Build Your Own Mobile App With Appsbar

Everyone talks about how important it is to build an iPhone or Android app, but it doesn’t look inexpensive or easy. Until now. I’ve been testing appsbar, a free Web-based app that allows small business owners create their own iOS or Android application.

I found appsbar.com when researching the digital coupon phenomenon (think Groupon and Living Social) and discovered a post by appsbar founder Scott Hirsch, who built the tool, in part, as a do-it-yourself coupon service. From the merchant point of view,  the pricing of coupons is expensive. Most business owners considering coupons could benefit from a tool that lets you build it yourself and keep the profit margins higher.

Even if you’re not building a coupon offer, appsbar is impressive. The tool walks you through everything from the icon that will represent your app in the Apple store or Google Android Marketplace, depending on which market you’re targeting, to the functionality on every page. After you pick the basic properties of your app, you go through design (colors, layout, etc.) and then add content.

You can add a variety of content on one or more pages just like you would on a website.  As you click through the options, you can see in this image below that you have lots of choices for what type of content and functionality you want to put on a page. The choices include events, forms, menu or list of items, video or photo gallery, contact page, a link page, and a promotional coupon page (there are more, but you get the idea).

What I really like:

• Appsbar reviews all your work and then submits it to the appropriate marketplace for you.

• I can see the app as it develops in the mockup image on the right side of the screen.

• It essentially lets you create a mobile website at the same time you create an app that people can interact with.

What I would like to see:

• A little more clarity that they are going to submit your app…

I didn’t realize that after I created the app and clicked “publish” that the service would review it and submit it to Apple or Google. While it may have told me that once, I just wasn’t ready to commit to that step. It appears to save it anyway, but it left me in a tiny panic that a less-than-ready app might get submitted. Thankfully, the service reviews the app and won’t submit it if it appears incomplete. But a few more warnings or cautions or “heads up” flags would be appreciated. If your app meets all the requirements, you can expect it will be published in 14 to 21 business days according to the followup email you receive when you hit the submit button.

With the growing Amazon Android Marketplace, I’m eager to see appsbar expand and submit apps to that major service.

If you’ve wanted to create a simple mobile phone or smartphone application, appsbar offers a very easy way to do it at a price point that everyone can afford. Free. Plus, they keep it simple and pain-free. If you’ve had a great experience developing an iPhone or Android application, please let me know in the comments.

Learn more about appsbar.

About the Author

TJ publishes Tech Biz Talk, a site that reviews business apps of all types and provides how-to posts and tutorials. Share your application or service at his Facebook page and share details about your company/app in the comments below. TJ actively studies all searching for new apps to write about. Learn more about TJ.

 

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The Small Business Mobile Revolution Arrives

Your customers are going mobile. How about you? The technology is there for your business. It’s time to learn more about how to use it. What’s next on the mobile small business frontier? Read on…

Getting Your Business Mobile

Mobile management for small business. Mobile is here to stay and growing. Your small business needs a way to get involved. Here is a look at small business mobile management that will change the way you run your small business. PCWorld

Mobile commerce for small business is on the rise. Another sign of the mobile revolution is in new tools for commerce. They are tools small businesses are just beginning to take advantage of and they will change the small business world today. AllBusiness

Tips for improving mobile access. If your customers are mobile, shouldn’t your e-commerce or other small business site be optimized for mobile access as well? Here are five tips to get you started on the mobile access you need. zippycart

Tech News

Mobile payments are here! Is your small business ready? Mobile payments can mean more convenience for your customers and as a result, it’s got to be something you’re ready to into place. This is an innovation that is about flexibility and customer service. Open Forum

Mobile solution improves small biz efficiency. A mobile phone provider has developed an enterprise solution that small businesses are taking to like crazy. And the benefit goes far beyond the mobility the technology provides. Business Standard

Mobile Finance

Mobile tech may cost SMBs more. The fact is that as small businesses adopt more and more mobile technology,, the cost for supporting that technology is also on the increase. Check out this post on the trend. ZDNet

Mobile small biz management tools also unveiled. You can even manage your businesses books and other critical functions mobily. Here are some important tools every small business owner should see. PCWorld

Final Thoughts

Small business Websites go mobile. Like everything else, small business Websites are heading into the mobile world. What advantages can you see with a new mobile Web presence. Technorati

Mobile customers await SMBs. Customers are doing more purchasing in a mobile environment along with everything else. But some data indicates that small businesses have yet to catch up with their customers in the mobile space. How about you? Supply Chain Review

SMBs want more mobile business intelligence. Two important trends are becoming more important for small to medium-sized businesses. Business intelligence is a growing trend among small businesses and more companies are seeking mobile applications for team use. ZDNet

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Marketing Across Mobile Devices

In today's mobile world, it's no longer enough to have either a single mobile website or app. Consumers want to be able to access information wherever, whenever, and on whatever device they choose. So how can your small business reach all its target consumers, across all the different devices available? There are a few steps every company should follow.
1. Identify Long-Term Goals
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when planning for mobile is thinking short term or rushing to deploy a single mobile app or website. They often don't realize that by planning ahead, they can deploy a comprehensive mobile offering across more than 9,000 devices using a single code base. Creating a strategy that identifies all the key devices helps reduce the development costs of building one mobile app or site at a time.
2. Consider Every Mobile Channel
Too many companies pick one or the other: mobile web or mobile app. First, identify your target audience and find out how they like to get their information. What you'll likely find is consumers want to be able to access a brand's information across a variety of different options, for different reasons. A truly integrated mobile campaign should be accessible through mobile websites, smartphone apps, tablets, and text messaging.
3. Leverage Partners
A mobile strategy that hits all the mobile channels may seem daunting, and for a small business it's often not something that can be handled using internal resources. Instead, find a vendor that can help with everything from developing the strategy to testing and reviewing your mobile portfolio. Selecting a vendor who can offer technology to "future proof" your offering is essential for being prepared for changes in mobile technology. Some vendors even offer agreements to include support for new devices and operating systems within 30 to 90 days of their release, ensuring you can support a multichannel offering now and in the future.
Bjorn Hildahl
Vice-president, Product Management
Kony
Orlando, Fla.
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