Before we jump to the reasons for having (or not) a mobile application for your business, let’s dive into market trends and statistics. A long, long time ago, in 2008, in the far galaxy named Apple’s App Store, there were about 500 apps only on its first iteration. We have come a long way since then, and now in 2020, according to App Annie, what we get is:
- Over 204 billion of worldwide app downloads in 2019;
- About $120 billion of worldwide App Store Consumer Spend in 2019;
- Over 3,5 hours per day spent in mobile by the average user in 2019;
- 825% higher average IPO valuation for Mobile-First companies in 2019;
- And 60% higher per-user engagement (up to 150 sessions per app per month per user among top 25 non-gaming apps on average) by Gen Z vs older demographics in 2019.
And even more, by 2023, the mobile industry is set to contribute $4.8 trillion to global GDP.
So now, you can imagine the total market capacity and the opportunities for global mobile traffic. However, becoming a part of it and getting the mobile app seems to be self-evident, do not hustle and ponder carefully if your business does need it or not.
Are you looking for new opportunities to find your customers every day? Of course, you do, and your competitors try to do the same with at least a balanced budget for promotion. And the customers wait for anyone with the best offer or pick the business which meets their needs.
Does it sound like a similar case for you?
Yes, when every business does its best to be trendy, it is so easy to get confused by a false view of competitors’ success, or even to start running everything your opponents do. A mobile application is not an exception.
Stop imitating others, and let’s see into the depth and figure out if your business needs a mobile app or not.
So how do you conclude that creating a mobile app is the right decision? Here are some thoughts you need to take into account before running this plan.
Who is your target audience?
The vaster it is, the better for you. The idea of a mobile development itself is about urgent needs and quick purchases. For example, no one will buy a house using a mobile app, but getting your everyday coffee on the way to the office with exclusive perks in the mobile app like “buy one get one free” sounds like a good idea.
How helpful your app could be?
The mobile app creation itself doesn’t guarantee people will use it just because you made it. The secret ingredient is the necessity and convenience of using it. Does it include an appointment scheduling? Or any right-here-right-now service? Or maybe it has an instant support option that helps your customers? Do your consumers get any perks with using your application?
Any smart tools that can be useful in the everyday routine of your clients have the potential to skyrocket your app, so you must do your best to improve customer experience with implementing new ideas or extras.
Does your business rely on repeating conversions?
One of the reasons mobile commerce sales conversion rates still lag significantly in comparison to desktop, according to Smart Insights, is the clumsiness of putting down any required info like shipping or billing addresses on mobile devices. Should you find a solution on how to skip this annoying step, you will drop your bounce rate and boost your conversions.
Do you run any customer loyalty program?
Building a mobile app is a great way to reward your customers for their fidelity by collecting all sorts of bonuses, points, and free stuff. The more you compensate, the more they are likely to come back for the next purchase. Also, according to Citi, 83% of consumers - and 94% of Millenials - are more likely to participate in mobile loyalty programs.
Do you have any plans for your customers’ data?
Having the database founded on your customers’ behaviour adds you perks for any promotional purposes like sending push notifications, email ads, or manage the consumers’ flow offering exact goods and services for special prices. Or you can skip this step in case you have no resources to work it out.
And the last but not the least:
Are you able to provide a flawless application for your clients?
As long as mobile-focused companies had a combined $544B valuation in 2019, 6.5 times higher than businesses without a mobile focus, the mobile market anticipated succeeding with customers in 2020 and beyond. It is up to you whether you want to be the part of the global digital skew or not, but if you do, the one more crucial thing to pay attention to is to deliver an excellent product for your audience.
A mobile application can turn out to be either the most exceptional experience your customers have ever had with your brand or the worst nightmare that doesn’t work appropriately. So the only one advice we can give you is to choose wisely the app developers team and always double-check their portfolio before giving them a call.
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