Monthly Archives: April 2016

BUILDING A MOBILE APP.

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As stated in the last blog that it’s important to have a clear goal from start to finish about the charity app’s purpose and mission.

Now Business .com website a simple 12 step to building your mobile app has simple way were one can learn – https://www.allbusiness.com/12-step-guide-to-building-your-first-mobile-app-11193-1.html

The 12 step are very clear to follow if you know what you are doing. But another helpful site which I came across is the https://www.appmakr.com/ which allows you to design a free app and then get benefits of reaching a greater audience by advertising other organisation, products etc, on your app. This is great to start with if your finances are limited.

Business ball has a 12-Step Guide to Building Your Very First Mobile App: Part 1&2. The first takes you through your idea of the app, followed by sketching it out on paper then creating a testable wireframe prototype. This site is better in away as you feel you are involved throughout the process and you are doing it the way you want it and designing what you expect and want for your audiences.

Why I have said that with https://www.appmakr.com/ it’s more like being spoon fed. You do not use your ideas as much as you would like. All the features and functions are already there what you need to do is pick what you want and put it on the template and all is prepared for you. This give no sense of creativity from the organisation’s point of view.

Therefore it is important for a charity organisation to choose a very good app builder, searching the app market place is the starting point. For charities  at time its wise to start by writing and requesting help from the reliable app builder companies to create a free app as a good will gesture or a donation towards the organisation. This way the organisation would have cut the costs related to building the app.

The other important issue in relation to the charity mobile marketing app is investigating the app technical features. It is vital to look at what are the requirement for a charity app before putting it out there. Because Charities have to bear an ethical responsibility to the public. There are therefore a lot of legal restrictions, copyright and other privacy issues that have to be considered Rowles (2014).

The following diagrams shows how easy https://www.appmakr.com/ – site can take you through and it works.

https://www.appmakr.com/

Smart Insights. (2016). Digital marketing strategy advice – Smart Insights Digital Marketing. [online] Available at: http://www.smartinsights.com/ [Accessed 29 Apr. 2016].

Rowles, D. (2014). Mobile marketing, How Mobile Technology is Revolutionizing Marketing, Communication and Advertising. London, UK: KoganPage.

Appmakr.com. (2016). How to make an app for iPhone & android – DIY Free Mobile AppMakr. [Online] Available at: https://www.appmakr.com/ [Accessed 29 Apr. 2016].

Haselmayr, M. (2013). 12-Step Guide to Building Your Very First Mobile App: Part 1. [Online] AllBusiness.com. Available at: https://www.allbusiness.com/12-step-guide-to-building-your-first-mobile-app-11193-1.html [Accessed 29 Apr. 2016].

SOME OF THE FEW NITTY GRITTY TO CONSIDER BEFORE CHOSING AND BULDING A MOBILE APP

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SOME OF THE FEW NITTY GRITTY TO CONSIDER BEFORE CHOSING AND BULDING A MOBILE APP.

http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2012/jan/03/charity-mobile-apps-supporters

The world of technology is changing very fast and there is a need for organisation to catch up fast with these changes. One of the laid back organisation which the media has pick up upon on being far behind in the tech world is the third sector.

Payne and Brown (2012) suggests that the best way to engage both potential new and current supporters and donners for a charity its worthy looking at investing in a mobile app. One would ask why? Because they state that 30% of the mobile users globally spend their time on mobile ups. Manning et al (2012) in their literature “Outside in: The Power of Putting Customers at the Centre of Your Business” Emphasise the belief that donors want to support the charities to respond quick and easy and feel the gap of delay that supporters have been experiencing over the years using phones and sending checks when they can do it a t a click of a button.

Our last blog we discussed the advantages and disadvantages now lest look at the mistakes that Payne and Brown (2012) suggest we should not make then we look at where to start making the app. Now one thing that is important to mention is that mobile app uses different platforms and that can be at times costly. But we try and find a way around that later.

Payne and Brown suggest that whatever platform or app we are choosing we have to consider the following Don’t forget your website it will be always the best place to reach your audiences it’s important that you app is linked to you site and kept well updated. Second is the exclusive features such as Feedback system -users to provide feedback on your app is critical button or link to email Usability – It must that a mobile application features an interface that focuses on usability. Having mentioned this few of many features that you can provide keep it simples is the best way as well. Because too many features can put off your supporters as well. These are just few of many things to consider.

Before we get into the nitty gritty of building our charity mobile app we need to at this stage firstly have answers for the next important question,

Who are our charity audience?

What is the charity trying to solve?

What functions is the mobile app going to solve that add value to our charity?

By answering these questions we are trying to evaluate the right app for the organization

See more at: http://www.connectingup.org/blog/3-questions-you-cant-ignore-making-your-charity-mobile-app#sthash.laba5W1g.dpuf.

  • Manning, H. and Bodine, K., Josh Bernoff (2012). Outside in. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
  • The Guardian. (2012). How mobile apps can help charities engage with supporters. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2012/jan/03/charity-mobile-apps-supporters [Accessed 29 Apr. 2016].