Society has become dependent upon the mobile device. So much so that, as of 2017 (according to Statista), 52.% of all web traffic came from smartphones. That’s significant. But not nearly as significant as app usage on those same devices.
In 2018, Tim Cook announced that the iOS ecosystem had over 20 million registered developers and the App Store saw over 500 million weekly visitors—each of which were looking for new apps to use. And if you consider the numbers for Android surpass those of Apple, you start to see a fairly important picture coming into focus. The said picture might well require you and your company to seek out IT outsourcing companies to build you an app.
But why? Why does your company actually need its own mobile app? Let’s take a look at a few reasons.
Push Notifications
Name one method of getting information to possible consumers that is more efficient and effective than pushing notifications on their mobile devices. You can’t. With the help of your own app, it is possible for you to target users with specific apps (based on their shopping trends, location, and more) that can lure them into your stores or back into your app for purchase or more information.
And those push notifications are also able to send coupons and other special offers to users in ways that are far more cost-effective than the traditional mailing flyer.
Building Your Audience
With the help of a mobile app, you are better empowered to build your audience. How? Relationships. One of the biggest factors that drives modern consumers is convenience. That’s why services like GrubHub have become so successful. Our lives have become increasingly busier. Because of this, we need to remove as many steps as possible to success.
Instead of having a user open a web browser, type in your company URL, and then browse your site, it is exponentially easier to have them open an app that will automatically display your goods and services. By doing this, you are more likely to build your audience (and do it more quickly).
But that’s not the only reason. Word of mouth is incredibly important. One IT outsourcing benefit is that you can land a third-party company that can build an app that becomes a must-have for consumers. A brilliant app, offered by a strong company, will get installed over and over. With every installation, the likelihood of building your audience grows.
Branding
A mobile app does something your website cannot do on a mobile device: assist with branding. Instead of users viewing your site through a browser, they see your company logo on their home screen and tap to enter your digital world. The importance of having your logo in front of so many eyes cannot be understated. Branding is one of the single most important things for your company marketing.
Of course, branding goes well beyond just a logo. Branding is all about customer experience. And that is where an app can really give you a push. Using IT outsourcing for such a project can ensure that your company app offers as positive a customer experience as you can get.
Optimization
According to DigitalCommerce360, Amazon’s app generated the most retail app visitors in 2018. The number? Over 100 million. The next closest retailer was Walmart (at 42 million). Clearly consumers use mobile apps for shopping. Why? Because it’s convenient. Your company wants to find itself in the middle of such convenience.
Consumers and customers aren’t always at their desktop computers. They are, however, always within arms reach of their smartphones. Having a smartphone app means those same consumers can always have instant access to what you offer download files and photos and much more.
That mobile app can be much better optimized for the on-the-go consumer than a standard website possibly can.
Analytics
With a mobile app, you will gain yet another layer of analytics that will become invaluable to your company moving forward. You’ll have user account statistics, region information, user retention data, acquisition performance, customer engagement, and much more. Even better, with this data, you will be able to better optimize your app for the consumer. And there is no such thing as too much data, not when every bit of information offers a possible competitive advantage over your competition.
Although the mobile app space is growing significantly, with each passing year, not every company is taking advantage of this opportunity. That means those companies won’t have access to such detailed analytics. Is that an edge you want to pass up?
So what are you waiting for? Although getting users to actually install and use your company app will be the next hurdle you’ll face, it’s one that could certain payoff. Reach out to your favorite IT outsourcing company and begin a dialog about a mobile app. The time and money you spend on this effort can pay off in ways your company has yet to see.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
