7 Tips to Become a Successful Independent App Developer

7 Tips to Become a Successful Independent App Developer

What it takes to become developer guru.

Some of the most important technological innovations in recent years have been the emergence of apps. One might even say that it's because of apps that the world became more technologically-dependent and obsessed. Nowadays, there are apps for almost everything. For your transportation problems, there are the likes of Lyft and Uber. Do you want some company? Online dating apps were created for such desires. And even if you want to order food from establishments that don't make home deliveries, you can still order through an app and someone else will get the food for you and deliver it to your home.

It's hard to think that there isn't anything anymore that apps can answer, but you'll never really know. Since they've become so useful, becoming an app developer has also become a lucrative profession. But how do you become one? Here are 7 tips to help you get started on becoming an independent app developer.

Find a Market

First thing's first, you have to find a market. Uber has transportation, Tinder covers dating and relationships, Netflix has entertainment. All of these apps are big and successful because they specifically focused on a particular beat. If you want to develop an app yourself, it's imperative that you find a market, preferably one that does not have an app yet. It's better if the field you're making an app for is something that you yourself are familiar with and that you know exactly how your works will answer its problems. However, don't be afraid to venture into new areas where you think might need your help.

Diversify & Develop Your Skills

It pays to diversify your skills. If your college or whatever educational course you took to learn or polish the skills you already possess only focused on certain aspects of the job, learn more out there through internships, going back to school, online courses, and more. It's not enough to know how to make an app, you should also make it visually-appealing, more user-friendly, compare it to how other apps are navigated, and more. Even if you work for a company, if you're familiar with most aspects of creating an app, you'll have a better judgment to see which parts of the output are good and which need improvement.

Create a Team

Similarly to diversifying your horizons, don't be afraid to create a team of technicians, coders, fellow developers, and artists to really create an app that's first class. Although it's comparatively cheaper to take all the reins yourself, especially if you've already mastered some, if not all of the skills needed to create and complete an app, it'll be better and easier for your in the long run if you had some help. Being independent doesn't mean that you're going at it all alone. Gather people who you can share your vision with and you can guide into helping you make the vision into digital reality.

Simplify Your Works

Now that you've developed your skills and created a team, it's time to work on your app. While most apps have their own fair shares of bells and whistles, the most important characteristic you have to incorporate into your work is simplicity. Whatever kind of app that you're working on, it's important it's simple enough to be completely user-friendly. You won't be able to explain everything about your work to the people who'll be downloading it from their phones. Your app must be simple and easy enough that users would be able to instantly understand how to use it on the first day they download it.

Distribute Your App

How will you become a successful developer id people don't know your work? This isn't to say that fame is tantamount to success, but a truly effective app is when it becomes helpful and useful for other people—those that aren't your friends and family. Once your app is ready enough to be used by other people, find distributors to spread your work to the digital world. One way in doing so is by promoting and marketing your work. Create stunning visuals, or even a website, that can catch anyone's eye and share it on social media. If you're lucky enough to get viral, or at least pique the interest of many people. you're good to go!

Evolve with your Users

In the same vein, you have to listen to your users as well. Becoming a successful developer doesn't stop when you've made your app available for download. It's a continuous cycle that's all about improving and growing. One of the best parts that manifest such is how your app will evolve through time. Your work shouldn't stay the same from when you first introduce it to the public to, say, five years into the mainstream. People and their needs evolve through time and your app has to catch up with them. So with all the app/s that you make, never stop changing them up to the convenience of your users.

Stay Disciplined and Passionate

Finally, as with any other profession, it's important that you stay disciplined. There will be times while creating an app that you experience difficulties, see roadblocks, and more. It's important that you don't let them steer you away from your goal. Stay focused and headstrong in creating that app that might just be what many people around the world are looking for. Focus on them instead of whatever problems you may encounter along your journey. This is why it's also important that, with discipline, you also stay passionate about your work. If you know in your hear that your app can make huge changes in people's lives, it'll be a waste if you give up halfway through.

These seven tips might seem trival at first, bu they’re keys for you to become a successful app developer. Try your hand in this industry and, before you know it, you’ve already changed the world for the better.

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