A Comprehensive Guide To Developing An On Demand App

Building an on-demand app requires more than coding skills. The most critical part of the app development process is the planning and marketing part. Have you ever dreamed of building your app but didn’t have a clue where to start? Or maybe you’re already making an app but fear for its success.

“There is an app for that!” I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase before. 

Apps are good examples of successful small and medium enterprises- which are mobile-first only! There are lots of mobile apps that we use daily without paying any money. Top-quality mobile applications require a very serious approach to planning, design, and development. Let’s see how to develop an on-demand app for Android or iOS. You don’t need to worry. This article will guide you through the process of developing an on-demand app.

It also shows you how to list it in a marketplace like Google Play or Apple App Store. 

Why should you consider building apps on demand?

If you own a service business, there can be a good chance you are thinking about creating an app to give your customers more options in how they interact with you. This is a great option for those who work in the service industry or serve clients in an office setting. If you’re looking to also learn about the on-demand app’s history, you’ve come to the right place. Mobile devices are widely used these days – for browsing the web, social media, and for making payments. It makes sense that small businesses need to utilize this technology as well.

An on-demand app provides the customer the ability to:

• Track their appointments, orders, and booking
• View their account information and personalized offers
• Explore products and services your business offers
• Make digital and financial transactions within the app.
• Request additional services on a mutually agreed schedule
• Get instant customer assistance via chats within the app.

Why do all popular businesses have an on-demand app?

• Apps are an integral part of your customers’ lives: you need to connect with them directly. 
• These handy little gadgets make our lives so much easier, and your app can fulfill that purpose.
• Businesses have taken cues from in-demand work apps and created on-demand mobile apps to make their customers’ lives easier. 
• On-demand apps are here to stay; your competitor is leveraging them already!
• Businesses simply cannot afford to ignore them any further. You want to appeal to your customers as the latest and updated business that serves them best.

Which type of on-demand app is making the most money in 2023?

Let’s be real, and the post-pandemic era has changed the way businesses interact with customers. The overall consumption of mobile services has shifted to customer-oriented interactions. People couldn’t always step out of their comfortable homes. And hence, stepped into the scene of demand apps. 

Some of these popular categories of apps are:

• Food delivery apps
• Entertainment apps
• Education and online learning applications
• Medicine delivery
• Retail and shopping
• Grocery delivery apps
• Hyperlocal and on-demand courier services
• Super apps: the all-in-one app
• Digital wallets and fintech applications 
• Meditation and mental wellness apps
• Supply and demand app

The growth of online applications has been spectacular over the past ten years. And the trend shows no signs of slowing down. The Internet opened up many new revenue streams. It also provided a whole host of channels to make money from mobile apps. You’ll also discover some short case studies of some of these businesses making huge profits as you read along.

How to develop an on-demand app in 2023: a guide on getting started

Such technologies as blockchain and artificial intelligence have long passed the hype’s point and become a part of our usual life. But the mobile Internet is still growing by leaps and bounds. And if several years ago it was fashionable to make one’s app, now the trend has come back with a vengeance. Mobile app development is a sphere with an incredible number of diverse approaches, techniques, and technologies. And if you are a beginner in this matter, you definitely will have a lot of questions. 

What do you need when you want to build an app? 

That’s a basic question, but you would be surprised how difficult it is to find the answer. You need many things: a marketing strategy, an idea for your app, graphics, the skills to program an app, and many more. There are different stages in the creation of an app. Begin with identifying your WHY.

Who are your target market and customer base?

You need to know where your target customer is hanging out to cater to them. Mobile applications have become an important part of the life of many people in the modern world. A significant number of people prefer to use mobile devices for certain transactions and applications. For example, it is common for people to search for information on their mobile phones. 

Where do you want to publish your application: Android, iOS, or the web?

The answer can be all three. It will help identify the tech stack required to proceed further. Competition in the App Store and Android Market is increasing every day. As well as the immense complexity of app building, it’s no surprise that many startups are abandoning their mobile app projects as soon as they begin them. You want to go leave your competitor behind and be on top of your game.

What functionalities should your mobile app perform?

Does it order a pizza? Does your app connect buyers and sellers? Or does your application schedule online classes in universities and schools? What added features would you like to include in your app? Answering these challenging questions will help you make one of the few successful mobile apps.

Next, you want to identify the type of mobile app you require. It will help you make a decision on the development phase of your project.

3 types of mobile apps to choose from for your business

1. Web: A web app runs on web servers. These are not the apps that run on your computer operating system or mobile.
2. Native: Native apps are ones that users install on mobile devices. Usually, they are available on the google play store or Apple apps store.
3. Hybrid: Hybrid apps are an amalgam of web and native apps in a way. These run like typical web apps with native app behavior.

Get in touch with us and build a world-class on demand app today!

Top 7 Mobile and web apps in high demand making billions of Dollars in Revenue: a short case study

Nowadays, building mobile applications has become a big trend for almost any company. Most of startups and software companies have shifted to mobile applications as their preferred option for giving an application-like feel to their users. Furthermore, mobile applications enable us to leverage a smartphone’s mobility, which comes with most of us every day. 

