10 Steps on How to Start an App Business in Canada

I have an app idea. Now, what to do? What’s the next step?

You’ve heard it over and over again — mobile is where the growth is. But why should you dive in?

Here are some stats that show how lucrative the mobile app market is. 

• There are 6.3 billion smartphone users worldwide, and they spend 88% of their mobile time on apps. 
• By the end of 2022, apps are expected to generate a revenue of over $6371 million. 
• An average app released by Canadian publishers acquires more than 360k downloads, much higher than the worldwide average of 220k.  

The app market has a vast audience. The question is, is your business accessible to that audience? If you are wondering how to start an app business, this guide will help you build on your app idea. 

How to Develop an App Idea?

Before you can develop an app, you need to come up with a great idea. But how do you go about doing that? Here are some tips to help you find your next big project.

One of the most important things to remember when coming up with an idea is that it has to be something that will make people want to use it. If your idea isn’t helpful or interesting enough, no one will want to download it.

When coming up with an app idea, there are several different sources you can draw inspiration from. For example, if you’re looking for a way to make money with your mobile app, then look at what other apps have done well and see if there’s anything in there that’s worth copying. Or, if you want to create a game for kids, then see what kinds of games are popular among kids and try to come up with something similar that hasn’t been done yet.

The following steps will help you develop your killer app idea:

1. Define your customer avatar

The first step in creating an app is to define the type of person you want to develop it for. This can be a real person or a fictional character that represents a group of people with similar characteristics.

You can skip this step if you’re developing an app for yourself. But if you’re creating an app for other people, then it’s essential to understand who they are and what they want from your app before you start building it.

2. Understand the problem your app will solve

When developing an app, you need to understand the problem your app solves. What pain point are you addressing? The best way to do this is to talk with others who have experienced this problem and get their feedback on how they would solve it.

If you can’t find anyone who can help, it’s time to do some research. Look at existing apps that solve the same problem and see how they do it. You’ll learn much from what they’re doing right (and wrong).

Ask yourself: Why should people care about my app? What will make it stand out? How will it be better than other similar apps?

3. Research your niche

You need to know everything about the topic that you want to cover in your app. This includes statistics, trends, and popular issues in the industry. Before creating an app, make sure you know the market well enough so that it won’t be difficult for you to create something valuable for users.

Here are some of the most lucrative businesses and niches you can start in Canada.

Real Estate: Real estate is one of the most lucrative industries to get into as an entrepreneur. With a wide range of services from realtors to home inspectors, becoming a real estate agent can be a great way to make money while helping people find their dream homes.

Waste Management: Waste management is another good option if you know the industry. This can also be done on a small scale and will require less investment than real estate. However, it may not be as profitable as real estate because there is more competition in this industry.

Financial Services: Financial services are another good option if you want to start a business but do not want to invest too much money in equipment or infrastructure. You can provide financial services online through websites such as PayPal or Stripe, which offer payment processing facilities for merchants and businesses selling products online.

Fitness Services: Fitness services are an excellent choice for those looking to start a socially and environmentally conscious business. The number of people who want to live a healthy lifestyle and stay fit has been rising over the last few years, making this industry a great choice if you make money while helping others lead healthier lives.

4. Identify user touchpoints

Touchpoints are any point where a customer interacts with your business, product or service. Touchpoints can be physical, digital, or both. For example, if you have a brick-and-mortar store, you have physical touchpoints such as the cash register and customer service desk. However, you also have digital ones like your website and email campaigns.

When developing an app idea, you should think about how people use your product or service now and what they would want from an app. This will help you identify relevant touchpoints that will help you shape your app’s functionality and design.

5. Research your competition

You can learn a lot about your competitors by browsing their websites, reading their blogs and social media posts, and watching their videos. If possible, try out their products or services first-hand.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before you start planning your app:

• How are they different from me? What makes them better?

• What are their strengths and weaknesses? Can I compete with them?

• What do they offer that I don’t? How can I improve upon what they’ve already done?

6. Create a business model

Before spending time designing, coding, or marketing your product, it’s fundamental to know who will buy it and how much they would be willing to pay for it—this is called your target market and price point. It will also help you figure out if it makes sense financially for you to develop this idea in the first place.

When developing your app idea, you will need the expertise of professional developers. There are three options for developing an app:

1. Freelance developers. This is the most popular option because it’s cost-effective, but it can be challenging to find good ones. You must also manage them and ensure they’re working on your project, not someone else’s.

