Over the years, mobility has become the mainstay of online businesses and it is practically impossible to expect growth without a robust mobile presence. As more and more businesses embark on the mobility journey, the biggest concern is choosing the right platform. Perhaps, this will also be the first question that your app development company may ask when you approach them for developing one for you. The options they will present will probably include Android and iOS as both are the key platforms to reach to and connect with the markets.
The choice between Android and iOS has always been baffling for organizations. Businesses consider a variety of parameters when they choose between the two, with the demographic structure, market focus, and development budget being the most important ones. Beyond these parameters, your app marketing budget is something that can influence the selection. Despite its criticality, nothing much is said about this aspect as the business mindset is majorly tilted towards the comparison of development costs . Here are some facts and questions that can help you in choosing the right platform based on your marketing budget.
How much do you need to spend to get an app released and live?
As soon as the mobile app developers are done with the development and testing of the app, it is all set for a release. Only when the app goes live will it be able to reach the audience. The first step would be to get it registered, on App Store for an iOS app and on Play Store for Android. While App Store’s cost will be $99 for a one-year registration, Play Store is comparatively cost-effective with a onetime registration fee. App Store is suitable for an app that is expected to be short-lived while Play Store apparently makes a good option for utility apps that tend to have an extended lifespan.
What is your targeted outreach?
Location of your potential customers is another key parameter that influences that choice between the two platforms within your budget constraints. Android is great if you need to target a diverse demographic across the global market but it lags behind when it comes to the US market. Before having an app created on-demand, finding your target market is of utmost importance else you may end up wasting your marketing budget in the wrong direction. By taking a targeted approach for platform choice, you can maximize the revenues from your app even without spending a fortune on marketing it.
What is the expected ASO cost?
Whether you invest in Android or iOS app development, App Store Optimization (ASO) is critical to the app’s success. ASO does the same job for mobile apps that SEO does for websites. Even the best looking app will not be visible to audience unless it is displayed somewhere on the top of App Store/Play Store. ASO ensures the same, making it a key aspect of your app marketing budget. Even though it is easy to assume that Google will naturally prioritize Android apps for rankings, but amazingly there is a smart algorithm that show device-relevant apps on the top. Since you will need an ASO team to handle and optimize the positioning of your app, this is another cost that you should bear in mind.
What is the Cost Per Install (CPI)?
Cost Per Install is another metric that has a bearing on your app marketing budget. As the name suggests, it refers to the cost that the app incurs when a user installs it; unless it is installed, there CPI stands at zero, irrespective of the number of people who view it. When a comparison is made between CPI for the two platforms, the App Store rates are higher than those of the Play Store. Hence, you need to weigh them against each other to decide the platform that would fit into your budget in the long run.
What kind of response do you expect from push notifications?
App marketing is all about engaging the users to maximize conversions and retention. Push notifications are great for improving both of these metrics as they are capable of engaging the users and compelling them to convert and stay with the app. When considering the response to push notifications, the user behavior may vary from platform to platform. Android users show better engagement with push notifications, probably because they stay on the notification bar or lock screen until clicked. Thus, it may be a smarter decision to hire android app developer if you want to leverage push notifications as a critical element of your marketing strategy.
Conclusion
You will now probably have a good understanding about the impact of mobile development platform choice on the marketing budget and vice versa. Answering these five questions will greatly help you in deciding the one that really works for your business from the perspective of marketing costs. Further, you can seek expert advice to help you in making the right decision based on the holistic overview of your requirements, expectations, challenges, and budget.
At orangemantra, we not only offer expertise in iOS and android app development services but also offer professional consulting services for your business. We guide you about making the best decisions, including the one related to the choice between the two most popular mobile app development platforms. Share your requirements with us and we give you an apt solution to match.
