What are the risks of getting my App developed overseas?

admin - July 31, 2019July 29, 2022

Outsourcing app development to foreign countries is more common than ever before. But why? We find that it mostly comes down to price.

It’s well known that outsourcing development work to other countries is significantly cheaper due to lower hourly rates and the possibility that you would be dealing with a small group of individuals rather than a business.

However, to build an app properly, expect to spend anywhere from $50,000 – $250,000. A successful app build may be drawn out over months in stages of research, scoping, prototyping, designing, front-end development, back-end development and testing.

While it may be appealing to save money on the development, there are many other factors that should be considered before getting your app built overseas. Here, we’re exploring the risks of outsourcing your development overseas.

Limited ability to oversee the development process

When you take development work overseas, you lose the ability to keep track of what is happening on the other side. Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting, whether it is used for scoping out a project, doing a project demonstration or doing a final pre-launch QA.

Poor communication due to time zone differences

If you get your app developed overseas, there is a high chance that they will be working in a completely different time zone to you. This can lead to difficulties with response times, which can be particularly pressing during the testing and launch phases of development.

Poor development quality

We have seen some extreme cases in the past when it comes to app development, and it normally goes wrong due to the quality of the work.

Poor development can lead to examples of:

Platforms being developed in obscure coding languages that are redundant or not best practice
Code written in nonsensical ways that could have been much more efficient (also known as spaghetti code)
Fraudulent examples of work (visual mockups being presented as the final product where no code has even been written)
Contractual liability

By conducting work with a company such as Digital8, you have the safety and peace of mind provided by a legally binding and relevant contract. We have real staff working for a registered business that has completed hundreds of projects in Australia.

If you enter into an agreement with an individual orcompany trading overseas, will you have the protection offered by Australian Consumer Law?

Qualifications of the developers

At Digital8, we hire the very best developers who have real experience in their field of expertise. By having a large team with a range of specialist skills, we are able to match your project up with the best team for the job.

When engaging overseas contractors, there is no guarantee that they have the skills to meet your requirements and set your platform up for growth and future development.

Growing a long term business relationship

It’s one thing to build an app, it’s another to make it a success. Where possible, it’s a great idea to ensure that your developer has your long-term interests at heart and won’t drop your project when another opportunity becomes available.

It is recommended to find a development team who strives to reach your end goal, with all of the steps completed in between.

This can include marketing and strategy development to ensure that once the app hits the stores it is put in front of the target audience and becomes a recognisable brand.

We are a full-stack agency

Digital8 is proud to offer industry-leading services for all of your business’s digital needs. From strategy workshops to UX/UI design, development, marketing and post-launch maintenance and support, we have the team to help turn your dream into a functioning reality.

We have a development team based in our South Brisbane office and are more than happy to chat about your project ideas when you’re ready to get started!

Our Guide to WordPress Hosting: Performance, Security & Reliability

admin - July 26, 2019September 6, 2022

At Digital8, we use WP Engine as our provider of choice when it comes to WordPress hosting.

WP Engine is an industry leading hosting platform that provides the very best when it comes to developing, hosting, and safeguarding business websites across the globe. There are a number of great benefits to using this platform when it comes to hosting your site, which we have outlined below.

Performance

WP Engine uses a combination of the very best technology from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and more to ensure that your site performs to its full potential. Site performance and speed is more than just a “nice to have”, it’s a necessity in today’s digital space.

Every additional second that your website takes to load loses 7% of traffic to bounces. Can you really afford to risk losing traffic before they even get the chance to see what you have to offer?

Security & Backups

Managed core updates and patches.

WP Engine also takes regular snapshots of your site in case anything unexpected does occur. Rolling back to a previous version is quick and painless, giving you peace of mind knowing that your data is safe. If you don’t know how to restore a backup, or who to contact if you ever need one, it’s worth thinking about. This can often be a source of pain in times of panic, so why not reduce that potential headache and leave the problem in the hands of a team who can get a copy of your old data in seconds.

Reliability

WP Engine offers Uptime Protection and runs on world class technology, so it’s the most logical choice if your website needs to perform at all times!

If you are interested in moving your WordPress site to WP Engine please contact our team.

Is my App idea likely to succeed?

admin - July 26, 2019July 29, 2022

Every app starts with an idea.

Some of them may have plugged obvious gaps in the market, while others may have been doubted by many and just gone ahead based on a gut feeling.

It’s important to understand the risk of developing an app. The process is often drawn out over a number of months and will take significant funding.

Then once the app is ready to go, there is a range of marketing attempts that need to be made.

Most established apps have a website, social media accounts, advertising campaigns (across multiple platforms) and product demonstration videos and photography, all in the name of establishing brand identity and making it as simple as possible to get users on board.

So, how do you know if your app idea is likely to succeed?

What steps can you take to determine if your app idea is worthwhile?

Here are a few places to start when trying to sort out whether you have a good idea for an app.

