But developing your own app can be resource-intensive. You may not have the time or resources to dedicate to it right now.
So, you decide to leverage third-party OTAs and apps to appeal to the mobile audience (which is smart). But which ones do you use, how do you track all of them, and how do you decide which apps best represent your business?
Here are five great tools that will help you find the right apps for you, and oversee your strategy.
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Google
Before you laugh (or scoff), you should know that business owners across a variety of industries cite Google as one of the most valuable resources for building their business.
Not sure what app to use? Consider your options by researching on Google. Don’t know what the best tool is for streamlining or managing a specific aspect of your business? Look it up on Google.
There is a wealth of knowledge of Google, and it’s all at your fingertips. While it does not offer any way for you to manage all your apps in a centralized location, it does empower you with the one thing you need to move forward with decision making – knowledge.
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Stacklist
A business usually runs on many tools, not just one. So, choosing your software stack can be difficult. Some tools don’t play nice with each other. Others require a lot of setup, tweaking, and hacking.
Stacklist is a site you can use to discover what apps other businesses (mostly startups) are using in every department of their business, from project management to HR.
Although the site won’t outright tell you what the ideal software stack is for your business, it should offer insights and ideas into setups that could work for you.
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Raspberry Pi
Mobile app development and coding isn’t for everyone. That’s one of the reasons Raspberry Pi was developed in the first place – it makes it easy for anyone to hack and develop technology.
Now while it does make programming and technological experiments easier, you will still need to develop the skillset necessary to take full advantage of it. So, in that sense, it might not be entirely practical for you.
But if you want to prototype apps, or toy around with customized business solutions, then you might want to have a look at Raspberry Pi.
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SolarWinds’ Application Stack Management Bundle
SolarWinds’ Application Stack Management Bundle is a sophisticated solution for managing and monitoring your software stack at every layer. If you’re looking for a comprehensive solution to help with your mobile app strategy, then this might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
With the Management Bundle, not only can you see what software you’re using and how the different pieces interact with each other, it will also map relationships between applications, identify and solve performance problems, and more.
If you’re using a lot of apps, and you’re an advanced user, then this might be exactly what you need.
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StackShare
StackShare is a lot like Stacklist. It’s a place businesses and entrepreneurs go to discover, share, and discuss various software tools. You can view side-by-side comparisons of the tools that are available, and share your stack with others if you’re proud of what you’ve been able to do with it in your business.
Most of all, you get to learn from the best. You can see exactly what companies like Airbnb and Dropbox are using to manage their business, and as you learn more about each tool, you’ll also be able to draw conclusions as to why they have the setup they have.
Final Thoughts
There is no right or wrong tool, only right and wrong for what you’re trying to accomplish. Therefore, it’s helpful to know what you’re trying to accomplish when you’re trying to find the right tools. If you don’t, then you could be distracted by a compelling sales pitch or a shiny object, which is not the best way to find help for your mobile app strategy.