Will Manuel

Core Mobile App Shines on Clutch.co

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One of the most crucial aspects of 21st century business is a professional, crisp, and efficient mobile application or website. We know that our clients deserve the absolute best solutions and we always aim to provide top of the line service – it seems our clients agree!

Recently, we’ve learned of our perfect 5-star rating on Clutch.co. Clutch is a Washington, D.C. based ratings and reviews marketplace, covering over 7,000 companies across 500+ industry verticals ranging from app developers in Orlando to virtual assistants. The root of their assessment lies in client interviews, where Clutch speaks to a company’s references regarding
the challenges, solutions, and results of their time working together. One of our clients, a Deacon of IT for a church, detailed their success utilizing the app we developed for them by stating,

“When the app launched, users downloaded it over 300 times over one weekend. It has flourished to over 600 downloads and fewer people started to use our website because the
app is more responsive and easily available. We received great feedback from our congregation about how convenient the app is. The app made it easier for us to keep our congregation updated on events and easily sent out notifications about canceled events.”

We understand our clients’ needs and know everyone aims to utilize their most cost-effective option. Our goal is to provide this option with top-notch customer service and effective deliverables. We take that responsibility seriously and as the Deacon of IT explains, “for a nonprofit with a tight budget, the app and their work on it has been fantastic for our organization.” Our rating on Clutch is simply a reflection of that commitment that we work towards day in and out. No matter the size of the project, no matter the size of the client, we guarantee that you will be getting the absolute best mobile development services.

If our clients’ words have inspired you to start your next project, contact us here and be sure to check out our full reviews on Clutch!

Will Manuel

I have an idea for a mobile app, what should I do next?

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So you finally have that “eureka moment” and you’ve come up with the most amazing idea for a new mobile app. First of all, congrats! Now you might ask yourself what’s next?

There are a series of steps to follow to make sure you are heading in the right direction after coming up with your initial idea.

Here is a simplified version of the steps to take going forward:

1. Prequalify and estimate your market size

Ensure that you are not the only one in love with your app idea. Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and/or other business professionals what they think of the overall concept. Once you’ve gotten significant positive affirmations to feel confident in your idea, you will then need to estimate the market size for your app. Estimation gauges whether there is a sizable demand for what you would like to develop. There are two questions that you will need to answer:

● Is your app idea profitable? (aka, is it worth the time and monetary investment to proceed?)
● Is it a “nice to have” or does it solve a real problem?

This calls for some in depth research to determine your idea’s feasibility/profitability. You have to be realistic and open to the feedback you will get it as it is a critical step in any tech idea vetting process. Mobile app development is not easy and you will definitely spend a significant amount time and money regardless of your projects size. You wouldn’t want to spend all that on something that does not solve a real problem and/or brings in positive returns.

2. Write it down and decide on prototyping methods

It is now time to think through your idea by putting it on paper. Things will be clearer and you will be able to add whatever comes to mind without losing track of things that may come up. When you have everything written down it is time to find a prototyping tool. A good prototyping tool will have all of these three features:

● Easy and quick designing of mockups and wireframes.
● Allows sharing of design iterations with all parties involved.
● Free but upgradeable.

(We use Invision for our projects here at Core Mobile Apps)

Use the prototyping tool to take your written idea into the digital space so that you can then show it to whomever you wish to test it.

3. Test out your prototype

It is now time to see how your prototype performs with your selected audience. You need this to gauge users response and overall receptiveness to the app. A bare concept is ok as you simply want to get some initial constructive feedback and make iterative improvements. Another part of testing that will help you get some critical feedback is setting up a landing page for your app. This will not only be helpful in gauging the app’s popularity but you will be to tell if there is a market for it.

What should my landing page contain?

● Strong Call To Action (CTA)
● Articulate information
● A lead capture form (Name, Email at a bare minimum)

Ensure that your app is well explained and that it’s functions are clearly presented. This means including the features, pros and of course an original selling proposition. You will need a good amount of traffic to your landing page to get good test data. The more you have the better. Setting up a couple simple Google or FaceBook ad campaigns is recommended. For tracking traffic metrics, you can use Google Analytics.

Once you’ve prototyped your app, gotten some feedback, and garnered some genuine interest(email opt-ins), you will be ready to move to the next step.