2. In-house developers. This is probably your best choice if you have a team of developers at your disposal and can afford it. It will give you complete control over everything from design to development and marketing. However, this can be very expensive if you don’t already have the resources in-house — or if those resources don’t have the skills needed for mobile app development (i.e. if they’re web developers).

3. Outsource developers. This is another common approach among small businesses because it allows them to focus on their core competencies while outsourcing other aspects of business operations like development or customer service needs.

Outsourcing your development needs can be the most economical solution while ensuring you get the best possible services. Outsourcing has become a popular option for companies who want to cut costs and increase their bottom line.

Outsourcing has been around for years, with companies outsourcing work to other countries for various reasons. However, it’s only recently that outsourcing has become a viable option for small businesses seeking to cut costs without sacrificing quality.

7. Build an MVP

The last step in how to start an app business in Canada is to build an MVP or minimum viable product. An MVP is the simplest version of your product that you can create, test, and iterate on. It allows you to test your assumptions about the market, validate your hypothesis, and gather feedback. 

You may find that people aren’t interested in using your product or that there are additional features they would like to see added before they would be willing to pay for it. If this is the case, then it may be worth spending some time working on those features before moving forward with development.

4 Factors that Make Canada the Perfect Place for Your App Business

Canada is a great place to start your app business. It’s a country with a very high standard of living and one of the most advanced countries in terms of mobile technology.

Here are five reasons why Canada is the perfect place for you to start your mobile app business

1. An Expansive market

The Canadian market is expansive and diverse. It’s the second-largest country in the world and home to a wide variety of people, cultures, and businesses.

The Canadian economy is also one of the most stable in the world. With a GDP ranking of 11th worldwide, Canada has a stable economy primed for innovation.

2. An excellent ecosystem for startups

Canada’s reputation as one of the best places in the world for startups comes from its excellent ecosystem for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The country has abundant resources to help entrepreneurs succeed, including accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces that provide mentorship and networking opportunities. There are also dozens of startup conferences each year where entrepreneurs can learn about new technology trends or share their ideas with others in their field.

3. Access to capital and government funding programs

Canada’s economic environment is ideal for startups. Thanks to the country’s stable economy, investors are eager to back promising ventures, while government programs such as the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) provide seed capital and other resources needed to get off the ground.

4. Supportive government policies

Canada has a solid and supportive government, which makes it a great place for app developers and entrepreneurs. The country is known for its progressive policies, which have helped the tech industry thrive. For example, Canada has a high-skilled worker program that allows foreign workers to enter the country for up to 3 years without obtaining a visa. This makes it easier for businesses to hire skilled workers from other countries.

10 Steps to Start a Mobile App Business in Canada

The mobile app market in Canada is similar to that in the USA. Most companies choose Canada to soft-launch their app before releasing it to the world.

The market consumption of mobile apps in Canada has increased with a CAGR of 9.4% between 2017 and 2022. This shows that the Canadian population is engaging with mobile apps more than ever. 

Now that you have understood how to build upon your app idea, the next step is developing the mobile app. The steps below explain the step-by-step process regarding how to start an app business in Canada. 

1. Plan the app development process 

The first step in planning your mobile app development process is determining how much time and money you’re willing to invest in building an app. Is the project fun for you? Do you know anyone who might be interested in using an app like this? How much have you researched potential competitors? How much do they cost?

2. Consult with an app development company 

The next step in starting a mobile app business is consulting with an app development company. These companies help you create the best possible app to meet your business goals and be user-friendly. They can also tell you about the different types of apps available, depending on what kind of company you have.

3. Set a budget

Before you start with the idea of doing a mobile app business, you must know how much money you need to spend on building the app.

Here are some things to consider while setting up a budget:

1) Design costs – This includes the cost of hiring a graphic designer or freelancer who will create the look and feel of your app. Designing an app can be expensive because it requires a lot of research to get the right look and feel for your product. Depending on how complex it is, you might have to pay up to $50 per hour to design an app.

2) Development costs include coding your idea into reality so it can be tested in real-life scenarios. It also includes testing different versions of your code until you find one that works best for your application

3) Marketing costs – You need to market your product after its launch so that people know about it and buy it from the store. Marketing costs include designing ads for social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram and promoting them through paid advertising

4. Select the app platform 

There are two leading app platforms: Android and iOS. Both have their pros and cons, so it’s essential to consider which one will suit you best.

