Multifunctional application - do you need all the functions of your program?

Many of the functions for mobile applications have become de facto the standard when developing. Developers sometimes do not even think about why this program or another opportunity. Since this is a standard, then you need to add. But is it worth adding everything, just because everybody is doing it? Let's argue.

In the sequel - a list of the most frequently added functions that are considered standard. If you are developing applications, you should look at this list and think again whether these functions are necessary for your program.

Share

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This tool can be an ideal feature for applications where the user works with content. Share, or "Share" in some cases even helps to increase the audience of the application. But “that the Russian is good is death for the German,” and if for some programs this is a great opportunity, then for others it is not at all. Unfortunately, not all developers are aware of this, by default adding this social tool to their program.

As an example, an alarm program. There is no interaction between users at all (except for the cases when users wake each other up - there is such a thing, yes). So what can an alarm user share? Awakening time?

If you still want to use such a function, then you should think about how to do it in an original way. Well, for example, to provide the user the opportunity to share with friends information about how many times in the morning he rearranges the time of awakening. But it is better not to add the fifth wheel to the cart.

Use of game elements

As in the case of Share, gamification can be attractive and necessary for the user. In some social applications, gamification can work very well, increasing the frequency of using the application by the user and the time he spends in the program. This is especially true for all sorts of fitness applications, where users compete with each other, demonstrating their own success (in running, cycling, swimming, etc.).

It is clear that there are examples when you should not do anything like this. One such example is Google News Badges. In 2011, Google introduced the opportunity to accumulate badges to users of its services, and the more a user reads materials on a topic, the more badges he received. But does the program really need such functionality? Who uses it? Do we pay attention to how many articles we read on one topic or another?

The answer is clear - no. And the added opportunity turned out to be useless.

Another example is the opportunity to become a “mayor” of an institution, with the maximum number of visits to this institution among all users. This is a Swarm app. This feature initially received negative user feedback, although users were initially not too happy about dividing the main Foresquare app into two.

The game, competitive component in many cases, users simply annoying.

Geolocation

This feature is central to many applications. Tinder, Snapchat, and Foursquare - without geolocation is simply not enough. Moreover, if there were no GPS technology, there would not be these applications. There are also programs that do not need geolocation at all, or are needed, but it is not used there and not there, roughly speaking.

There is one interesting point. If you are going to show ads in your application, then remember that geolocation and user profile (more on this below) are two factors that allow an advertiser to improve targeting. Accordingly, such advertising will cost more, and the developer will receive more money than in the absence of geolocation and profiles. But, of course, this does not mean at all that geolocation needs to be built into the next version of Tetris. But the profile is quite possible, and social functions in this case will also be useful. And now - about the profile.

User Profile

The user profile has become an integral part of many services and applications more than 10 years ago, with the advent of social media platforms. Users really liked the idea of ​​owning a page that belongs only to them and no one else. They can edit it, share content and information with friends online. Profiles have become a hit, the most popular part of many applications for mobile devices.

In particular, this applies to social and gaming programs. The main goal in this case is the personalization of everything and everything. Interestingly, in some programs, creating a profile is an option, while in others the user must create a profile in order to start using the program.
In Skype, Facebook, Twitter without a profile you can not start work. Yes, and it is in human nature - to stand out. In this case, with the help of a picture and an original quote or status.

However, for some applications, profiles are not needed (here it is worth remembering the advice from the previous paragraph). Some users simply do not want to fill out information about themselves. Such people want to download the program, and immediately start using it. But no - the application requires you to place an avatar, write something about yourself, take a picture of the key to the front door, place a photo of a credit card ... No, no one really requires keys and credit cards, but for some users, the requirement to specify a full name is something akin to .

Advertising and monetization

Most developers hope that the application will be profitable, this is logical (and we are helping with this, by the way). But it is not always necessary to immediately ask the user to pay. A person needs to make clear the benefits of the program, allow him to work with it, and then ask him to deposit some amount or show advertising.

Here it is also worth remembering that in different cases and monetize the application need to be different. So, in the case of in-app purchases, this is one thing. In the case of free and paid versions of the same program - another.

No one doubts that your application can and should be monetized. But do it wisely, so that the user himself brought the money. We, Appodeal , can help you with this.