4. Locate a mobile app development partner

Not everyone has the right skill set or qualifications to tackle your app project. Freelancers can be good for initial prototyping or rapid MVP type projects but this is not always the case for full on mobile app development. Development companies tend to have more experience, deeper knowledge and better qualifications than freelancers. When choosing a development company, it is always advised that you search for one that has the following:

● A portfolio displaying apps built. Ensure the interfaces are highly usable. This serves as a testament of their design skills.
● They are genuinely interested in your idea. This makes a huge difference in the overall success of a mobile app project/idea.
● They should have a solid strategy for you once the idea has been shared and can provide a roadmap on how the app will be built.
● They have reasonable prices. This is somewhat hard to determine as there is so much variance in mobile app development costs between different development firms but you should definitely have a budget in mind of what you can invest to get your app created.

If you are at this stage, we would love to hear from you!

Once your app is developed, move on to the next step.

5. Submit your app to the App Stores

This is of course dependent on the kind of response you got from the micro test(s). If your app received a favorable response then take it a step further and have it featured in the App Store(Apple and Google Play).

6. Raise awareness for your new app

You need to create a significant buzz to get eyeballs on your new app. If you build an amazing app and know one knows about it, does it provide anyone any value? Nope. This is a critical step in the success of launching a mobile app. Press releases, guest blog posts, podcast appearances, radio, tv, digital advertising are all good ways to gain a captive audience.

7. App Store optimization (ASO)

This is what you do once your app gets accepted into the respective app marketplaces. Optimization means you make it easier for people to locate your app. It’s a jungle in the stores because you are in competition with millions of other apps. Make sure to choose your keywords wisely.

8. Listening to the users

Your app is published but that’s just the start. Listen to the users and use their feedback to improve your app.

Hopefully this guideline will help you take your idea and quickly vet it’s demand. It is very important that you take each step in the process and collect feedback/suggestions throughout the entire process. Doing so will ensure that you have an idea that has wings are flies with great success once it’s launched.

Good luck!

How much does it cost to build a mobile app
Will Manuel

How much does it cost to build a mobile app? Things to consider

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The True Cost of Mobile App Design and Mobile App Development

There is no denying that mobility is the gateway to visibility online. At Core Mobile App Development we aim to help businesses reach their audiences via mobile devices through effective mobile app development and streamlined app design. We also have many startups and new entrepreneurs sending us great questions and the most common one is: “How much does it costs to build a mobile app?”

Mobile App Development Factors

First, let me state this; Mobile apps do not have a standard cost. This is because there are many variables and procedural factors to consider. So what are they?

Features and the complexity involved

The main aspect here is time, the more the time you spend in mobile app development the more you will need to spend. Some of the features that can be quite time consuming and therefore result in the increase of costs are;

  • API Integrations
  • Database encryption
  • Custom interface design/interaction
  • Sophisticated web admin panel
  • Features involving new coding or technologies
  • The incorporation of billing systems

If you are looking to keep your mobile application development project on a shoestring budget, you now know what to “avoid” but at the same time more features and more complexity usually means better performance overall(so keep this in mind). Find the right balance that is suitable for you.

How large is your app project? Look at well known apps

Besides the features and time, you can look at other well known apps to be able to get an idea of how

Mobile app development costs can vary greatly. Benchmark other known apps

much yours will cost. The best group to study in this case are start-ups. According to industry experts, start-ups can spend up to a total of $750,000 when it comes to mobile app development. Do note that this is not an actual figure but just a common round off of what they spend in case they want the whole package(see more on this below).

Scale and who you hire matters

The $750,000 figure includes legal fees and salaries for a team of four for a period of four to six months. This estimate would not be accurate when you hire freelance or outsourcing service company. This is because freelancers and outsource service companies come with their own fee structures, making it impossible to predict what it would cost going this route.

The breakdown is that the big guys spend more on mobile app development and mobile app design. The price can range between $500,000 to $1,000,000. The guys in the middle will spend anything between $100,000 to $450,000. Finally the entrepreneur who is simply starting out should set aside at least $15,000 to $100,000. This is a broad range, but at least having it in mind will void you of any major surprises.

Platform matters (iOS, Android or Both?)

Are you building an app for the iPhone or for Android? This question is important because Android apps are typically a bit more complicated to build hence taking up more time and costing more in many cases. This is what is referred to as paying the “Android tax”. It is advised that you start with the iOS platform before heading on to Android if cost is a major concern from the start.

