Dummies Guide to App Maintenance and Support Plans

App development has become a business that is booming in the current times. With each passing year, there is an increase in mobile apps, and people are building more apps to stay ahead in business. However, do you think your work ends after building and launching an app? Do you know anything about the app maintenance plan?

Your App Is Finished But Can You Relax?

When you buy a new car, does your work ends there? No, it does not! You have to keep it clean, upgraded, and maintained for long-term use.

Similarly, when you create an app, you need to ensure mobile app maintenance for its long life. You need to invest in your app maintenance to save it from being outdated. The longer your app runs, the higher revenue you can generate.

This article will cover why app maintenance is useful and what you should include in your mobile app maintenance plan. Keep reading!

Why Is App Maintenance Necessary?

Reduce The Uninstalls

App users can easily uninstall an app if it does not fit their expectations and preferences. If an app stops providing value and an amazing user experience, there is no reason for users to continue using it. Almost 71% of the app users uninstall their apps within 3 months.

Mobile app maintenance is necessary to keep the users hooked to your app long-term. You should constantly work to fix bugs and other issues to retain your app users’ attention. Your app’s success is dependent on as many installs as you can retain. So, it is significant to keep your users happy and offer them the latest and trendy details to reduce uninstalls.

Updated Design

If you do not update or revise your app’s design, users will get bored using the same old app. To keep users engaged, it is necessary to provide them with new, attractive, and creative designs. Fresh app designs keep the users engaged, and they spend more time on them.

Revised And Advanced Features

App maintenance is not only about the best services and navigation. It also includes the value of provides to the app users. New, unique, and advanced app features quickly grab users’ attention and engage them.

With millions of applications in the market, users attract to the one that is simple yet effective to use. New and advanced features will help in increasing sales and generating higher revenue.

Monetization

An updated and regularly maintained app also brings more financial benefits and decreased costs. One way to increase your cash flow is to introduce new and advanced paid features. Users would purchase these features at a reasonable rate to keep using your app.

Moreover, an app can be expensive t maintain when you have to look out for technical issues and fix bugs. With an app maintenance plan, you can cut down your costs by monitoring your app’s performance. You can delete those features that users do not use. Regular updates will also help engage more users, which will reduce your costs over time.

Enhance User Experience

Technology is evolving fast; everyone is trying to stay at the top and provide the best services. It is no secret that whichever app offers the best user experience will get more success and users. You need an immaculate app maintenance plan to increase your app’s growth to enhance its user experience.

Your mobile app maintenance cost must emphasize the smooth and enhanced user experience. With a better user experience, you will be able to retain users for a long period. Moreover, users will leave positive feedback and review your application.

Keep Up With Competitor Apps

Millions of mobile applications are available in the play store to download and use. People do not have enough time to install every app on their smartphones. It is crucial to stand out amongst your competition by maintaining and updating your app.

The moment your app falls behind, users look for better apps. To avoid losing your app users, make app development and maintenance a part of your app maintenance plan and keep improving your app.

Create A Brand

Your mobile application represents your brand. If you maintain and update your app, you are maintaining your brand’s image. If you do not improve your app, your brand can get negative reviews.

Criticism and negative reviews can easily tarnish a brand in today’s market. It is necessary to keep your users happy and satisfied with your app.

An App Maintenance Plan Should Address All These

It might seem a little far-fetched to plan for your app maintenance. However, you cannot deny some expected expenses for your app improvement and maintenance. Here are a few things that you have to spend money on:

Technical Problems

When you are developing an app, you are less focused on every technical aspect. You can only come across some of the technical issues when your app is released and running. So, you have to keep in mind that technical problems can occur and fix them.

User Experience

App development and maintenance are all about user engagement and experience. For user satisfaction, you have to change your app’s design, update features, add new styles, and increase response time regularly. So that users will keep using a new and refreshed app with advanced features.

App Analytics

App development and publishing is a business. It can only be done right when you pay for the app analytics services. App analytics include getting real-time information regarding app usage time, user behavior, traffic, and response time. This data is valuable for a successful app, and you have to pay for it.

