Is an app ever standalone?

Is an app ever standalone? Mostly none of the modern apps are. If you are considering a new app idea or an app to assist your existing business, there are various parts of the system. The days of standalone apps are mostly over - apps are connected and app content is dynamic.

Here are the main pillars of a modern app:

1. App in itself: This is the piece of software which runs on the device. This was the only piece required if your app was static. Such apps are sometimes canned-apps, where once the app is published, nothing needs to change in it, but such apps are rare today. An effective app now needs the following parts too.
2. App cloud backend/hosting: This is the backend of the app, where app connects periodically to fetch and display the latest information. You need to have a fast, stable cloud backend (servers) and CDN (content delivery network) to support a responsive app.
3. App CMS: The Content Management System for the app. There is a need to change the content of the app on periodic basic - very active apps change it daily, some do it several times a day. This CMS is the piece of software which even a non-technical person can use to change the information/content displayed in an app - images, text, videos, product catalogs and more.

What does an App CMS do?

Typically this is a web dashboard for your app which helps you manage the app. The interactions you do on the CMS are propagated to the app cloud backend and delivered to the app. These are some of the key tasks which an App CMS performs.

1. Authorisation/Team: You or your authorised team alone can login to the CMS and manage the app.
2. Asset Management: Upload/manage images, videos, documents and other assets for the app. These should get deployed on content delivery network (CDN) for a very responsive app.
3. Catalog Management: You need capability to manage catalog - list of items to sell, news articles to read, list of videos to watch, e-learning chapter list or something else. These catalogs should be well categorised for app user to consume. It is ideal if you can import this from a spreadsheet.
4. Presentation Controls: An App CMS should give you enough controls to manage the visual presentation of the catalog to user.
5. Communication: Communicate to your app users via push notifications.
6. Triggers: CMS should send you action triggers from users (say, if a user makes a payment in-app and you need an email/sms notification of the same)
7. Reports: See the purchase reports, act on user actions (say track an order).
8. Measurement: Measure how users are using your app and what actions on your side is brining you best results.

Conclusion

When you consider building an app for your existing business (or when your idea itself is an app), think of all these pillars of the app and plan for all these. Consumers positively react when an app brings them relevant and up-to-date information. You need powerful and easy-to-use tools at your hands to deliver this. Think beyond a standalone app.

This post was originally written by us on LinkedIn and now also maintain it on our own website for reference