What about the not so complex apps

These apps may not be complicated but still it comes down to the specific features that they contain. No matter what you cut or replace the best amount to start you off is $15,000, which is our minimum level of engagement(MLE). This is for professionally done trustworthy development utilizing our team of mobile app and web development experts.

Is that it?

Well the costs estimated above are simply the initial amounts you spend. After design and development there is management, updating and server costs. You also need to keep some funds aside for marketing purposes. Even if you are a one man show, budget for these uses because you will definitely need them later on.

I want something specific for me

We can help you with that simply fill this form and we will get back to you with a quote that matches your project needs.

Core Mobile App Development currently serves business in the following areas:  Orlando, Tampa, Miami in Florida and San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland in California. If your business is located within those areas we would be happy to help you with your mobile app needs.

Features of Tip Genie Mobile App
Will Manuel

Tip Genie Mobile App – Game changer for service industry professionals

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Every now and again, you see startups out there that have amazing ideas and put in the work to bring them to life through high levels of execution. In today’s competitive technology marketplace and where ideas are so abundant, seeing a company start from grassroots with an idea and actually bringing it to fruition is so inspiring!

TipGenie is a mobile payment app that helps service industry professionals earn more tips and gratuity by making it easy to tip without cash. Service industry professionals depend on tips to make a living, but we often don’t carry cash or forget to tip those that work behind the scenes.

Tip Genie Mobile Tipping App

Tip Genie Mobile App

Don’t just read this article, download the TipGenie app and start tipping some of the hardest working service industry personnel you know. They deserve it.

To learn more about the full features of the app, visit the official website: Tip Genie

Will Manuel

Apple: “Clean up your act!”. Major changes to the app store in the works

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Starting Sept 7th 2016, Apple will be be making some drastic changes to it’s app store SERP’s (Search Engine Results Pages) in an effort to clean up some of the rampant rubbish currently cluttering up their app store. The changes were spawned from an outcry within the the “legit” app development community that higher quality apps were getting pushed down in the search results due to those who use blackhat or obscure ASO (App Store Optimization) techniques to move up in the rankings. These underminers also used long-tail, misspellings or exact match titles in their app listings to trick unsuspecting users and garner larger quantities of eyes to their apps. In 3 days, if Apple comes across a mobile app that has not been updated since 2012, they will alert the app’s developer of any changes/updates that need to be made. If the requests are not followed in a timely fashion, measures will be taken towards removal from app store.

The search function is one of the main methods customers use to find and download apps from the App Store. With hopes of altering search results, some developers have used long app names which include descriptions and terms not directly related to their app. App names you submit in iTunes Connect for new apps and updates will now be limited to no longer than 50 characters.

In a recent blog post published on Apple’s developer site, the iPhone creator laid out a list of App Store improvements crafted to “make it easier for customers to find great apps that fit their needs.”

Apple also wrote:

“You will be asked to submit an update within 30 days to keep your app on the App Store. If you are unable to make the changes within this time frame, your app will be removed from the App Store until you submit an update and it is approved. Please note that apps that crash on launch will be removed immediately.”

This change is long overdue and we are happy to see these measures being taken to improve the quality of the search results within Apple’s app store.

Will Manuel

READ THIS If you are concerned with Google Rankings

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So some of you may have heard of Google’s newest algorithm update that is set to start rolling out next month(April 21st) and are in an absolute panic. I’ve fielded several inquiries from colleagues/friends about these updates and I am willing to help/assist if anyone needs it. I’ve been in the Web Design/Dev and SEO game for well over a decade; this update is believed to be MAJOR and have more impact than both the Panda and Penguin updates(MANY sites saw huge losses in the SERP’s from those two). I’ve even heard this newest mobile-friendly update being coined “Mobilegeddon”. Sounds scary, but many of you(especially those who have gotten sites done by my companies) are in good shape for this update. If not, I can still field any questions you may have and at least point you in the right direction to mitigate any potential losses.

I won’t go into technical details for the sake of keeping this shorter and sweeter but the first step is to run a quick scan of your site’s URL through Google Webmaster Tools (you can do this by visiting the link below). Determine how Google interprets your pages and make a informed decision from there. There are no levels to this algorithmic change; you are either mobile-friendly or not.

Check your site here: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

If you’re site is not mobile-friendly after running this scan, let me know.

