Here are five areas to consider when you’re planning your own killer mobile app:

Decide what you want your app users to do (less is more!).

The very best mobile apps focus on delivering a small number of activities exceptionally well, and have a simple and intuitive user interface that makes each visit enjoyable, personal and rewarding.

Of all the things you COULD include, what are the critical actions you want your app users to take? Eliminate anything that’s non-essential to your business goals, or can be accomplished elsewhere, and focus down on providing a unique and satisfying experience that encourages users to come back again and again.

Want your audience to view products? Make sure navigation is simple.

Want to encourage discussion? Include a “chat wall” or your social network feed.

Want users to find you? Integrate a familiar map solution they already use.

Remember, by definition, mobile users are on-the-go when they’re interacting with your app, on a small screen and possibly with limited internet speed. Don’t make them work too hard, or you risk being deleted forever!

How do you want app users to interact with your brand?

Begin with the end in mind. What’s the output you want from enthusiastic audience members?

If your product range is relatively simple, you could integrate a shopping cart facility and go straight for the sale. But maybe some of your products and services need a little more explanation… so include a “click-to-call” button so you can answer those questions while users are still inside your app.

Perhaps your main goal is to help users share great experiences of doing business with you – so posting photos, reviews and ratings could be rewarded with incentives that are only available to app users. Great brand awareness building for restaurants, bars and retailers.

Tip: Make sure you provide users with an option to “opt in” to receive alerts for new offers and products first (i.e.; before any other customer group), to drive up engagement and repeat visits.

How will you integrate your app with your other marketing efforts?

Every cent spent on marketing has to work hard for your brand, and your mobile app investment has to become part of a seamless blend.

Creating an app as a one-off idea simply because you think you should have one doesn’t work. Your app must leverage your existing brand capital and carry forward the message and objectives of your other activities, creating true value for your customers.

Tip: Promote your app through your social media platforms. Social, more than any other medium, is where people truly engage with brands and expect to find out their latest news.

Come up with different ways you can promote your app. Just a straight call to download is boring; instead identify the customers looking for something they can easily find through your app, then find out where they spend time online. That’s where you want to reach out with clever promotions tailored to your audiences.

Is your app easily recognised by users who already know your brand?

If you’ve been trading for a while, and you’ve worked hard to establish a recognisable brand image, its important that your mobile app carries the colours, logos and themes that are already familiar to existing customers.

Keep text fonts and logos consistent with your main website and any physical promotional materials commonly associated with your brand. Nike does a great job of this in their Golf App, using their iconic “tick” symbol and web fonts to good effect.

Integrate your brand colours prominently. See how Cadburys uses the same familiar colours repetitively in their Share a Square app, allowing users to recognise the company and evoking the feelings and emotions associated with the brand. Aim to use brand colour choices in 50% of your images, and in theme borders and backgrounds where possible.

Make it easy for your “superfans” to share and promote.

Every brand and business has its superfans, the people who are most loyal to that brand and go out of their way to promote it. Your killer mobile app must allow them to easily share your content with their friends on Facebook, Twitter or image sharing platforms like Instagram and Pinterest – and so help you drive more interest from potential new triallists, customers, in addition it help you to promote android app .

Well designed apps allow for new user experiences and a different community feel than the web, which can lead to deeper engagement and better commercial opportunities. Fans of a brand are known to spend more money, and they come back more often – abandoning competitors at the same time.

Tip: Make sure your app includes entertainment value that’s fun and easy to share – maybe include your YouTube channel, a Vine or Snapchat stream, or engage your team members in creating fun items for inclusion.

McDonald’s has a mobile app, but people don’t expect Joe’s Corner Cafe to have one too!

Virtually any small business can take advantage of the public perception that mobile apps are only for big brands. Its still an impressive thing for any business to have, and it can set your company apart from the competition in the same way a website did 20 years ago.

If one of your marketing goals is to increase your brand recognition and drive more people to your business, effective use of a mobile app is your express ticket to success.