Over the last few years, the world has witnessed a proliferation of mobile apps. Not only does the plethora of mobile dev meet-ups and “Appy Hour” events in the Seattle area make this clear, but research also proves consumers are spending more time (and money) on mobile apps than ever before.

Consider, for instance, that consumers downloaded the top 200 free apps in the Apple Store 60 percent more often in January 2015 than in January 2014, representing a world record for most downloads ever in a one month period, according to research from mobile marketing firm Fiksu.

With so much opportunity for companies to increase revenue, bolster brand awareness and enhance the customer experience, offering a custom mobile application in the App Store seems like a great way for businesses to easily fire on all cylinders. And they are—so much so that Apple claims to have received over 100 billion app downloads by consumers since its store launched in 2008, something Apple CEO Tim Cook calls a “major milestone.” This means roughly 119 apps have been downloaded per Apple user.

If you’ve already started thinking about creating a mobile app for your business, first ask yourself if you are prepared to go through the App Store’s review process?  Apple puts a process in place to ensure all applications meet specific criteria, such as consistent reliability, optimal performance (no bugs, no crashes), and high-quality design.

Below are three ways the Seattle start-up and business community can avoid being denied by Apple during the review process, or having their app suddenly pulled from the App Store after it gets approved (some apps might be removed from the App Store due to issues that can emerge after it is officially rolled out):

1. Thoroughly check/test for security vulnerabilities: Do not submit your app until you are sure that it is complete. Security vulnerabilities like crashes, bugs and other features that are prone to hacks (like the Starbucks app’s major security flaw last year or T-Mobile’s data breach just this month) were cited as one of the most common reasons for rejection from the App Store. If a bug or security flaw are found in your app, try reproducing it in a testing environment that will give you full visibility into its operational components. Apple recommends testing with a guest account to ensure your app does not behave differently than it does on your user system, which may give the app privileges that are unavailable in the app review process.
2. Design a high-quality user interface: Design is one of the most critical qualifications for an app being submitted to the App Store. A high quality design with an adaptable interface that can support any screen display (e.g., phone, tablet and watch) will more than likely get approved by the App Store. Additionally, the app should leverage accessibility APIs to support a wide array of users—such as hearing- or sight-impaired individuals. If you feel like your app hits all those marks yet is still rejected, make sure the app is a true native or hybrid mobile app and not just a “mobile website” in app format, as these are banned from the App Store.
3. Avoid offensive material: Apple has strict guidelines when it comes to any kind of offensive or crude content within apps. Specifically, their policy states that they will not accept “apps containing references or commentary about religious, cultural or ethnic groups that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence.”

As an example, due to the recent controversy surrounding the Confederate Flag, Apple temporarily pulled all apps that had the flag on it—for example, Civil War gaming apps. The content limitations of the App Store are a big reason why many companies choose to build a custom mobile website instead of looking to Apple for approval.

There are so many more reasons why Apple can suddenly pull your app from its store or reject it during the review process (e.g., broken links, unfinished images and text, incomplete information and advertisements without ad functionality); however, addressing these three areas ahead of time can go a long way toward ensuring your app is approved.

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