Over the years, the demand for Instagram and Snapchat-like apps and mobile and web applications for a wide variety of customers has skyrocketed. The popularity of web applications has changed how people interact with one another by bringing fascinating new concepts to reality.

Instagram: A social media app

Instagram used to be just a mobile app for sharing photos with friends but has evolved into an important marketing platform. Businesses get to showcase their services, their products, and whatnot! The one which can be said to have taken the social media industry by storm. It has to be Instagram. 

This mobile application is not as popular as Facebook and Twitter, but it is distinctively different, bringing new followers in a raft since it was launched. The platform allows users to take photos and videos, apply different digital filters to them, and share them on several social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr. Instagram can easily be added to any of these platforms by using a QR code to scan during Instagram registration. 

Tinder: An online dating app

After being launched to the public in September 2012, Tinder has taken a meteoric rise to success. Tinder is a location-based social search mobile app that facilitates communication between mutually interested users, allowing matched users to chat. The revenue generated annually exceeds 30 million dollars alone!

This app’s unique feature is that when two individual users “swipe right” to like each other, their profiles are automatically connected, and they can start chatting. Tinder is one of the most popular mobile applications for matching people together. This app is available via both iOS and Android and boasts more than 30 million users.

Post Mates: Hyperlocal food delivery app

Post Mates is a popular delivery application for iPhones and Android. You can get your food delivered right to your door. It’s fun, and the great thing is that you don’t even have to leave your house! You request the city you need something from, not the type of store. With over 80,000+ Postmates worldwide, you can get your food or goods in an average of about 30 minutes. That’s a genius commission-based revenue generation scheme.

While you can get almost any food or drink delivered to your door by calling various restaurants and placing a to-go order, the service is not available everywhere in the US. But Post Mates, a free mobile application from Door Dash, comes pretty close by, allowing you to have food and drinks brought directly to you. Postmates makes deliveries on-demand to neighborhoods throughout the world. Download the app and request local delivery from your favorite restaurants, grocery stores, drug stores, and more. 

Amazon: Global marketplace and shopping application

We all know that Amazon has taken over the world in terms of online shopping. Amazon, launched in July 1995, is the biggest marketplace for online retail. It’s a huge timesaver to let Amazon do the heavy lifting of finding and delivering the products you want. 

Here are some incredible insights that make shopping faster, and customers love it. When it comes to shopping, the Amazon app is everyone’s go-to. The app has a 4-star rating with over 170,000 reviews. Amazon is a brand that has a strong presence in grocery, fashion, and also items like e-books. It also provides its users with Amazon Appstore, where one can download free and paid applications for their smartphone.

Headspace: A meditation and mind wellness application

What was Headspace before becoming a leader in the space of mobile and health? It began with a hard decision to leave behind a comfortable life. Co-founder Andy Puddicombe knew he had to make some changes for his health. Ever since they tapped into a mobile-first application, its demand surged. 

In a world rife with distractions, Headspace wants a dominant mindfulness teacher via mobile apps. The mobile and desktop applications offer you guided meditations. These exercises are backed by science. So you download Headspace. And you open it for the first time. What happens next is that you’re suddenly feeling terrific. There’s this amazing gentle voice guiding you through an exercise. Thus, the reason for its success.

Pandora: Music streaming application

When it comes to managing their music on their smartphones, most people are content with just listening to their already-added music. Some use Spotify and have a subscription to the streaming service, or they may purchase music in iTunes and sync them up to their phone. These would be the casual music listeners. There is a smaller percentage that also likes listening to internet radio via mobile, and for this market, Pandora has introduced its app for iPhone users. 

It plays their new albums and most significant hits collections, along with anything published by their record labels, most of which are owned by the same company like Pandora, or Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI (all four of which were previous owners of a piece of what was once called the “Big Five” but is now referred to as the “Big Three”). It’s also licensed music, so a feasible way to monetize on the platform.

Instacart: On-demand grocery shopping application

With its recent $2 billion valuation, Instacart is one of the hottest startups in North America. Instacart is an app that connects you with personal shoppers to purchase grocery items for you. The company is based in San Francisco, California, and was founded in 2012 by Apoorva Mehta and Matt Eagan. Instacart is a web and mobile-based grocery delivery service that makes it possible for customers to order groceries from their favorite stores and pick them up in as little as an hour. 

Instacart technology stores your shopping list in real time, so you don’t have to type it all out again when you need new groceries. The app, organized for both iOS and Android users, provides an easy ordering for your time-crunched life. If you’ve been shopping around grocery stores, you’ve probably noticed that they’re all trying to have the best mobile application experience. 

On-demand app for mobile-first customers vs. websites

This allows an app to be more convenient and stickier than a website. A website can quickly be dropped and abandoned by us or anyone if something better comes along. At the same time, apps are harder to switch off once we start using them. They do offer a great customer experience based on it being more real-time and personalized, which can’t always be provided by websites. Especially the ones that have been on the Internet for multiple years.

How to pick the best app development company?

Once you decide on getting an app developed for your business, here are the common questions that arise. We’ve mentioned the solutions as well.