Share this post as your friends/colleagues may not even know about this update and if you have any questions, send me a direct message or call the business line @ 321-287-2734.

Will Manuel

Will Manuel

How can mobile web impact your bottom line

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Everyone knows that the bottom line is green, so to speak. The impact that mobile devices are having on the world is staggering. Some small companies today are running part if not their whole businesses from their mobile devices. What that means for them is less time behind a desk. One can advertise, recruit, draft documents, conduct their business and get paid from anywhere in the world night or day. This means costs savings and time efficiency. As you read this there is likely someone in a cafe celebrating the big sale they just made with another round of latte.

There was a time not so long ago when you had to have an office to get business. Now you just need a computer. If you are going to own a computer, that computer should be mobile or you will need an office to keep it in. By cutting the bulk out of business overhead you also cut costs. The office is just the tip of the iceberg. Your mobile devices can be loaded with applications that serve to replace many of the office supplies that you have needed to fill it. From card readers to file cabinets and beyond. You can even get a virtual assistant that obeys your every order and not pay them a huge salary. This way of business isn’t just easy on your budget, it is also easier on the planet. Think of the paper you can save. A lot of companies today will send your receipts to your email. The trees that are being saved annually could number in the millions, if all receipts were handled that way. By cutting costs, you can free up more money to expand your business. If you are like one of the nearly 235 million mobile users in the US, you are likely reading this from your mobile device while out of the office. These devices and software applications give businesses the opportunity to compete and thrive. The bottom line is rising to meet you, don’t miss it.

Will Manuel

You can’t afford to ignore the mobile business revolution

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A smart phone isn’t just a a phone any more, it’s a genius or one might say a genie that grants wishes. It is also an office, a cyber arcade, a library, a social gathering, a portal to the internet, an electronic mail service, a bank, a stock broker, a file cabinet and the list goes on.

Converging technologies are making the your smart phone smarter and much more useful. For those that doesn’t know, converging technologies are what you get when you cross new technology with an existing one or a new one. Around the world the popularity of smart phones has risen steadily over the last decade. A smart phone can even be a fully functioning virtual office. You can take online orders, process payments, hire employees and finish a gig. When you finish a job, you can have the funds transferred to your bank. There is barely a need to go to the office anymore.

The idea that smart phone software producers keep expanding the functionality of the phone is good. It means that one has the convenience of accessing things and people around the world anytime of the day or night. The younger generations have been utilizing this technological adaptability to the fullest potential of the mobile devices and their software. They are driving the industry ahead with a demand for greater and greater innovations. When they see a barrier, they break through it. These devices aren’t just for kids. As the kids turn to adults, they bring fresh ideas and the technologies they grew up on to the workplace. There are approximately 235 million mobile device users in the US alone. They are using the phones to work, play and socialize at an increasing rate every year.

The genie is out of the bottle and the ‘mobile revolution’ is moving ahead. Whatever you wish for, don’t get left behind.

Will Manuel

App Icons – Why So Blue?

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I woke up this morning and parsed through some email on my mobile phone while enjoying my morning cup of joe. I double tap the home button to do what I do best(arguably) – multi-task. 🙂

Here is what I’m looking at:

Blue Mobile Application Icons

Mobile App Icons – Blue

I then take a screenshot to show you guys. I go to upload it to Dropbox (ironically has another Blue App Icon) and think, man this blue is really playing itself out!

Am I the only one that notices this?

A few other incredibly popular apps with blue icons you may be familiar with: Facebook, Echophone, Police Scanner, PayPal, LogMeIn, LinkedIn, Skype, MapMyRun and about 3 trillion others I don’t have the patience or bandwidth to mention 🙂

Why so down in the dumps people? Feeling a bit sad about someone or something? Or have you just read about the color of blue like I have and know that it’s a color of stability, trust, happiness and integrity? I hate to break it to you but not all apps exemplify all of those qualities so it’s ok to roll with some other colors. Show some creativity and showmanship by deviating a little bit. I, for one, will remember you more for being an outlier than bell curver.

I digress. The main point behind this post besides my utter sickness of the color blue is that it doesn’t hurt to go with another color as your base. Don’t be afraid. Live a little.

Designer’s tip:
Use richer and bolder shades of blue with a contrasting color if possible. Two good colors I always find to work well are orange and green.

Ciao for now!