The application market is thriving like never before & is poised to grow further in the next few years. This has encouraged a lot of startups and developers to try their hands-on applications and make millions! Though many developers have seen great success with their mobile app, but this is not the fate for all the apps available in the app store. You might have an amazing app idea but the success of your app cannot be guaranteed unless you monitor your app throughout its functioning.

It might sound shocking to you, but many users can leave your app just after a single-use. Also, with such fierce competition in the market, it is imperative for your app to live up to all the expectations of the users. If you think you’ve put enough effort but still not able to get desired results, there could be other possible reasons why your app idea is failing.

Below listed are ten reasons you must consider to understand why your app is not performing well:

Poor market research: Prior to starting working on the app, it is much needed to carry deep research to understand the market scenario and your target audience. As there are several groups of users, developers must clearly define their target audience. Having the audience pre-decided will not just present your app in front of the right users but will also help you to synchronize your marketing efforts that best suit your niche audience.

Having thoroughly studied your audience is a crucial factor in determining the success of your application. The more you understand the needs of your target audience, the more users will like your app. Thus, not studying your audience’s needs, expectations and behavior can often result in the failure of your mobile application.

No value proposition: Your mobile application must have a clear objective. Since there are several applications available for the users, your application must have a value proposition to attract and retain more users. For instance, there are already several food delivery applications available for users, and if you come up with a new app, offering exactly the same thing, why would users switch to your app? Your application should have something unique to offer which could attract a good user base and help you gain an edge over your competitors.

Having not done a competitive study, which determines the strengths and weaknesses, could be one of the possible reasons why your app is not performing well. So, if your application is not performing well, make sure to add a unique value proposition that can only help you win over competitors and mark a unique identity in front of the users.

Bad user interface/ experience[sup][/sup]: A great user experience is what decides the success rate of an application. After all, you build an application for users and if they are unable to use the app suitably, it ultimately defeats the purpose. While you get your app designed and ensure its success, it is necessary for your UI or UX designer to make your app intuitive and user-friendly. A good app is the one that allows its users to switch between the functions seamlessly within seconds.

Some of the reasons why your app’s retention rate is witnessing a steep downfall could be bad loading speed, too many ads or information required from the user, slow login process, and unsupportive app features for the users.

Improper app testing: Minor bugs are common if you develop a new app, however, if your app is witnessing continuous major issues, and it is not tested properly, your application might fail terribly. This will also hamper the trust of your users and can put your app down is just no time. Even if your app witnesses a single crash, it will refrain users from ever using your mobile application. Also, if users come across any such issue, they are most likely to give negative reviews about your app leading potential users also not downloading the app. Thus, if your app does not meet the user’s expectations in terms of its performance and functionality, you app may fail miserably.

Lack of marketing efforts: There is a high possibility that you have a great app idea and good functionality, but what if it doesn’t reach the users? Your app is certainly of no use. To avoid this, you must develop a marketing plan even before starting its development. Using social media and advanced marketing tools, you can promote your app and create a little hype before its launch. Building a little excitement before its launch will actually encourage users to see what the app is all about, fetching more downloads and likes. Even after the launch of the app, to keep attracting new users and retain the old ones, you must work on your marketing efforts else this could be one of the reasons why your app performance may go down.

Uncertainty about the app platform: If you don’t choose your mobile application platform wisely, your app is most likely to fail drastically. Not paying attention to the user’s choice of the smartphone will make your app of no use. To make sure that your application is ready to survive and thrive, you need to pick the right platform, consider the size of your app store and then choose any of the iOS or Android platforms.

Complex or inadequate features: One reason that your app idea has failed, can be overusing or underusing the app features. Your app should not be stuffed with unnecessary features as it can make it complex for users to handle and will turn to an app which is specific to their needs. Similarly, if you have limited features, your users might find it inadequate. Whether you give too little or too many features, the users are most likely to abandon the app without having to try them.

Unscalable backend support: If you have a commercial app or a gaming app, it must have robust backend support to complete your application business flow. Ever since the rise of AI and cloud technologies, you must embrace it swiftly to provide unmatched backend support to your mobile application. If you fail to develop scalable backend support, it will not be able to adjust with the traffic influx & storage capabilities over a period of time. Thus, neglecting the backend support can simply put down your app.

No timely app up-gradation: Trends are involving constantly, and your app must incorporate all-new features & should be up to date. Users have a tendency to switch to apps which offer them something new all the time. Failing to recognize the need of the hour, and upgrading your app timely can be one of the major reasons for your app failure. To avoid this, you must keep an eye on points where your application can improve and what your users are expecting, to deliver what your user likes the most and keep them coming back to your app frequently.

Neglecting communication with users: Once the application and build & you gain a good user base, the story does not end here. It is crucial to develop an ongoing communication channel with your users to keep them glued to your application. Many apps that are doing well in the market often are in touch with their users frequently. As an engagement strategy, you must inform your users through push notifications, interesting rewards, promotional coupons, text messages, alerts, and freebies. If you fail to deliver this, your application is also bound to suffer.

Key takeaways…

Now that you know what could be the top possible reasons your application is not performing well, make sure to overcome these mistakes and help your app to thrive like never before. Even if you don’t own an app and are planning to work on your application idea, the above-mentioned points are important for you to note while developing your app and create its success path. After all, it’s not always good to learn from your own mistakes, when you can learn from other’s mistakes. Focusing on market research, adding unique value proposition, chalking out a good marketing plan, following best user-interface practices, and ensuring seamless communication with the users, can definitely work well & help your application win users.