Tips for Scaling Mobile Apps Beyond An MVP

by Shivangi

A report by Failory states that 90% of startups fail because of technical issues, user retention, lack of funding, and unfit teams. A Business of Apps study also found that app retention rates drop by 77% in the first three days after installation.

This shows how important it is to make a mobile app architecture that can handle more traffic and use over time. After the MVP stage, it can be hard to grow mobile apps because of problems like infrastructure scalability, feature prioritization, and user feedback. But with the right tips and plans, you can make your mobile app bigger and better.

To start, it's important to understand what a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is and why it's crucial to consider scaling beyond it.

What is an MVP and Why Scalability Matters?

A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a version of a product that only has its most important features. Its goal is to find out if the product will work and to get feedback from the first people who use it. An MVP is an important first step when making a mobile app because it lets developers test and confirm their ideas before spending time and money on a more complete version.

But you should think about how the product can grow after the MVP stage since a successful MVP doesn't always mean long-term success. As an app gets more popular and more people use it, it may stop working or be unable to handle all the extra traffic. Scalability is important to make sure the app can grow and keep users happy in the future. By thinking about scalability early on, mobile app developers can avoid problems in the future and make sure their app will still be successful after the MVP stage.

Uber is a good example of a company that got beyond the MVP stage. At first, the Uber app was only available in one city, and it didn't have many features. But as the app got more popular, the company went global and added new features like carpooling and food delivery. It went public in 2019 and was valued at around $59.9 billion in 2022.

MVP Scaling Challenges

When it comes to taking mobile apps past the MVP stage, app developers and entrepreneurs face several challenges.

Performance Optimization

As the number of people who use an app grows, its performance may get worse, which could lead to slower load times, crashes, and other problems.  According to Statista, app users in 2019 abandoned 25% of mobile apps after one use due to poor performance. So, optimizing app performance is important if you want to keep users and make sure the app does well.

Infrastructure Scalability

As the number of users grows, the app's infrastructure may not be able to keep up with the increased traffic. Scaling infrastructure needs careful planning and execution to make sure the app stays reliable and responsive.

Feature Prioritization

With an MVP, you might have only included a few key features. But as the app grows, new features need to be prioritized to improve the user experience. TechCrunch did a survey and found that 79% of app users quit apps if they failed to work properly during the initial attempts, highlighting the crucial significance of ensuring a straightforward and user-friendly experience.

User Feedback

As the number of users grows, so does the amount of feedback from those users. Developers of apps and business owners need to know how to use user feedback to make changes. Apptentive's research indicates that a 3-star rating would deter half of the mobile users from considering an app, while a 2-star rating would discourage 85% of potential users. Moreover, 77% of individuals read at least one review before downloading a free app.

Team Structure

As the app grows, so must the structure of the team. Entrepreneurs and people who make apps need to make sure they have the right people in place to help their apps grow.

Rootquotient can help MVPs grow by offering digital product development services, customized digital strategy consultation, and staff augmentation solutions. They can also help with data analytics and management, which can give valuable information about how to make mobile apps work better and make the user experience better.

Explore our guide on The Benefits Of Custom Mobile App Development For Your Business .

Tips for Scaling Mobile Apps Beyond the MVP

Now that we've talked about the problems, let's talk about how to scale mobile apps beyond an MVP:

Develop a Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy

For your mobile app to be successful after the MVP stage, you need to make a Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy. It should include ways to get more users, build a strong brand, and find new ways to make money. According to Google, only 40% of app users discover new apps through app store searches. Thus a better marketing strategy will improve the reach of your app.

Implement Best Practices for Scaling Mobile Apps Beyond an MVP

Implementing best practices for scaling mobile apps beyond the MVP stage is critical. These best practices include using scalable mobile app architecture, developing a robust backend process, and utilizing cloud services.

Prioritize Features Based on User Feedback

Using user feedback to put features in order of importance is important for keeping the user experience simple. Developers and owners of businesses that make apps should look at what users say and put the most important features at the top.

Optimize App Performance

It's important to optimize app performance to make sure the app works well and quickly. Focusing on performance optimization from the start is important for app developers and entrepreneurs. Developers and entrepreneurs should continue to monitor and improve performance as an app grows.

Build a Strong Team

Mobile apps need a strong team to get past the MVP stage and grow. Entrepreneurs and people who make apps should make sure they have the right people on their team to help the app grow. As the app grows, they should also change the way their team works.

The benefits of Scalable MVPs are many. For instance, Airbnb started as a simple website where people could rent air mattresses in San Francisco while they were there for a conference. Today, the site has more than a million listings worldwide and is worth more than $25 billion. Its success shows how important it is for mobile apps to be able to scale.

After the MVP stage, mobile app developers can improve their chances of success by making a scalable architecture, putting features in order of importance based on user feedback, and coming up with a go-to-market strategy.

As after the MVP stage, it can be hard to grow a mobile app, it is yet possible with the right strategy. Using best practices for scaling mobile apps, putting features in order of importance based on user feedback, optimizing app performance, and building a strong team can help app developers and entrepreneurs increase their chances of success. By following the tips outlined in this article, mobile app developers can increase their chances of success and avoid common pitfalls. Take the time to strategize and plan for growth, and your app could be the next big thing in the market.

Also read our blog, Building a Successful MVP from Scratch: A Guide