technologies such as augmented reality will allow you to add something new and unique to your app.

Carry out regular tests

While your users can help you identify areas for improvement and big interface issues, they are not able to identify backroom problems or potential security risks. This is why it is important to carry out regular software tests. This will help make sure everything is your servers are running smoothly and that there are no potential security breaches in the code of your app.

Monitor engagement

As well as checking feedback from users, it’s important to monitor engagement statistics and download figures. This information can give an indication of the effect that your updates are having and whether or not they have been well received by your users. Cross-reference your user engagement figures with your update patterns and look for any kind of correlation between the two.

Take your time with updates

While it’s important to address any big usability issues quickly to avoid negative feedback and a decline in downloads, you shouldn’t rush to instigate design updates before they’re completely ready. Small changes to coding or user agreements are one thing but if you’re planning a big overhaul, be sure to take your time and ensure it has been tried and tested.