So You Have a Great App Idea ... Now What?

It seems like the fast-paced world of mobile technology would make it difficult to "stop and look around once in a while" but several recent milestones are worthy of our attention.
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Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
-Ferris Bueller

It seems like the fast-paced world of mobile technology would make it difficult to "stop and look around once in a while" but several recent milestones are worthy of our attention.

The growth of the mobile application industry over the last 36 months has been startling to say the least. The proliferation of app building templates marches in lockstep with that growth and in many ways has been a catalyst for that growth.

Because of this a new "appconomy" has evolved and fueled small business marketing expansion.

In fact, more has happened in the last ten years to help businesses both large and small market their products and services than happened in the hundred years before. With the advent of the internet, YouTube, Instagram and so many other sites, businesses could bring their products to the public directly selling and profiting from products and ideas.

Mobile app building and publishing is the next step in that evolution.

Previously, if you had a great idea for an app, be it for a local business, local band, or fantasy sports league, you were at the mercy of high-cost app developers.

The DIY app builder has democratized the mobile app industry, making it possible for anyone, regardless of their technological expertise, to design, create, and publish mobile apps. In a sense, these innovative app building templates have created an incubator where ideas are given a platform to exist in the mobile world.

Two facets of the app building model in particular have powered its rapid growth.

First, many companies have realized a free service is the only way to truly allow for the open exchange of ideas. Mobile apps were cost prohibitive for small businesses, independent content publishers, and hobbyists. So the free app maker was born.

Free to use, free to share, free to publish with no hidden fees.

The good companies also recognized early on the value of being device agnostic. Mobile apps built on a DIY platform should be optimized for use on iOS and Android platforms, with Blackberry and Windows phones.

Innovations within the innovative DIY app building community, including platforms that allow you to build mobile apps directly from your mobile device means ideas can be immediately adapted to the mobile space.

So you have your idea, found your desired online app building partner, and are ready to get into the nuts and bolts of development.

Point and click, drag and drop, and hit submit. It's really that simple. You may be asked to upload a photo or logo, but if you have ever built a website through an online template or even customized your Facebook page, you can handle app building.

DIY app builders have varying degrees of customization. Some may offer simple calendars and links while the more advanced will let you post and monetize a published catalog of books, films, and music.

Investigate, explore, and expand your ideas to include mobile apps. Chances are there is a DIY app building platform that can help you adapt your idea to the mobile space.

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