What Makes an App Successful or Is This the Most Important App-Building Insight I've Ever Learned
Today’s Tip: Your app’s success isn’t about your idea…it’s about the user’s experience.
This is the most important app-building insight I’ve ever learned.
And it’s tough to accept, but critical to understand if you want to build a successful app. People don’t care about your idea.
It’s not that they’re trying to tear it down or be difficult…they’re just so focused on their own needs that your concept, your passion, and your vision don’t mean much on their own.
What they do care about…is how your app makes their life easier, better, or more fun.
If you consistently show that your app can solve a real problem, save them time, or help them achieve something meaningful, they’ll start to care about it.
I’ll be honest, when I first learned this…it kind of crushed me.
I believed I had a genius-level idea and a vision that would change everything. All I wanted was for people to appreciate it…
But I built and I built…and very few people used it.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
Here’s the truth most people don’t want to admit: the reason your app isn’t taking off is because it’s built around your vision instead of their problem. You’re hiding the “for them” behind a giant wall of “this is my idea.”
People don’t want to fight through your vision to find the value…they just want something that helps them.
Tactically, this means you need to start with real user needs and build backward.
But here’s the catch…
Most app creators don’t actually take the time to deeply understand the user’s problem…they’re just cloning popular apps with surface-level tweaks.
So the real question is…how do you discover what makes an app successful so you can actually deliver on it?
Here’s the path:
Understand a problem people struggle with daily (for me this was helping non-tech founders build apps)
Prove you can solve it (for me, this meant managing dozens of successful app projects from idea to launch)
Build apps (or guide others) that deliver true results
I’ve now done this in the productivity space, in education, and in service-based apps for small businesses.
Each time, when we focused on real-world outcomes and user wins, traction followed.
Leading with user value is harder and slower because it forces you to do real research, testing, and listening.
But once your app delivers undeniable value, then people start buying into your vision.
Takeaway:
If your app isn’t getting the traction you hoped for, it’s probably not solving a strong enough problem. Build something people need—and if you don’t yet know what that is, go talk to your users until you do.
Everyone wants to improve their life…help them do that, and your app will succeed as a result.
PS – If you want help figuring out what makes an app successful, book a FREE Zoom call with me and I will help you!
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