If you’ve ever thought about business expansion, you have probably come across a white label app meaning. This well-known concept has acquired some new features since it was first applied to software products.
Today, we are going to dive into white label apps and their development, reveal the advantages of this model, and share 5 key things to keep in mind before starting work on a white label app solution.
Introduction to white label apps
First, let’s clarify some definitions.
White label solutions are products originally developed by one company but then sold to other companies for rebranding and usage on their own.
For example, a company might create a fully functional taxi application and then sell it to taxi-related businesses. These purchasers then rebrand the app to fit their style and adjust it to their business model. As a result, they receive a fully-functional app for an attractive price while skipping the long development process.
White label apps are typically created with an entire industry in mind. For this reason, they often offer common functionalities that fit as many business cases as possible. Even so, such an app can be customized to each use case post factum.
A white label app mobile solution passes through three basic stages:
A service provider, or a white label development agency, constructs a fully functional app with a defined goal and target audience.
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Rebranding stage
An app is customized and upgraded with a new logo and slogan so the reseller can use it as his or her own product.
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Changing of ownership
App ownership passes to the client (here – a reseller), a company who either ordered a solution or bought a ready-made app for a certain purpose.
White label applications are profitable for both service providers and entrepreneurs/resellers. Let’s briefly analyze the reasons behind this profitability:
White label solutions for resellers
If you are a business owner wanting to reach more potential customers and clients, a business mobile app is one option you have likely considered. However, a business mobile app requires intense attention and resources. You must develop an idea, find and hire dedicated developers, and spend your time and money. A white label solution saves you from this headache and provides you with several key advantages:
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You get a ready-made solution fast;
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The app is designed and customized to your specifications;
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You completely own the product, as long as your agreement with the service provider is legitimate.
Using a white label app enables you to save time and money.
White label apps development for service providers
For development teams, white label apps can also facilitate some great advantages:
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You get another source of recurrent revenue;
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You get access to unlimited upsell opportunities;
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You can try a feature as a service model, deliver basic functionality, and then upsell and design special features for an extra payment.
Asa service provider, you can resell your app as many times as you want offering your clients customized solutions at lower costs
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All that sounds pretty attractive, right? But before you decide to add white-labeled app development to the list of the services you provide, take a look at these tips to remember and pitfalls to avoid.
5 things to consider before joining the white label app development market
Although white label products might sound easy to develop, they still require a lot of time, effort and dedication. We’ve analyzed client demands and the current market situation to arrive at these 5 things for you to be aware of.
1. Rear your idea
Think over your idea; then, think it over again. You must carefully consider what you plan to sell to your potential customers because the competition is intense. In 2018, there were more than 2.1 million apps available on the Play Market. This almost unfathomable number makes it extremely difficult for service providers to create a unique offer.
First, define your niche, but don’t let anything limit you. The Clockwise Software team once got to work on developing a white label app for restaurants and cafes. The main aim of the application was to reduce café queues by enabling pre-orders and stimulating them with cashback. However, since beginning the project, we’ve realized the app can serve many more types of businesses. After customization, our brand new app could be used by hair and nail salons, fitnes clubs, etc. – any B2C company that could benefit from pre-ordering.
Don’t focus solely on one type of business, think about businesses and industries with similar needs.
Someone else has likely developed a similar app with similar features and a similar purpose in a region you want to target. Google these products, find user reviews and define their strengths and weaknesses. Your full awareness of the market can be a powerful tool in building an invincible white label product for your client. When you target a specific audience and location, add some uniqueness to your offer to attract attention.
Another thing to consider is usefulness. Remember, your only chance to develop an app that makes a difference is to build the functionality that meets needs that haven’t been met before.
Return to your idea development stage and answer the following questions about your future product:
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What does your target user base like about the apps they use? What do they dislike?
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What UX does your target user expect your app to demonstrate?
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Are there any other similar apps that failed on their path to success? If so, why?
Mull over these questions. Each answer will take you one step closer to a unique and absolutely useful white label solution.