What are the benefits of hiring your own developer?

You don’t need to worry about creating an application from scratch. Your developer can guide you step-by-step and provide you with essential help. They make app features in the framework you use and adapt to your needs. There’s nothing worse than working with a lack of details. 

Using the right framework and figuring out the coding workflows will speed up your workflow. Mobile development is a very complex job if not done right. If you need apps for the desktop, moving to the development for mobile applications may overwhelm you. There are hundreds of frameworks, thousands of sample apps, and hundreds of APIs out there. Don’t worry, and the ideal developer will make it a cakewalk for you.

Hiring an app developer is quick and easy.

Once you hire expert app developers, you don’t have to go to them and tell them what you want to do. They will do everything for you. 

The first thing that you have to understand is that there are many app development companies. Different ones are also available in your city or in your country. Every industry, whether it’s a software development company or a design company, is segmented into specializations. Selecting an app development company that specializes in your field and is willing to work with your budget as we do. It’s likely that most of them require you to send them a partial payment first before they start working.

What are the benefits of outsourcing software development?

We are currently in the age of globalization, and outsourcing software development projects is one of the biggest professional advantages one could get. Outsourcing developers and other skilled employees have proved to be more efficient and cost-effective for many companies. 

The developers who work for the developer outsourcing company will be under the control of the company they’re working for. In addition, the company can control the quality of the application by putting more tasks on its list. This is where you, as a business owner, will get the most out of your buck.

How to market your business mobile application?

Without effective marketing, your business app has next to zero potential for visibility. And in the worst-case scenario, if that happens, all the hard work goes to waste. App marketing is a hard job since you can’t just rely on social media and some ads to help you succeed. Nowadays, there are over two million apps in the market which means that you will have no shortage of competition when trying to get a piece of the pie. So, how do you go about marketing an app?

You have to know what you’re doing since there are thousands competing with you.

Marketing a mobile app for the first time can be quite daunting. The sheer amount of options and channels that you have available to you can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. 

When it comes to a marketing budget, most small businesses don’t really have one. That means you need to get creative if you want to maximize your chances of success. The trick here is to streamline the process wherever possible and to ensure that everything you do is cost-effective. 

Marketing options to promote your on-demand app:

1 Content Marketing

Strategizing your social media content management, video production, and blogging is essential to gain some visibility. Do viral and shareable video sales letters (VSL), copywriting, ad copies, landing pages for funnels, white papers, and blogs that drive traction, and most importantly, convert a prospect into a paying customer.

2 Social Media Marketing

You’ll never run out of good content for your followers, be it viral posts, topical content, or reels with a viewership of thousands. You should leverage a social presence in your favor. We’ve built countless social presences from scratch (or enhanced existing impact) on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram in record time. You are almost increasing true engagement from 500 followers to 5000. Organic strategies without bot or paid followers; you will stand a chance to receive cross-promotional requests with other brands who will even pay to rent a space for a limited time on your social media. 

3 Email Marketing and Ad Management

We will simplify writing email newsletters, hosting contests, and creating targeted ad campaigns for you. It combines data from the web, social media, and traditional advertising to create more personalized marketing campaigns. We monitor your ads, submit keywords to the search engines, and ensure that your email campaigns are sent out at optimum times (when your subscribers are most likely to see them).

How to get services for Android or ios on-demand apps?

There are mobile applications that serve you in a variety of ways. However, it is very much confusing to choose the best applications for the purpose of enhancing your performance, security, and productivity within your business. Mobile applications, more and more apps for various purposes, are constantly being released into the market. When trying to find the best app for your specific needs, it can be overwhelming going through the app stores’ long lists of featured apps. Or let alone scrolling through page after page of search results.

Choosing Idea Usher app developers for custom mobile application

Good applications for iPhone and Android will be in the request through the course of 2021, but they don’t come cheap. Mobile apps, web applications, and software for all platforms (Windows PC, OSX, Linux, Android, iPhone/iPad) should be considered when you’re thinking about whether to hire your own developer. Many developers are being pushed to produce applications as fast as they can because news spreads quickly on social networks. 

For this reason, rates for quality application developers who understand the needs of a business and personnel have gone up dramatically. However, quality over quantity is paramount when you choose Idea Usher (the #1 choice of app developers in the world). We will give you a quote that hits all the sweet spots without overspending from your budget. Contact us for a free quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. When should I develop an app for my business?

The ideal and correct time is now. The reason is simple and your competitor is doing everything to get ahead of you.

Q. Is on-demand app development expensive?

No. It is rather affordable and customizable, depending on your business requirements. There is always a company like Idea Usher that is willing to provide you with the best package at competitive prices.

Q. What is the app development cost on average?

A generic application development cost is anywhere from 800 USD to 8000 USD, depending on complexity and platform dependencies. The many functionality lists of the app in the discussion also play a key role in deciding the price point.

Q. Is Idea Usher a good app development company?

Yes. Idea Usher has served over 1000+ successful businesses in getting custom mobile and web applications.

Get in touch with us and build a world-class on-demand app today!