By Alicia Wells
In the digital age, apps are arguably the most powerful tool to reach customers. Mobile devices continue to outpace desktop in terms of traffic. According to comScore, users in the U.S. are spending 69% of their time on mobile apps compared to mobile websites and desktop.
Meanwhile, a study by Oracle has revealed that 85% of people aged 18 to 34 are smartphone users. A majority of these users admitted that they enjoy being able to pay their bills and register complaints with a company via a mobile app. What’s more, up to 34% of the respondents rated their work apps as essential while 41% of them said the same about security apps.
All these stats show that mobile apps are very important. Now, the question is, does a small business need a mobile app? Well, the answer to that is a resounding, ‘yes!’
In the past, only big companies like Facebook, Amazon, and the others were the only ones seen as worthy of having a mobile app. But things have changed drastically as small and medium-sized business are coming to terms with the value of mobile apps. The potential to connect with your customers as well as boost the efficiency of your business through an app is immense. In this article, we’ll look at some reasons why every small business needs a mobile app today.
1. Promote Your Products and Engage with Customers
Apps provide a direct way for businesses to reach customers. For a small business, this can be an invaluable channel to promote your products and services. Usually, companies have to rely on a third-party conduit — like the press or social media platforms — to reach their customers. However, with an app, you can communicate directly with your users.
As indicated above, a lot of users appreciate the convenience of being able to pay their bills and send complaints directly to a company through a mobile app. Also, push notifications can be very useful in informing users about discounts and other promotional offers.
All these show that a mobile app can go a long way to boost engagement and build loyalty among your users. It can also enable you to reach more users and increase your profit margin.
2. Improve Your Business with Insight from User Data
One of the biggest perks of investing in a mobile app is that it will enable you to gather vital data about how users feel about your products and services. It is one thing to find out what users think about your company from surveys, but it is another thing to gain insight into what particular products and services they are interested in through data analytics. Using heat map tools, you can discover what pages users are clicking on your app and how they are interacting with your products and services.
Apart from data analysis, an app is also the perfect way to get feedback from users. You can gain useful information about how to improve your business through reviews and complaints on your app.
Ultimately, an app bridges the gap between a company and its customers. Businesses can gain a better understanding of their users, and, therefore, improve their offerings using the insight gained from their app usage.
3. Boost the Image of Your Brand
Creating an app is one of the most effective ways to set your company apart in the digital age. Usually, big companies have mobile apps. So when a small business creates an app, it sets them apart from the competition. An app establishes an avenue for small companies to spread their brand to users. It make a company’s products and services readily available to users. The more a company’s brand becomes recognizable to users, the higher the chances that they would be inclined to try out the company.
Apps contribute to shaping the image of a brand. Users will automatically associate the experience they have on your app with your brand. Therefore, if you have a stylish and highly efficient app, you are already on your way to giving your business a positive image. User experience is key to success with mobile apps. Today, if a small company can create an app that provides the best experience for users, the company has a strong chance of earning a foothold in the market. For this to happen, your app must give users something that all the others don’t.
4. Integration with Internet of Things (IoT) Devices
Another advantage of small businesses creating apps is that it will allow their products and services to be integrated with IoT devices. The development of the IoT sector has opened up new ways for small businesses to penetrate the market. The market for IoT products is expected to grow by more than $5 trillion over the next five years, according to IDC. This means more and more businesses are developing applications that will be compatible with IoT devices.
The IoT market is pretty huge, and the possibility of different apps being integrated with devices is vast. Every person is expected to have an average of 5.1 IoT connected devices by 2020, according to Frost and Sullivan. Some examples of apps that can be designed to work with IoT devices include security apps, entertainment apps, logistics apps, productivity apps, and more. It is evident that IoT technology will have an effect on almost every aspect of our lives in the coming years.
These are just some of the benefits of building an app. There are many other ways an app can serve a small business such as allowing the company to reach more customers and strengthening the engagement rate of existing users. At the bottom line, building an app provides an opportunity to increase your company’s return on investment.
Knowing the importance of creating a mobile app is only half of the task. The other half involves creating an app that will serve users. You must work with app development experts who can translate your ideas into reality.
I agree with you Alicia, mostly people use mobile app to reach businesses directly. I am obliged for this informative article, using mobile app we can build direct connections with customers and resume their problem in easy and fast way. Apps help to maintain strong bond with customers and build new customers in easy way.
The article has well covered all the crucial points of why small business needs a mobile app. Would like to add that along with IoT, mobile app companies can also use other emerging technologies such as AI, AR, and VR to give a better experience to their users. These technologies have the potential to provide critical user-information as well as keep them engaged.
I think these trips were pretty useful, I run a small business and I never thought to have an app of my own but now I realize that it is important for brand promotion. So I might like to shift on to it.
Mobile apps help to reach customers immediate even if they are far off. Apps also help to delivery business services instantly and that’s why I think it is the best asset for any company.
Almost 80% of users have started surfing internet on mobile, so it has became a necessity for small businesses to build an app so that customers can be engaged easily.
Another thing is that most of these small businesses failing in choosing right mobile app developers so please cover that point too in your next article anyways this is a good one
One of the biggest benefits of having a mobile app is that all the information you’d like to provide to your customers – including special sales and promotions – is right at their fingertips. Through push notifications, you’re getting even closer to a direct interaction, and can easily remind customers about your products and services whenever it makes sense.
Apps help to maintain a strong bond with customers and build new customers in an easy way. Apps also help to deliver business services instantly and that’s why I think it is the best asset for any company. mostly people use the mobile app to reach businesses directly.
A mobile app makes any business, big or small, stand out, and it gives the impression that you are tech-savvy. Mobile apps also make the details (location, contact, etc.) about your business more easily available, which is obviously very good for your company.
Also, you learn about digital marketing it will help boost more advertising on the internet.
It may come as no surprise that the marketplace has become increasingly more digital as technology continues to evolve. The benefits of digital marketing are becoming more prevalent every day. More and more consumers are researching and buying products online. According to Forbes, 82% of consumers conduct research online. And, Tech Crunch reports that 79% of people shop online.
So how do you reach these consumers? Here’s the answer: digital marketing.
They definitely have a impact on business and help to connect with other networks. Thanks for sharing information.