Mobile App: 9 Reasons Why Your Business Needs One
In a rapidly evolving business landscape, the significance of mobile apps cannot be overstated. This article explores the myriad advantages of a mobile app, from strengthening branding and fostering customer loyalty to improving customer service, increasing sales, and gathering valuable insights.
Discover how mobile apps can revolutionize your business and position it for success in the digital age.
Businesses from all over the world are moving away from the physical world of handing out flyers, printing ads, and hanging billboards and toward the mobile world, where they can offer an absurd variety of products. Also, you need to. Now, I know what you might be thinking: Our business doesn’t need a mobile app to sell products to our loyal customers! And perhaps in the past, that has been the case.
But you’ll need a mobile app if you want to get ready for the future and begin enjoying the significant advantages right away.
Having an app has a lot of advantages. Let’s examine a few of them:
1. Stronger Branding
Your customers’ interest in your brand grows as you provide them with more value. But without intentional branding efforts, it is impossible to achieve a deep brand experience. Branded mobile apps can help in this situation.
Branded apps have become more popular than traditional brand marketing strategies like TV or outdoor advertising.
Mobile apps are being used by marketing companies to increase brand recognition and maintain a strong connection with their customers.
Our daily lives are now extremely reliant on mobile devices, which get a lot of use. App owners can use this channel to promote their brand.
The greater the impact on your brand marketing outcomes you can anticipate, the more branding elements (logos, color schemes, etc.) you integrate directly into your app.
You can even use the data collected from this app to enhance your brand marketing strategy and better understand your target market.
This is acknowledged by famous people like Jamie Oliver and Dwayne Johnson. They are two excellent examples of the numerous professionals who use branded apps to strengthen their brands.
The Makeup Genius app from L’Oreal also makes use of the personalized mobile experience to engage its primarily young customer base.
2. Increased Customer Loyalty Using a Mobile App
Even though having a loyalty program is a great idea, business owners frequently miss the mark and end up creating programs that are difficult to join.
You can prevent making this classic mistake by using loyalty programs on mobile apps.
Here are a few simple methods for incorporating loyalty programs into your mobile app experience:
- Offer immediate rewards to app users
You can implement a point (cashback) system that rewards customers with a specific portion of their purchase, among many other options. These points can then be applied to future purchases. - Offer individualized product recommendations in a timely manner
You will have to carefully analyze user sessions for this. After that, you can make pertinent product recommendations to keep them coming. - Promote social media sharing
Encourage app users to share their impressions of your brand on social media to raise awareness.
In addition to helping with direct revenue generation, loyal customers also act as marketing channels. They facilitate increased client influx.
3. Faster and Better Customer Service
Customer service is no longer limited to direct interactions between customers and friendly salespeople.
Since the number of people that own a smart and feature phone is 7.26 Billion, making up 91.00% of the world’s population, mobile apps are currently the real game-changer in customer service.
Because?
First off, unlike a human, your app won’t have mood swings or perform poorly.
And with a strong mobile presence, you can be sure that you’re always presenting the same face to the customer — a user interface designed specifically to give them the best experience researching and deciding whether to buy your product.
In fact, the vast majority of marketers consider their apps to be primarily tools for enhancing customer service.
Without sounding creepy, your business is always with your customer.
But consider this:
All someone needs to do is turn on their device and download your app if they learn about your app in the middle of the night and need information right away.
When the urge to purchase your product later arises, they can do so right away rather than having to wait until regular business hours when awakened individuals are present.
So, if providing excellent customer service is one of your top priorities — as it should be — mobile apps are the way to boost client satisfaction in general.
4. Increased Sales and Profits When Using Mobile App
Sales usually increase as customer satisfaction does.
In fact, according to SalesForce, how customers feel they are being treated affects 70 percent of buying experiences.
Consumer demand will increase as more people become interested in and satisfied with your brand and company. And let me assure you that if you have a product that your customers are eager to buy that demand will bring you some serious profits. This is where the mobile app excels above all others.
35.4 percent of Black Friday purchases from the previous year were made on mobile devices, according to Techcrunch.com.
And according to the 2012 IBM Holiday Benchmark Reports, that is an increase from the 16 percent they were a few years ago.
Domino’s Pizza have seen an increase in ecommerce of 28% in half-year pre-tax profits in the UK alone after developing a mobile app for ordering delivery or in-store pickup of their food. And I know I’d rather use their app than actually call the store. In fact, 52% of their online orders are now made using mobile devices.
Do you detect a pattern here?
You’re losing out on a significant chunk of money from an expanding market if you don’t use a mobile app that promotes more purchases while making it simpler and more exciting for your customers to click the “buy” button.
5. Improve Customer Engagement With A Mobile App
Concentrating on your engagement level is one of the most reliable ways to boost brand loyalty and revenue generation.
Your customer lifetime value, return on investment (ROI), and other crucial metrics will rise if you are successful in increasing the frequency with which customers interact with your brand.
There are some features that app developers who want to increase user engagement may want to add to their app.
Segmented targeting is possibly the most significant of them.
This entails dividing users into various categories and managing the kind of content that is delivered to each group of users.
User segmentation enables you to send customised in-app messages, deliver precise user recommendations, and gain a deeper understanding of the typical customer journey.
Other in-app components, such as loyalty programs, discounts, and ongoing feature updates, may help to increase engagement levels.
Similar to this, you should pay close attention to fundamental elements that influence the general customer experience (CX).
6. Find Valuable Consumer Insights
Without customer insights, operating a business profitably in the twenty-first century is nearly impossible.
You must make sure that your marketing strategy is based on actual consumer behavior if you want it to be successful. Your mobile app has the potential to be a trustworthy and beneficial source of consumer insights.
Customers will frequently reveal important information to you if you provide them with something of value in return.
