The Evolution of a Mobile App

By Melissa Campanelli

Best Practices for  Building a Mobile App

We asked TextureMedia CEO Crista Bailey to offer a few best practices around building a mobile app. Here’s what she had to say:

1. Tap into your community. “Find out what people want and what’s going to resonate with them before launching any type of mobile site or app. It sounds like a no-brainer, but to a lot of people it’s not.”

2. Don’t do it all at once. Just because you’ve tapped into what people want, it doesn’t mean you have to do it all at once, Bailey says. “Think about what your objectives are. We decided to launch our app in two phases. It was important for us to get out there and be present first, then improve and upgrade later.”

3. Find a trusted mobile partner. “Find someone who really understands your business and cares about it, and who you can ultimately work with since you’re generally tied to the hip with these people when launching an app.”

Advertisers can also reach Curls on the Go users by hair type, location, current weather conditions and forecasts, or a combination of those factors. Since the app can geo-target users by hair type, advertisers can send very specific ads. For example, an ad can be served to a user in New York during the dog days of August saying: "Feeling humid in New York City this morning? Well, here are recommended products for your hair type."

"Brands seeking deep engagement with the hair community — and a relevant mobile presence — will find Curls on the Go addressing that need," says Christopher Burkhart, TextureMedia's chief marketing officer.

The Future of the App
Now that Curls on the Go is up and running, TextureMedia has entered its second phase of development, which includes a few design tweaks as well as offering advertisers the ability to offer coupons on the app. Ironically, the mobile app has been such a success that it's now being looked at as the future for TextureMedia's websites.

"We've seen such success with the mobile app that we're using it as the model for where we want to take our websites," says  Bailey.

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Melissa Campanelli Author's page Melissa Campanelli is Editor-in-Chief of Total Retail. She is an industry veteran, having covered all aspects of retail, tech, digital, e-commerce, and marketing over the past 20 years. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle.

Mobile Apps: The Evolution of a Mobile App