Android has a vast user base — more than 2 billion monthly users. It’s also open source, making it easier to build apps for it. However, unlike iOS, there’s no way to monetize your app without using Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. Moreover, Android has fewer security features than iOS, so developers must spend more time testing their apps before releasing them on the market.

On the other hand, iOS has a smaller user base — around 1 billion active monthly users. But it offers more privacy for users and better security features for developers. Developers can easily monetize their apps through Apple’s App Store because of its strict approval process. However, this process makes it harder for developers to release updates quickly because they need approval from Apple first before they can release new versions of their apps onto the store.

5. UI/UX design 

The user interface and user experience are very important for any mobile app. It is important to remember that the users will notice the first impression of your app within seconds. So, it is necessary to give importance to the design aspect of your mobile app.

6. Backend development 

Once you’ve decided on the type of mobile app you want to build, the next step is to get the backend development done. This can be an expensive and time-consuming process.

Finding a developer with experience building mobile apps in your niche is best to save time and money. You can use freelance sites like Upwork and Fiverr to find experienced freelancers. Hiring an app development company that can handle all aspects of development is advisable for the best results. 

7. Testing phase

Mobile app testing is a crucial step in the process of how to start an app business in Canada. It helps you ensure that your app meets the quality standards of your users. Testing your mobile app can also help you identify bugs and fix them before publishing the app to the market.

Mobile apps are prone to errors, resulting in poor user experience or even security breaches. Therefore, any mobile app developer must test their product thoroughly before releasing it on the market. However, there are many different types of testing that developers need to do before releasing their products, and each type requires different tools and methods.

8. Launch

Before your official launch date, you should prepare a “soft launch” by sending out invitations to journalists and bloggers interested in covering your news. You can also start building up interest with teaser videos and screenshots on social media channels and websites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

9. App promotion

App promotion is a combination of the various techniques used to market an app. It includes advertising, public relations, and social media marketing. App promotion can be done by the app developer or by an advertising agency hired by the developer.

App promotion is a very important part of app marketing, as it helps to generate traffic for your app. If done well, it will boost your app’s ranking on the app store and result in more downloads. Here are some methods that you can use to promote apps:

– Advertisement

– Social Media Marketing

– Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

10. Feedback and upgrades 

Ask for feedback in the app. You should always ask your users for feedback, especially after you make changes or add new features. This is one of the easiest ways to get information about what’s working and what isn’t.

Include a rating prompt when users first launch your app. This is a great way to collect data early on while they are still excited about using your product and before they have had any bad experiences with it.

Wrapping Up 

Starting an app business can seem daunting, but with proper planning, you can take advantage of the lucrative field.

Apps are a big deal. Business Insider says nearly 2 billion people use smartphone and tablet apps. And that number is expected only to grow.

If you’re interested in the app business, you should know that starting is not easy. But if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, there’s a huge payoff waiting for you on the other side.

At Idea Usher, we can help you take your idea from concept to market. Whether you want to build an app for yourself or a client, we have the expertise to guide you every step of the way.

The first thing we do is assess whether or not your idea is viable. We work with clients from all different industries and backgrounds, so we know what works and what doesn’t in the world of business apps. Once we determine your idea has potential, our team creates a customized plan tailored to your needs.

Our goal is to make sure that every client walks away happy with their new mobile app project. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality services at affordable prices while delivering exceptional results within tight deadlines and budgets.

Drop us a line to know more. 

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone Numbers : (+91) 946 340 7140, (+91) 859 140 7140, and (+1) 732 962 4560

FAQs

Q. How much does it cost to start an app?

Ans. The cost to develop an app varies widely, depending on the features you want, the complexity of the project, and the developer.

Q. How profitable is making an app?

Ans. There are a lot of factors that go into answering this question. Each app has its unique cost structure and revenue potential. For example, gaming apps cost more to develop than usual apps. However, their  ROI is higher. 

Q. What kind of apps are in demand?

Ans. Various app categories, such as fitness and health, social media apps, photo editing, etc., are currently in demand. 

Q. How many months does it take to develop an app?

Ans. The average time to develop an app is 6-8 months. It can be longer if you have complex requirements, but also if you don’t have enough resources or your team is understaffed.