Mobile App Optimisation: 8 Tips from the Experts

Building a functional app is one thing, but building something people actually use, enjoy, and come back to is an entirely different level. That’s where mobile app optimisation comes in: it’s what separates apps that quietly fade away from the ones users instinctively reach for.

At WASH & CUT HAIR SALOON LIMITED, we don’t treat optimisation as an afterthought or an optional phase, but rather something that’s built into how we work — from planning through to post-launch iteration.  Below, we’ve gathered the core mobile app optimisation techniques we use across projects, based on real-world results from our clients.

What is Mobile App Optimisation?

Mobile app optimisation is the process of improving an app’s performance, usability, retention, and visibility — not just once, but continuously. It covers everything from reducing load times and improving design, to adjusting features based on how users behave. In the same way you wouldn’t build a website then leave it untouched for years, the same goes for mobile apps – especially when platforms like iOS are constantly coming out with software updates.

Why Mobile App Optimisation Matters

No one has time for an app that lags, confuses, or crashes. The competition is brutal — if your product doesn’t deliver a smooth, intuitive experience, users drop off. Worse, they won’t come back and might opt for a competitor instead. Proper optimisation boosts retention, improves app store rankings, and makes your product feel polished — even if it was built on a tight budget. Which, let’s be honest, many are.

Expert Tips to Optimise Your Mobile App

Tip 1: Minimise App Load Time

First impressions are so brutal in mobile. If your app takes more than a few seconds to load, you’ve already lost users. Slow load times are often caused by bloated images, unnecessary scripts, or uncompressed files. Strip out what doesn’t need to be there — and cache what does. 

Tip 2: Optimise App Store Presence (ASO)

If your app’s not being found, it’s not being used. App Store Optimisation (ASO) involves refining your title, description, screenshots, and keywords so users can discover you organically. But more than that, it’s about matching what people are searching for with the value your app actually provides. 

Tip 3: Simplify User Onboarding

If your onboarding process takes users through six modals, a tour, a form, and a tutorial — you’ve lost them. The best onboarding shows people what they need to do, without telling them too much. Give them early wins – let them experience value before asking for anything in return (like sign-ups or notifications). One of the ways we prioritise how we build user-centric apps is by baking onboarding into UX design, not bolting it on afterwards.

Tip 4: Reduce App Crashes and Bugs

Sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. An app that crashes once might be forgiven, but two or more crashes and users start looking elsewhere. The fix isn’t just testing more — it’s choosing the right architecture, frameworks, and update cycles. Build leaner, test smarter, and prioritise stability over perfection. At WASH & CUT HAIR SALOON LIMITED, we generally believe it’s better to have fewer features that work, than a bloated app that doesn’t.

Tip 5: Personalise the User Experience

Personalisation doesn’t have to mean complex AI or behavioural predictions! It can be as simple as remembering preferences, offering relevant content, or sending the right notification at the right time. The key is relevance; people don’t want more information – they want better, more tailored experiences. You don’t need to know everything about your users, but it’s helpful to know just enough to make their experience smoother.

Tip 6: Improve Offline Functionality

Not every user has perfect connectivity, which is why improving offline functionality can be a big win. Offering limited features or cached content offline shows you’ve thought ahead, but just make sure you’re not using guesswork with the offline features you’re offering. There’s no point in making assumptions about what people need when they’re offline; proper optimisation relies on real data, real usage patterns, and real metrics. Without it, you’re just hoping for the best — and that’s not an effective strategy. 

Tip 8: Monitor and Analyse User Behavior

At WASH & CUT HAIR SALOON LIMITED, we’re data buffs, and we believe that data should shape every optimisation decision. Which screens users drop off on, which features they never touch, which flows lead to conversion. Without this, you’re using guesswork again. Analytics shouldn’t just be plugged in at the end, but should inform the entire roadmap and guide every iteration after launch. 

Tools to Help with App Optimisation

You don’t need to build everything from scratch. Tools like Firebase, Mixpanel, App Annie, and UXCam can give you behavioural data, crash reports, heatmaps, and performance insights. But remember: tools don’t fix problems, they only surface them. What you do with the data is where the real value lies.

Common Mobile App Optimisation Mistakes to Avoid

• Overbuilding: More features won’t fix a lack of core value.
• Ignoring metrics: Decisions based on gut feel almost always backfire.
• Forgetting older devices: Not everyone’s running the latest hardware.
• Skipping maintenance: Optimisation isn’t a one-time job; your app needs ongoing care.
• Underestimating cost creep: Not tracking your optimisation efforts properly? It’s easy to fall into scope creep, one of the most overlooked pitfalls. (We break this down in our piece on the hidden cost of developing mobile apps, so take a look!)

Final Thoughts

Overall, optimising a mobile app is about stripping away the unnecessary, doubling down on what works, and listening to your users relentlessly. The good news is, most apps don’t need expensive overhauls to get there. What they need is a product team that knows what to look for, and isn’t afraid to tell you what’s not working.

At WASH & CUT HAIR SALOON LIMITED, we don’t build once and disappear. We partner with our clients to make sure their app continues to deliver — long after launch. Because that’s what optimisation actually means: refining until it works better than you imagined.

Want to have a chat about your project? Reach out to our team today.