The successful launch of MVP is the beginning of the journey. If you plan to build a successful product, there are certain critical app components and features you should not ignore in 2022. Those app features will not only spice up your app and boost performance but also enhance and simplify the user experience.

Due to our experience with building plenty of mobile apps for businesses of various sizes, we've gathered valued insights.

As a matter of fact, each project has very different needs and requirements. Nevertheless, these components are relevant despite the business size or target audience. Let's dive right in.

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1. Visitor mode without mandatory signup

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When users download your app for the first time, let them skip to the first page without the need for registration. This can be one of the best mobile app features. 

Users are often apprehensive about providing their data to a mobile app they aren't sure they will use. You can ask them to sign up when they initiate specific action e.i., click on the buy/continue button. So, if you force them to sign up before they have tried your app, it can make them leave or uninstall your application altogether. 

A Visitor Mode can be the perfect solution for avoiding this. You let users take a test drive before they decide to sign up. Otherwise, you can include guest mode or even a test account, especially in B2B products.

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2. Login via the “magic” link

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Standard login via email has become a thing of the past. “Magic” links are becoming common today as they reduce friction and increase security. You can allow the users to log in via a unique link provided through email.
All they need to do is mention their email address on the app and a “magic” link will be sent to their email address. By clicking on that link, they can log into the app without the need to remember passwords. Magic, isn’t it?

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3. Intuitive onboarding with (micro) animations

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Another must-have mobile app component is intuitive, with no lengthy onboarding, ideally with the help of animations. You should communicate crucial app features, inform about necessary onboarding steps, and do much more through animations. Today's go-to technology for interactive app animations is Rive.

Animations break up the monotony created by texts and images. Animations also make the user journey more delightful and fun.

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4. Personalisation is the king

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Personalisation can do wonders for your conversions and user retention. All modern apps should work with the user’s name in all customer journey touch points. By leveraging the latest technology, you can implement this omnichannel.

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From in-app functionalities to push notifications and emails, using your user’s name can go a long way in improving the user’s experience with your app.

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5. Customer support via in-app chat 

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Today, users expect nothing but the best from all the digital products and services they use. Thus, quickly resolving your customers' issues is necessary if you strive to provide a remarkable user experience. Seamless in-app chat is a reliable and user-friendly solution to any customer issue.
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Depending on the business needs, you can opt for a two-way or even three-way chat that includes support, service provider, and customer. This ensures that your customers would not have to go through a different website or write lengthy emails to register their complaints.

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6. Seamless user flow 

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User friendly customer journey is one of the most essential components of a mobile app. Make sure to simplify every stage of your customer’s journey. Reduce the number of steps they have to take to get conversions. The easier things are for your users, the more beneficial it will be for you. 

Do not forget to install analytics so you can track where your users drop off.

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7. Dynamically generated homepage 

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This is a pretty new feature we started to use in almost every project. As we saw positive feedback, we decided to share it on this list. Imagine you want to test user behavior by testing content placement on the homepage.

Previously you could do it only once you republish the app into the stores; users had to update to the latest version - it did take a lot of time. Now you can restructure your home page just in a few minutes in the admin console. 

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8. Intuitive micro-interactions

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According to UX Collective, “micro-interactions are events that have one main task — a single purpose — and they're found all over your device and within apps. Their purpose is to delight the user; to create a moment that is engaging, welcoming, and, dare we say it — human.” 

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Thus, micro-interactions help you:

• Improve the navigation of your app
• Communicate crucial information to the user
• Provide instant feedback 
• Make the user experience more enriching 

It could be nice animation of a toggle button or a smooth transition. But do not go mad with that - in this kind of show, less is more.

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9. User-generated content

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User-generated content plays a significant role in your mobile application. It is natural for users to trust user-generated content more than they trust any other kind of branded content. Encouraging customer reviews and feedback helps you build credibility and acts as great social proof for your app. 

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10. Targeted Push notifications

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Targeted push notifications make a user feel special and connected to your mobile application. It's a key to stimulating user retention and re-engagement. Nowadays, you can run AB tests, i.e., the time of sending and content. You can even personalize it by including the user's name.

Targeted push notifications enhance your customer's experience and increase the conversion rate or take action you expect them to take. Ensure to deep-link to the specific page in the app, i.e., to promote a sale or event.

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11. Flawless payment gateway integration 

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If you are selling some products through your app, a seamless payment gateway integration becomes essential. 

Seamless payment gateway integration makes the payment process quicker and more convenient. At Apexive, we usually use Stripe to implement smooth payment gateway integrations on our client’s applications. 

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12. Powerful search engine with real-time suggestions

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All user-friendly apps selling products should come with powerful search engines. Their absence can increase your bounce rate and negatively affect conversions. If you are interested to learn more how users constructs their search, we recommend to read this study.

Make sure your in-app search feature allows:

• Real-time autocomplete suggestions
• Information about your last search
• The most popular search options 

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13. Cloud-based infrastructure 

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Today, users use the same applications across different devices. Thus, a robust cloud-based infrastructure that enables them to access their data across different devices has also become a must-have now. 

The most popular cloud services include AWS and Google Cloud. We have covered their offers for startups in our guide. 

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14. Discount codes & Referral codes

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If you want to do marketing, you will need these two features. Generally, referral codes can be of the following types:

• Percentage off referrals: It can be something as simple as “refer the app to five people and enjoy a flat 25% off your next purchase”. This screen usually contain the share button.

• Fixed referral codes: Here, you promise a fixed incentive to your users in exchange for referrals. 

• Benefit to both parties: You can also provide a certain incentive to both parties, the person who referred your application and those who downloaded it because of the referral code. 

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You can generate valuable warm leads by encouraging your customers to refer your app to friends and acquaintances.

Additionally, make the most of discount codes to boost your traffic and promote word-of-mouth advertising. You don't always have to offer money-offs when it comes to promotional codes. You can also provide free shipping, upsell or cross-sell discounts.

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15. Real-time order management 

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Another essential mobile app functionality for e-commerce apps and marketplaces is real-time order management. If you want to improve your customer’s buying experience on your app, make sure customers are aware of the status of the order. Moreover, it would be great to have the possibility to change/reschedule bookings on the go. Let users be in control of your orders and see the magic it creates for your business!  

That was the case with the AAHI app. By adding this feature, their conversions were increased to 13%. 

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16. Open API for easy integrations 

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Lastly, make sure to use an open API development approach. Open APIs help you streamline your operations and offer greater flexibility to your customers. It greatly simplifies the process of multiple software integrations.

Recommended reading: Effective Software Development using OpenAPI Generator

By allowing you to incorporate multiple functional pre-existing software programs into your application, open API helps you provide a simple, user-friendly, and seamless experience to your customers

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Wrapping up

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These are the features we are using in the almost every project. Users are always looking for applications that are easy to use and offer them some additional benefits. In today’s highly competitive online marketplace, having these features will ensure that your mobile app stands out from the crowd.

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