2. Make your app real
The next step to a successful sale is idea implementation. In this business, you can’t make it on your own unless you are an IT professional with proven experience. You need a reliable partner, someone who can answer your questions and turn plans into actions. There are 3 options available:
In-house development
This option will require you to rent an office, find and hire IT engineers before starting work on your idea. It sounds pretty nice, but can be a total disaster to properly implement. Specific market demands, along with time spent on CV review and onboarding procedures, can cost you a fortune.
Freelance engineers
Platforms like Upwork offer lots and lots of highly competent and skilled people ready to get to work for you. However, this option also comes with built-in disadvantages. Thanks to remote work, different time zones, cultural differences, work attitudes and many other reasons, hiring freelancers can lead you nowhere. Keep in mind that you need to hire a whole team of specialists: a designer, app developers responsible for front-end and back-end, and QA engineers. And as experience shows, it is nearly impossible to gather a team of heroes on a freelance platform, much less manage them efficiently.
Outsourcing services
Fortunately, the modern market provides one other option. You can partner with an outsourcing development team.
What kind of team is that? A team of IT engineers who work together in an office and develop projects for foreign customers. In this niche, software developers from Eastern European countries can provide both high-quality services and affordable pricing. Outsourcing is a cheap and simple way to concentrate on sales and other crucial business tasks while competent specialists managed by an in-house professional develop your white label solution.
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3. Sales challenges
When buying a white label product, clients potentially risk their reputation. They demonstrate ownership and put their own name on the products you and your team have developed. But at the same time, because they haven’t taken part in the development process, they cannot guarantee the app’s quality.
In addition, fierce market competition can lead to a challenging sales process. Before marketing your white label app, take the following steps:
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Hire a professional sales manager:
This may be no easy task in the initial stages of the white label app lifecycle; nonetheless, it is necessary. Find and hire a sales specialist, preferably one with experience in the white label products field. That professional will be your reliable partner in successful application delivery. -
Prepare sales materials:
Your clients must be certain you are their best bet. To show them you are, prepare all the proof you can collect. Create a solid app presentation and use your best soft and hard skills to craft a successful deal.
4. Customization potential
Your clients want to see their brands on your white label iOS apps and Android apps. This is the essence of white label development: you build apps that can precisely demonstrate the value of other brands.
Here are some tips to keep in mind before starting the race:
Keep things simple early on
Your app’s design must be clear, intuitive and easy to customize. Avoid unbelievable visual effects, because your client’s vision may differ from yours, and you want to sidestep redesign whenever possible.
Get acquainted with your clients’ online presence
Study your target audience – those companies that will potentially buy your white label app. Here, everything from business websites to Facebook profiles can be helpful. Consider target brand colors and logos, the specifics of their posts, and their overall communication with their audience. These insights will give you ideas on what designs and features to include to meet their expectations.
Ask about your client’s vision
Your client may have their own vision of a solution. Talk to them in person, discuss their ideas, clarify the details, and make use of this valuable information when designing your white label app.
Portray a user persona to improve customization
A user persona is a portrait of an app’s future user – the customers of your direct clients. Name your persona, define his or her age, occupation, location, soft skills, hobbies, etc. This exercise will help you understand how to create an app in a way that makes the wishes of your clients and their target audience come true.
5. Product support
In white app development, future changes and updates are a fact of life. To make these changes as painless as possible, adhere to the following principles:
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Schedule recurring meetings with your clients to keep up to date with their needs, plans, and ideas;
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Discuss clients’ actions and expectations in case of emergency: ask them to either contact your developers directly for critical fixes or hire customer support professional to manage inquiries;
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Ask about your clients’ future plans: your white label app should be scalable and customizable in order to fit your clients’ needs.
Each of these small steps today will save you from hassles and issues tomorrow.
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White label product development: is it worth it?
Now you know the answer to the question, what is a white label app? You also know what results white label app development can bring to your business and what to consider before starting a white label project.
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