The statistics tell the story: Gartner says this is the year our culture will go “mobile first.” This means users have finally begun adopting smartphones as their exclusive digital device. In fact, 50% of all internet users will employ their smartphone to surf the internet first before any other device. Pew says 95% of Americans own cell phones and one in 10 only access the ‘net only from these devices—they don’t even use broadband at home. Let’s look at the Mobile App Industry The mobile app industry will reach $100 billion in the next few years. While this seems like a great reason to cash in on a lucrative venture, what’s probably more important to your business is the goal of providing a seamless mobile experience for your customers. 40% of your customers will go to a competitor if they have a bad mobile experience. This is not the kind of UX you want to offer consumers — ever. People rely on apps every single day. If your business goal is to reach consumers where they are, mobile app development is key to staying top of mind. As a result, if your mobile app scores big, you will increase customer engagement—something that is crucial in any competitive business environment. Mobile Apps as a Marketing Tool As a marketing tool, mobile apps can create an experience tailored to the individual user in a direct one-on-one marketing channel that your company can use to gain a competitive advantage. Hence, you can tie perks to purchases made from the app, due to offering promo codes and in-store coupons within the app. Your app might use location services to track the behavior patterns of frequent shoppers. Even the smallest of businesses can prototype a phone app by working with a mobile app development firm. These companies can design to fit your budget and help move your prototype inexorably toward product launch. Providing your target audiences with value will make your mobile app a fan favorite. The key to a successful mobile app is to provide your target audiences with value. Therefore, when developing the app ask yourself 3 things: What would be useful to your customers? Could a mobile app change customers perception of your business? Does it create a useful tool that makes the lives of your customers easier? Mobile App Development Makes Good Business Sense Mobile app development simply makes sense in the context of our society’s obsession with smartphones and keeping the customer satisfied. A mobile app is a portable tool that consumers will rely on — if designed properly and brings consumer value. It allows you to widen business exposure and broaden your reach to more customers.