Marketing

Developing, publishing, and releasing an app is useless if it is not marketed properly. You can add marketing costs to your maintenance budget. So that whenever there are new updates, packages, or additional features, users would know about them through marketing.

Licensing

Sometimes you have to purchase licenses and plans for your mobile apps. Some licenses are for a lifetime, while some require scheduled subscriptions. So, this is another thing that you should add to your app maintenance cost and plan.

How Much Will App Maintenance Cost You?

App maintenance requires additional expenses and costs. When you think about app maintenance costs, you need to consider everything, including servers, hosting, payment getaways, latest features, bug fixes, etc. After app development comes the phase of app maintenance on a daily and monthly basis.

The app maintenance cost will be almost 50% of the development cost in the first year. However, this cost will decrease from 15% to 30% after each year. So, when you are budgeting your app development cost, you must calculate the expected app maintenance cost and add it to your budget. That will give you the right idea of the complete app development and maintenance cost.

What To Include In The App Maintenance Plan?

Here’s what you can include in your app maintenance plan to make your services better:

Add New And Advanced Features

Your work doesn’t end after app development; it starts from there. You need to keep a constant check on your app and its usage. The way users are corresponding to your app will tell you about features that keep users engaged and features that are useless. You can update your current features and introduce new ones to retain users’ attention based on this information.

Many users also give effective solutions to improve or make changes. These ideas can help you add better updates and advanced features. Moreover, you should check your app’s feedback and ratings. If you keep this in your mobile app maintenance place, it will be cost-effective and time-saving for you.

Keep User Interface Updated

App development and maintenance are based on various factors. To improve your application, you have to keep an eye on the latest trends, new designs, and your users’ habits. If you keep up with changing trends, you will keep your app up to date with a better user interface.

You need to keep changing and updating your user interface as per users’ expectations. So that they will be hooked to your app and would not leave it for any other application. Also, keeping up with the trendy styles and updates makes your app popular among the masses.

Timely Bug Fixes

No user wants to spend time on an app full of bugs. If your app keeps crashing, it will drive your users away. You must identify why your app crashes. You must add regular bug fixes to your app maintenance plan. If you update and maintain your app timely, it will not cost you much. On the other hand, if you do not maintain your app, these bug issues can lead to a complete failure and more expenses. So, keep a regular check on complaints and your app’s performance.

Performance Monitoring

Low-quality user interface and poor performance can lead to uninstalls and less app usage. Users do not like an app that does not perform well, takes more time in loading, and has a slower response time. People want to use an app that is quicker, responsive, and seamless in its processes. Your mobile app maintenance must include performance evaluation and monitoring to make your app valuable for users.

Check App Support For New Software

As technology is evolving, you come across new software each day. Android and iOS also release their new versions every year. Your app maintenance is significant regularly to keep your app compatible with new devices. You need to ensure that your app’s operating system works well with all the latest versions and smart devices.

If you do not work on app maintenance, your app will be left behind and forgotten within a few years. So, it is a good plan to update your app regularly and incorporate those functions supported by new software and devices.

Updated License

If your app uses a license, it might require renewal after some time. So, you need to include this in your mobile app maintenance plan to keep a check on licenses. Timely renewals will save you from sky-high app maintenance costs.

Scheduled System Maintenance

Scheduled system maintenance is another significant part of your mobile app maintenance plan. Regular system maintenance help in avoiding sudden crashes and errors. Unexpected crashes and bug issues can annoy your users and drive them away.

If you offer regular system maintenance, your app will continue to run smoothly without any problems. Moreover, you can inform your users beforehand about scheduled system maintenance. So, users can be prepared for it rather than taking it as an error or issue.

Final Words

The app maintenance plan is an integral part of mobile app development and maintenance. If you do not want your app to become obsolete, you have to maintain it regularly. So, monitor your app’s performance and update it with the latest trends to maintain its popularity among users. That’s the best way to keep your app running after all the hard work and money you invested.

Note: This article first appeared at: A Deep Dive into the App Maintenance Plan and Strategy