Background
As I explored the Playstore sometime in June 2018, I stumbled upon an app to create other apps. Out of curiosity I downloaded it, did some research and played around with it. I soon realised I could actually create a “real” app from scratch and make money. See, some years earlier I had downloaded Android studio and done a few lessons on programming. So I had a basic understanding of Java and android programming, but this new app that I had found, used simple drag and drop features and you could actually run the app on your device or send your app to friends in just a few clicks. I was not a professional programmer but using this app I could easily create “proper” mobile apps without cracking my head over code.
You can check out my app made using Sketchware; Business Builder- Small Business Management Suite here.
Fast forward to a few months later and I had created an app that I felt was ready for the big leagues… Play Store baby!! Note, that I was at a low point financially, so I had to borrow the $25 needed to create a developer account on the Playstore. On the 21st of August, I made my app available for download and then waited for the magic to happen. As with all things, what seems like a good idea to you, might not always seem so to the next person. Needless to say, I struggled to get people to download my app. In my first month I only got 10 downloads.
For a while I felt disheartened, until I stumbled on a YouTube channel by Eric Wroolie of Overpass Apps. What drew me to his channel was the way he was unfiltered. Normally, developers will only tell you their glamorous success stories and keep the real struggle hidden from you. To cut a long story short, I had seen someone I could relate to, making apps and earning some money from it. In one of his Youtube videos he explained how if you’re not getting downloads, it’s mainly because people just don’t know about your app.
So I went back to the drawing board and tweaked my Playstore listing and in a few weeks I started getting results. First I was getting an average of 3 downloads per day (You have no idea how exciting it was to see this become regular.) This number moved up to an average of 7 downloads per day, then 11, then 17, then 24 and at some point I was getting over 700 downloads per day. As we speak my main app gets an average of over 100 downloads per day(I haven't been actively marketing it). I know there are many other apps doing better, but this showed me that it can be done.
So in this blog I will take you through the process of developing your own App and watching it grow over time. Needless to say, patience is a prerequisite and it might take a while, but I’m pretty sure if you have a decent enough app, then you can do it too. The great thing about apps is that once you start gaining momentum, you can then generate money even in your sleep as people download and use your app.
How much was making?
When I realized my app was gaining traction in terms of users, I then decided to monetize it using Admob. This is easy to do in Sketchware. All you have to do is create an Admob account. This is Google's mobile advertising network. I created a free Admob account and then I added my banners and positioned my interstitials. At this point I knew I would have to wait before I started making any real income.
After a short while, I realized I had about 29 cents, from ads. This amount went up to about $0.50 and it soon passed a dollar. One of the most fulfilling feelings was when this amount became a regular amount. I was ranging from $1.05 to $1.98. My userbase was growing rapidly and soon I was making 3 to 4 dollars a day and after about 4 months this figure was now at about $10 or more per day. So I was making approximately $300 per day. I'm not sure where you're reading this from, but $300 is quite a significant amount where I'm from. The great part was that it was passive income. I was doing other things and my app had a life of it's own.
Opportunities
Creating my own apps came with a host of new opportunities. Firstly, it opened up my mind to nee possibilities. Secondly, in addition to the passive income I was also getting numerous emails and phone calls from people who were impressed with my app and wanted to buy it. I got an offer of about $400000 for my main app which has about 100000 global users. I however declined... yeah, been reading about Mark Zuckerberg too and I'm learning ;-) Lastly, I have been offered high level corporate positions by two organisations based on my published apps. I might not be a certified developer, but most people would rather work with someone who is out there getting their hands dirty as opposed to someone who just has academic knowledge.
Challenges
It's not always fun and games for app developers... especially if you're still starting out. I have had my moments of despair and at at times felt helpless. My major challenge came in early 2019 when my Admob, Adsense accounts were suspended by Google. The reason they cited was "invalid activity." This usually happens when you click your own ads or something like that. I was aware of this and I made deliberate efforts to warn my mates and any other well wishers not to do so. So when I woke up to the sad email I was devastated.
As an inexperienced app developer, I wasn't keeping tabs on my audience and so I did not even know where to start when it came to finding out what had caused this. I sent numerous emails to Google but had no luck as I was probably chatting with algorithms. As a result, I had to find alternative ways and means to monetize my apps. So I searched for alternative ad networks and eventually stumbled on Media.Net as well as the Amazon Affiliate program.
Way forward
As we move forward, I am optimistic about the prospects of app developers. Everything is moving towards mobile and I believe there are still numerous untapped opportunities. I continue to refine and build my own apps, but I also enjoy teaching others how to make apps as well. Which is why I created this blog. I hope you will find it very helpful and I wish you the best on your exciting journey into the world of tech.
