Today, mobile phones have come to be as ubiquitous as wristwatches once were. Everyone today owns one- be it men, women, or children! People today have the power to connect to any part of the world, just from the smartphone in their palms. It is estimated that there are nearly 6 billion mobile phone subscribers across the globe. People today spend more time on mobile devices than on computers/desktops/ laptops. Can you believe the smartphone alone accounts for about 50% of the global internet usage volume? And that’s not it; smartphone usage is still clearly increasing each day.
The Advent Of Mobile Apps
A decade ago, when the mobile revolution took over, businesses moved towards having active mobile websites. Today, the world has moved to mobile applications or ‘apps.’ Apps are simply software that runs on mobile platforms, like Android, iOS, Windows, etc. Such apps have become a routine part of our day-to-day lives right since we wake up until we fall asleep. Apps wake us up in the morning; apps help us organize the entire day’s schedule, apps help buy things, apps help us make payments, apps help us get access to news, apps help us socialize, apps take care of our entertainment need, and apps also help us sleep! Today, there is an app for everything!
According to research, the mobile app industry is likely to grow as much as $100 billion by 2020. Mobile applications have changed the way business is done. They have made it easier for customers to seek information on the company at lightning speed and remain connected to their favorite brand. For business, apps are a vital means of marketing and expansion. Their win-win benefits have prompted firms to embrace this technology. Being a business owner, one can’t afford to ignore its benefits. Read along and figure out how mobile app development is beneficial for businesses.
Benefits of Mobile Apps To Business in The E-Commerce World
Having mobile apps have proven to be beneficial to both the parties involved in the business- the customer and the company. When a company has a unique app to connect with customers, this is how it stands to benefit.
Direct communication
Communication through mobile apps is quick and effective. It is easier to engage customer interest through a mobile. Communicating information on product launches, newer services, promotional offers, improved features, discounted rates, or any such information is quicker and more comfortable.
Geo-targeting marketing
With the ease of direct communication, comes more convenient access to information like demographics, geographical locations, shopping patterns, demands, preferences of customers, etc., on your products, which makes it easier for a businesses to understand the demand patterns. This can help them in formulating marketing strategies and product improvisations.
Takes the brand value to the next level
When talking about advertising, there is one thing we all know- with so much happening all around, it is difficult to get your business to stand out. Signboards, newspaper ads, outdoor hoardings, social media, etc., all of which almost every company does.
Mobiles are the best medium to reach millennials, Generation X, as well as Boomers! When your brand is available on a mobile app, its visibility enhances multi-fold. This visibility to a full target of customers/ prospective customers carves out a place for the brand in their minds. Smartly designed apps, with user-friendly features and ease of operating, can add a lot of value to the business and the brand. Having interactive elements is a feather in the cap. Newsfeeds, instant messaging, customer service support chat, etc. make the app a direct communication channel between the business and the customer.
Builds customer loyalty
This increased recognition builds customer loyalty. Earning a customer’s loyalty is critical, and yet a very tricky aspect of marketing a business. With a mobile app, higher brand recognition is generated, which slowly turn into loyalty. There are higher chances that a customer would choose a native app to purchase its competitors.
The app makes the sale
The world has changed at a leaping pace in the past two decades. Today there is a paradigm shift in the way people look for products and services. There was a time where word of mouth and websites were the go-to solution. Today, people prefer to check things out on their smartphones.
Research says people tend to make more searches on their mobile than on a laptop. Search on mobile can be made on the go while waiting for appointments or while socializing. It is quicker than searching than accessing a laptop to search. Potential customers are likely to lookup for services or products they require on their smartphones rather than on a laptop.
And mobile applications are a great marketing tool that can help a business make the most of this development. With apps, the whole process is quick, more comfortable, and more interactive than it is on websites. So if your business is available on an app, and your competitors aren’t, it is highly likely that a customer would choose you for their purchase. Yes, websites, social media, and other forms of marketing can create awareness, but the app is where most of the action happens.
Customer engagement
Marketing is about business-to-customer communication. The critical aspect is the ease of such notification. Hearing and resolving customer concerns and complaints within minimum time lag keep the customer loyal and engaged. Features such as an online help desk and customer support forum make mobile apps more engaging and interactive than websites. This ease of 24/7 B2C communication, be it complaints, reviews, suggestions, or feedback, ensure people tend to visit your app frequently. Mobile apps also make it possible to run promotional offers and reward programs that can enhance customer engagement.
Surprise customers with forward-thinking
Even today, mobile apps for business are not very common, especially for small to medium-size businesses. So now is the time to take a big leap and surprise customers/ potential customers by seizing this business opportunity before the competitors do so! By the time the competitors catch on, your business might have already won a strong brand loyalty and captured a significant market share.
Concluding Remarks
Mobile applications have the power to seize new markets and business opportunities. If yours is a business that deals with customers directly, then launching a mobile app could be directly proportional to more sales and enhanced customer satisfaction. Yes, integrating technological advancement like mobile application development and maintenance is sure to cost your company, but don’t worry. It would actually prove a good investment that would give your business a high return in the near future.
So whether you are a huge business or a small one, whether you have a brick and mortar office or sell online, mobile apps can do wonders for your business and lead you to better arenas. It is time your business wins clients and influences the market by launching a feature-rich mobile app, and takes your enterprise, whether big or small, to the next level!
I believe in creativity and try to express the same with my words. I enjoy writing and keeping myself in touch with the books.