Being a student can be challenging. It doesn’t matter if you are young or much older, if you study humanities or sciences, if you are an undergraduate or a post-graduate – studying can be very tough and student life can be particularly difficult.
That being said, many students are already using various tools and solutions to help them make their student life easier. Some of these are mobile apps and programs, so here are the five things that students want to see in modern apps which developers need to keep in mind.
#1 Excellent UI and UX
First of all, most students expect to have an app with excellent UI and UX. Both user interface and user experience influence the way your mobile app’s users go through and utilize the different features of your app. If your app design (i.e. user interface or UI) is lacking, you can expect many of your student users to be averted from it. Likewise, if your UX isn’t good enough, you can lose many users and even develop a bad reputation which can harm the ratings of your app on different app stores (including Play Store and App Store).
To create excellent UI and UX for your mobile app, you need to hire qualified specialists to create multiple designs for your app and then choose the most fitting one through testing. Once you choose a design, you will need to test, test, and test again to eliminate and correct bugs and errors. Then, you can start testing the app with focus groups to get feedback on their experience and what should be further improved (e.g. navigation, ad spaces).
#2 No Hidden Fees
One thing every student will agree on is that finances are often a headache. Most students already spend a lot on tuition, rent, and other studies-related expenses that they have to be careful with their food and leisure expenses. Logically, paying for apps is usually one of the biggest turn-offs which is why most students opt for free apps. But such mobile apps are notorious for having hidden fees for in-app purchases.
If you do want to include additional fees for special features in the mobile app, it’s worth informing your users about this beforehand. Put information about such paid features into the description of your app on different app stores. This will let you inform your users about everything beforehand and they will know what kind of app they will be installing and which features will be available to them for free while which ones will be paid.
#3 Focus on Productivity
A common issue many students experience is the lack of concentration and the abundance of distractions that prevent students from being productive. As experts from the custom writing reviews Online Writers Raring and Best Writers Online sites suggest, many students are constantly looking for ways to improve their productivity which is why apps specifically for that are so popular. However, this doesn’t mean you should only create productivity mobile apps.
Instead, you need to take a more nuanced approach to the matter. When developing your mobile apps, make sure that you include relevant features that will help your student users achieve more productivity while using them. For instance, you can add reminders that signal to users that they have been using your app for a particular amount of time. Consider adding timers and special notifications that users can set up. This will both help your student audience to have more productivity and will make your mobile app stand out with such unique features.
#4 More Personalization
It seems that most mobile app developers want to create authentic apps that will fit their target audience’s needs and expectations perfectly. They add a myriad of different features and options for customization and do everything they can to improve their apps over time. And yet, many users of all ages are still looking for apps that will offer the degree of personalization that will satisfy them. Personalization is still essential, but mobile app developers seem to forget about it.
To make your mobile app have the necessary personalization for your student users, you should think about such needs they might have:
- Student Life: Anything from grocery shopping to connecting with other students online is an integral part of student life which is why you need to find solutions to personalize your app with relevant features.
- Academic Support: Students want to have access to valuable resources, to connect with professors and students, to improve their understanding of their studies – that’s why you should include personalization related to academic support.
- Job Assistance and Interview Training: Some students decide to get a job while still studying which is why many of them search for job assistance and interview training resources. You can include features related to them into your app.
- Finances and Aid: As mentioned earlier, finances are important to students which is why it’s a good idea to include personalization features and resources related to finances and aid.
#5 Discounts and Bonuses
Last but not least, because students care so much about finances (and about hidden fees), many such users will probably be glad to see some special bonuses and discounts in your app. Of course, it’s not a feature that you absolutely must have, but many student users will probably enjoy having discounts for paid features that you offer.
In addition to that, consider creating a bonus system specifically for your mobile app. A bonus system lets your users collect bonus points that they can later use in your app for more purchases. Alternatively, you can allow them to use these bonuses to buy special gift cards from your app and then use these gift cards for services or in shops that are relevant to students (e.g. stationary, groceries).
Final Thoughts
To sum up, remembering about these elements when you develop your mobile apps will help you deliver the best products to your student target audience. Use these tips to help you create the perfect mobile apps specifically for making the student life easier.
