With a strong concept, plenty of passion, and the right software, anyone can build a mobile app. In this case study, we show you how entrepreneur Gary Patterson created not one but two mobile apps using STQRY and monetized them with paid advertising.
We dive into the strategy behind his business and showcase some smart decisions he made along the way.
The inspiration behind Great Hikes and Great Rides
An avid hiker and cyclist, Gary realized that there was no mobile app for the Great Walks maintained by New Zealand's Department of Conservation. These trails are well-loved by tourists and locals alike, but there was no single app that would provide wayfinding and guided content in a user-friendly format. Rather, information was spread across the web.
Gary decided to create his own free mobicyclistsle apps. Great Hikes would guide hikers along those walks while Great Rides would take along iconic rides through towns, vineyards, and the countryside.
Choosing an app-building platform
When assessing solutions for building an app, Gary wanted something that wouldn't require custom software coding or extensive IT knowledge. He was hoping to find a platform that would allow him to drag and drop content. He also wanted hands-on customer support available while building and maintaining his apps.
From an end-user perspective, Gary wanted to provide hikers and bikers:
- All walks and bike paths available under one mobile app
- The ability to track their position on the map
- Points of interest so users can learn about what they're seeing live
- Multimedia content for a richer user experience
- Trail content downloads for offline access
STQRY satisfied all of these requirements and more.
Creating apps with STQRY
As Gary moved forward with content creation and development, he experienced many benefits using STQRY as his app builder.
Here are some of these standouts:
Focusing on storytelling and content
STQRY offers all of the features needed to tell the story of any trail, site, or city. You can organize content into separate tours (in this case hikes or rides). Then, add your tour stops or points of interest along the route. For each stop, upload images, text descriptions, videos, and or audio files with information your audience will enjoy.
Gary has been able to make content creation his full-time job.
“I've created over 1,000 points of interest spread across the 55 hiking and cycling trails. Because of STQRY, I'm able to focus the majority of my time creating content instead of worrying about the technology.” - Gary Patterson, founder of Great Hikes and Great Rides
Easy no-code development
With STQRY’s drag-and-drop builder, Gary can add all of the content to the apps himself without having to list the help of a software development agency. He can easily upload the content and arrange it on a GPS-powered map. This cuts his annual maintenance costs by around 90%.
Most importantly, using an affordable app building platform designed specifically for guided tours means that Gary can keep more of the profits from his advertisers.
Great customer support
The customer support is top-notch.
“I can send an email and the STQRY team always comes back really quickly. They will hop on a call and work through an issue. The support is really important for my users and app store ratings. I also have 500 or 600 advertisers that rely on the app being current and working properly.” - Gary Patterson, founder of Great Hikes and Great Rides
This provides peace of mind since Gary always has someone to turn to for any issue or suggestion.
Digital asset management
STQRY also comes fully equipped with a digital asset management system. It works on a global account level so that Gary is able to search and locate multimedia content from both apps. This is helpful for reusing and repurposing his assets so that he's not always having to create content from scratch.
Reaching 75,000 users
These app projects have been lucrative and enjoyable. Gary has walked or cycled all of the trails himself as part of his efforts to create tour content.
He recently reached a major milestone in user growth.
“I've hit 75,000 users between the two apps. Because the STQRY platform is constantly being updated and improved, I never have to worry about quality. Plus, I get to add new features to my app easily, like the panoramic images and slides which were recently launched.” - Gary Patterson, founder of Great Hikes and Great Rides
Building with the right foundation
Because Great Hikes and Great Rides were built with STQRY, the sky's the limit when it comes to growth potential.
Gary can continue to grow his apps and reach hundreds of thousands of users without having to worry about scalability, DevOps, quality assurance, app store updates, or other common tech concerns. He's also not locked into an expensive retainer agreement with a software development firm.
When entrepreneurs choose the right no-code platform for the type of mobile app they're looking to build, they can have a strong foundation that supports and streamlines profitability.
Key takeaways
Here are some smart highlights from Great Hikes and Great Rides:
- Take inspiration from existing government trails and sites
- Choose software that allows you to invest your time in creating content
- Choose an app builder designed for the exact type of mobile app you want to launch
- Keep your recurring expenses low
- Stick to a niche you’re passionate about and will enjoy creating content for
Ready to create your own tour app? Check out STQRY.