Ask friends and family if they would use the app including whether they would use it regularly, if it offers them any benefits, and most importantly, would they ever pay for it?
Identify the target market (businesses/individuals, age, location, interests) and decide how likely they would be to use an app
Try to find apps similar to yours on search engines and app stores

If your app is something that can benefit the user and it doesn’t exist, try approaching businesses or individuals within your target market. If you can get interest in your hypothetical product, there may be a legitimate case to get straight into development.

Some apps don’t have obvious target audiences in the idea stage or may require some extra planning to really make the app a profitable business venture. Digital8 offers workshops and strategy sessions to plan out the scope of the project and offer some further guidance.

Book a workshop with us here.

Have you done all of this and it’s time to take the next steps? Here are some tips when considering investment options.

If you don’t need external investment and you want to discuss your app with our development team, contact our expert team of developers at Digital8 today!

How big should my logo be on my website?

admin - July 26, 2019August 1, 2019

As a business, we totally understand the desire to have your branding all over your brand new website. You want visitors to see your name and remember it.

It might seem like a logical thing to do, but having a logo that takes up a large amount of space on your site is a design nightmare.

From a UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience) perspective, you want to display a clear message and/or call to action on your website. If a customer lands on your site looking for a product or service, and has any difficulty finding it, they’re going to leave. Fast. If you make it easy for them to find what they’re chasing, and make the journey through the website hassle free, they’re going to come back to you next time. Who doesn’t love a website that’s easy to navigate and gives them exactly what they need.

Remember, is most cases, the customer wants your product or service, and won’t know who you are amongst the five tabs they just opened from a quick Google search. Give them a reason to stay and continue the journey, not an overly sized logo that hides the information they really want to see.

Have a chat with our design team to see how your user journey can be improved.

What Digital Grants are available for your business?

Katelyn Cleary - July 26, 2019August 1, 2019

Small Business

Small Business Digital Grants Program

What can you apply for?

The Small Business Digital Grants Program can assist small businesses to access digital technologies and services to help them work smarter, engage with the global economy and make the most of online business opportunities arising from digital disruption.

Matched funding of up to $10,000 (excluding GST) may be provided to eligible businesses for the purchase of hardware, software and services (such as digital coaching). The minimum grant funding is $1,000.

Eligibility:

have fewer than 20 employees at the time of applying for the grant
have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST
have Queensland headquarters
have a turnover of $2 million or less in the last financial year
not be insolvent or have owners/directors that are an undischarged bankrupt

View the Grant listing here.

Small to Medium Business (Including Startups)

Ignite Ideas Fund

What can you apply for?

Supports startups and small to medium Queensland businesses to commercialise innovative products, processes and services to enable them grow and compete in a global market and create new jobs. The Ignite Ideas Fund provides grants to support startups and small to medium Queensland businesses to commercialise innovative products, processes or services that have reached minimum viable product stage and have market potential.

Tier One: Up to $100,000

Tier Two: Up to $250,000

Eligibility:

To be eligible for funding, applicant organisations must:

be a business or startup organisation and be registered for GST
be headquartered in Queensland
have no more than 50 full time equivalent employees

Applicants to Tier 1 must:

not have received an Ignite Ideas Fund grant previously
make a cash contribution to the project that is at least equal to 20% of the value of the grant funding sought.

Applicants to Tier 2 must:

have been trading for a minimum of two years
not have received an Ignite Ideas Fund Tier 2 grant previously
have successfully completed any project funded under Tier 1 of the Ignite Ideas Fund (if relevant)
make a cash contribution to the project that is at least equal to the value of the grant funding sought.

View the Grant listing here.

Why are UI/UX designs important?

admin - July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design is key to any successful website/app project. All projects created by Digital8 have the same intention; to create a platform that is best in category, and will deliver an unforgettable user journey.

User Experience (UX) is focused on tailoring user journeys that will create the best experience for your demographic. If they find it visually appealing and easy to navigate/understand, then the app/website will provide maximum customer satisfaction and increase the chance of a successful conversion.

The User Interface (UI) aspect relates to the presentation and the interactivity of the project. This means taking each screen, page, button (and any other necessary visual component), and focusing on how it best fits the brand and encourages the best possible user engagement.

While a customer has a higher chance of enjoying their experience and converting, websites that have effective UI/UX also have stronger search engine presence. Google considers the time spent on site, number of pages visited, and even the conversion rate as key ranking factors. Simply put, if a website delivers great results for the user, this is recognised by search engines. As they consider the user experience to be an extension of their own, these websites will be more highly recommended and accessible to the public.

The Design Process

Scoping Session to ensure all pages, elements, and requirements are accounted for
Research into competitors, inspiration gathering, sitemap planning
Theming, layout and styling of main components
Rapid Hi Fidelity prototyping for the remaining pages
Development commences check for feasibility
Designs are exported into Invision and commentary points added.
Invision tour and image files shared with the Client
Feedback opportunity for Client
Once the Client is satisfied with the designs and has signed off, they will be passed on to the development team to begin the build

Design Deliverables

We create a simple prototype of the app/website designs, so you can view them in a more interactive environment.
Invision allows us to present Hi Fidelity designs to the client, with a guided tour and commentary functionality available to ensure all aspects are explained clearly.

Ready to get started with your design piece? Book a time to chat with Digital8.