For many app developers, going viral is an elusive yet important goal when attempting to positively engage a wide variety of consumers. However, determining whether an app has what it takes to truly catch hold can be exceedingly difficult, especially with a market saturated by apps of every description.
While app monitoring software can prove incredibly valuable in many respects, developers can also employ additional methods to ensure their apps offer the best user experience possible. Such methods often involve getting out into the general public and asking potential users the right questions. Doing so can allow developers to make those crucial changes that will enable an app stand out among competitors.
Word-of-Mouth Is the Key to a Successful App
While the concept of going viral is a relatively recent phenomenon, word-of-mouth is a time-tested method of getting people interested in your product or service. This is particularly important when it comes to apps, which are usually referred by loved ones eager to share a positive user experience. Recent surveys show just how vital word-of-mouth can be to an app’s popularity, with up to 77% of respondents opting to download apps based on the experience of friends and family.
Conversely, traditional advertising methods seem to have little impact on one’s decision to download an app, with only 20% of users expressing interest after seeing an app advertised in the media. These numbers point to the importance of getting people talking when it comes to ensuring your app goes viral. Fortunately, there is a method for assessing just how well your app will fare in this respect before it goes live.
One Clever Viral Test Can Make All the Difference
Because it may be difficult to accurately track word-of-mouth, developers must often employ a bit of cunning to get a realistic perspective. One popular method involves canvassing average consumers in high-traffic areas in order to ask questions about a prospective app. While this approach definitely has its benefits, a slight tweak can help further gauge an app’s ability to go viral.
When testing an impending photo app release, developer Preet Anand demonstrated a few different iterations of his app with the help of randomly chosen subjects. He then allowed the subjects to personally test the app and answered any questions they had regarding operation. While this seems relatively straightforward, there was a twist; for the duration of the presentation Anand chose to withhold the name of the app being tested.
While this seems counterproductive, it actually allowed Anand’s team to accurately gauge interest in a particular version of the app. If the test subject inquired about the name or how to find the app they were using, Anand’s team logged this as positive word-of-mouth. At the end of the demonstrations, the version that was suspected to be the least popular actually garnered the greatest word-of-mouth rating. Without this clever test, Anand may have missed a prime opportunity by playing it safe.
Make User-Feedback Work for You
Designing an appealing app is the goal of all developers seeking to make a significant impact with their creations. While there is no guarantee of overall success, the above test can help identify an app’s capacity to go viral, thereby affording developers valuable feedback on their hard work.