You have all the tools necessary to gather user insights thanks to a variety of analytics tools, including Firebase and UXCam.
Some metrics that are frequently monitored are:
- monthly, weekly, and daily customers
- demographics of users, including age, gender, and type of device.
- downloads and uninstalls
- Rates of retention
Starbucks was able to claim more than 17 million active subscribers to their loyalty program by using data from their mobile app.
7. Personalized Experiences
Brands are constantly looking for ways to make user experiences more customized.
A variety of variables can be used to personalize an experience, including demographics, user actions within the app, and location.
A retail app can tailor its content based on previous browsing and buying habits, while a news app might come preloaded with locally relevant content.
Customers’ listening experiences were made more individualized by Spotify by creating custom playlists based on their preferences as well as general moods or genres.
This feature, which gives the impression that the listening experience is entirely personalized, is very valuable from the user’s point of view.
There are many more examples of how you can tailor your mobile app to the characteristics and requirements of your users, increasing the likelihood that they will connect favorably with your app and, consequently, your brand.
8. Provide Unique Services and Features
You might want to provide your clients with some unique services in an effort to beat the competition.
All you need to do to accomplish this is add new features to your mobile app, and you’re good to go!
Given all the technologies at our disposal today, brand marketing can be a really difficult task.
However, a top-notch mobile application packed with distinct, exciting features might give you all the benefits you want.
Here are some features that your app must have if you’re planning to build it and haven’t already thought of them to provide services to your customers:
- Rich push notifications
If you don’t use push notifications strategically, they may just be muted or even cause users to uninstall your app. Push notifications are a tried-and-true method of encouraging users to return to your app and your services. - Click-to-call and click-for-direction
Another significant force behind digital marketing is convenience. Adding buttons to strategic locations on your app will help you convert leads to sales even more quickly. - Analytics
It is impossible to overstate the importance of analytics in managing your business through mobile. Your marketing outcomes will greatly differ if you are aware of your customers’ behavior.
The above features show how significantly mobile app features affect how you provide your services, even though they may not be entirely distinctive or service-specific.
9. A Channel For Receiving Customer Feedback
Interfaces and mechanisms for gathering user feedback persist in mobile apps.
Each of these interfaces has pros and cons depending on the function for which the feedback is intended.
Let’s quickly review a few of these customer feedback systems:
- Widgets
Possibly the most popular method for gathering comments within an app, they are excellent for eliciting open-ended comments about a particular aspect of your brand. - Surveys
The same is true for adding brief surveys to your app. Make sure the survey fits the context of your app and only display it when it is convenient to increase response rates. - “Rate Our App” popup
Today, this is accessible on almost all mobile apps. App reviews not only let you know how customers feel about your product, but they also help your app’s standing in the app store.
In a nutshell, mobile feedback mechanisms frequently have higher response rates, are accessible 24/7, and require low maintenance.
FAQs
Why is a mobile app important for businesses today?
A mobile app can provide a direct marketing channel to customers, enhance customer engagement, and offer a more convenient and accessible service or product experience.
How can a mobile app improve customer engagement?
Mobile apps can improve customer engagement by offering personalized experiences, push notifications for updates and promotions, and a platform for direct communication with the brand.
What are the benefits of a mobile app for customer service?
A mobile app can streamline customer service by providing users with easy access to FAQs, contact information, live chat support, and the ability to quickly resolve issues.
Can a mobile app increase sales for my business?
Yes, a mobile app can potentially increase sales by simplifying the purchase process, offering in-app exclusive deals, and reminding customers of products and services through notifications.
Is a mobile app an effective tool for brand promotion?
Definitely. A mobile app acts as a constant reminder of your brand to your customers and can include social sharing features that encourage users to spread the word about your business.
How does a mobile app provide value to customers?
Apps can offer value through loyalty program integration, personalized content, rewards for app usage, and by making shopping or service use more convenient.
What are the cost considerations when developing a mobile app?
Costs can vary greatly depending on the app’s complexity, platform choice, design elements, functionality, and maintenance plan. It’s crucial to plan and budget accordingly.
How can I ensure my mobile app stands out in the market?
Focus on unique value propositions, ensure excellent usability and design, gather and act on user feedback, and continuously update the app with new features and improvements.
Other Benefits of a Mobile App
- Mobile apps load much faster than mobile websites do, and many of their features can even be used without an Internet connection. The race to provide services and products to customers faster is taking place in today’s digital world, and the winner will gain more clients.
- Stay in control of the client relationship. Using an app gives you a direct line of communication with your customers, cutting out the middleman. Once you are aware of your customers’ names, locations, and contact information, you are more likely to keep them as clients.
- Pushing notifications to users who have downloaded your app is cheap compared to traditional advertising and direct marketing, which is a hidden benefit of apps. For instance, you might want to make a product or event announcement.
- automation lowers the cost of servicing. Users can access basic information and make purchases using mobile apps without having to dial a call center. Instead of wasting time and money waiting in a call queue, some apps even let you click through a “visual IVR” menu.
- Consumers find it easier to make purchases using apps rather than visiting websites due to their extreme simplicity and convenience. Apps encourage repeat purchases from customers who are on the go because the majority of people own a mobile device.
Conclusion
In conclusion, embracing a mobile app for your business is more than just a trend; it’s a strategic imperative.
From building a stronger brand to increasing customer loyalty, driving profits, and fostering personalized experiences, the benefits are undeniable.
By providing faster, better customer service and gathering valuable insights, your business can stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape.
Moreover, using it as a channel for receiving customer feedback ensures you’re always in tune with your audience’s needs.
In a world where mobile devices are ubiquitous, a mobile app is your gateway to sustained success and growth. Don’t miss out on this powerful tool that can transform your business.