Now that I've shared my story, let's go deeper into the subject of app development.
APPS VS WEBSITES
According to a web server survey by Netcraft in January 2018, there were in excess of 1.8 billion active websites on the internet. With such a huge number of websites and many of them serving up the same content, it must be noted that a significant number of those websites get little to totally no traffic at all. On that same note however, there were only 2.1 million apps available on Google’s Playstore and about 2 million on the app store. Similar to websites, a great number of these apps also do not enjoy significant success, but your odds of cracking it with an app are much greater than with a website. As a maker of both apps and websites, I generate more income from apps. So it goes without saying that I would vouch for apps. Getting a significant number of dedicated users to your website is also harder than with an app. For the duration that a user has your app on their phone, then you have a chance at engaging them. This is because apps are easily interactive and we spend a greater amount of time using our mobile devices. So apps provide a lot more opportunity for you to make easier money than websites.
Coming up with app ideas
Apps are generally designed to entertain, solve a problem or provide convenience. I will not give you a list of ideas because that would limit you to my imagination, but I will explain how you can come up with your own idea. Start by searching within yourself. Is there anything you would like to do on your mobile device but cannot? Is there a solution you could come up with to remedy this? Do some research and visit the playstore. Which apps are doing well? What are those apps not doing, that you could create to gain some form of advantage? Look at the people around you… is there anything that they are struggling with that you could create an app to help them with?
It doesn’t have to be a huge idea…. just one that you can start working on. I’ve seen a lot of simple apps, some are even just a single screen with a timer. So start working on your most reasonable idea and tweak it as you go. This means a few basic features, and the rest can be improved on by using the feedback from your users. Avoid the temptation of trying to create a huge app like WhatsApp or Instagram in one go. The idea is to find your own lane.
I was working on some beverage project some years back, and I needed to document my activities. At the time I was using multiple apps and this resulted in me forgetting some stuff if I didn’t open that specific app. So I figured, why not create something to help someone like myself to manage all aspects of their business by keeping that information in one place? That’s how my Business Builder- Small Business Management Suite was born.
…but what if they steal my idea?
My philosophy is that competition is inevitable and you just have to keep improving. Yes this could happen- someone could take my idea and build from it- but they probably will not do it the way I have envisioned it. This is because they have their own influences as well as vision which is probably nothing like yours. A good example is the major social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. So avoid holding back out of fear. Do your best. Be creative and continue to innovate.
Choosing a developer platform
I know for many, the idea of writing code can be quite intimidating. It is an added advantage if you know and understand how android programming works but you can get started with app development even if you have no programming experience whatsoever. Just look at me! Well, sort of…. I will not get into the technical details of creating an app in this article, but I will give you some pointers on how you can get started in the business. I will also not be getting into iOS app development platforms at this point so bear with me.
Android studio
If you have some programming experience and an understanding of Java then you can create your app using Android studio. The great thing and main advantage of android studio is that it gives you the flexibility to create any kind of app that your mind can conceive. The main disadvantage I found with this method is the amount of time that it takes as well as that you cannot use it on your mobile device.
App Inventor
This program allows you to use drag and drop features to easily create an app. It’s easier to use than android studio. The main problem I found with this method is that it does not allow you to create apps on your mobile device and you need an internet connection. Not the biggest problem but maybe not convenient for some.
This android app allows you to create apps on your mobile device and to actually run them on your device even if you have no programming experience. The app also allows you to work offline and you can create apps in a short space of time. Sketchware however is limited in that some advanced features may not be available and you also cannot edit the source code. I got started with Sketchware and have been on a roll ever since. The easiest app I created took me less than 24 hours whilst the more complex one took months to make. So if you’re not sure where to start as an app developer, I recommend you start with Sketchware. It might seem a bit complicated at first but you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Once you have decided on a platform you can then start building your app.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING YOUR APP
If your goal is to reach billions of users then you will need to consider the following factors when building your app.
Offline Capabilities
Create an app that works even when the user is offline. Many users especially in the developing countries might not always have a steady connection or data charges are higher, so bear that in mind.
Compatibility with various android versions and models
There are over 5000 android device models... so this means different screen sizes resolution and even speed. Some are dual sim whilst others do not have much memory. So build for all screen sizes. Another thing to note is that my first app targeted android 8, yet at the time all the people around me where using between version 4.4 and 6. So I initially struggled to get downloads.
Localisation and translations
Consider getting translations for your various apps. This will help you reach more users and makes the app relevant to your targeted users.
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