Many businesses are now moving towards having their own mobile application because it allows them to expand their business and enter new markets. There is almost no industry where mobile apps haven’t proven their marketing value or their effectiveness at connecting with audiences – from ecommerce to food distribution to healthcare.
Given the digital era we live in, consumers are embracing new technologies to access information and purchase products. This means businesses are playing catch up so they can showcase their products or services to their target audience without being left behind. The importance of mobile apps for businesses shouldn’t be underestimated as they provide a convenient way for users to gain immediate access to a particular brand.
If you don’t have an app for your business, you could be losing out on a huge opportunity to reach new potential customers. But before you jump on the app bandwagon, it’s important to think about what you need and expect from the app. A good way to approach this is to look at the benefits of mobile apps and how you can use them to improve your digital marketing activities. Keep reading to learn seven key benefits of having an app for your business.
7 key benefits of mobile apps for businesses
Mobile apps offer numerous benefits for businesses looking to enhance their online presence and connect with customers in a digital age. Here are seven key benefits of mobile apps.
Increased brand awareness
One of the biggest benefits of an app is increased brand awareness. This is because mobile apps are seen as a more effective solution for brand recognition than other traditional marketing strategies. They allow for more exposure and grab the attention of your audience who are engaged on mobile devices.
With a mobile app, you can continually raise brand awareness in numerous ways including:
- Push alerts for new products, promotions, sales, offers, and discounts
- Adding information about your company and its products or services, as well as announcements about company events and activities
- Announcements of software updates or new features
- Quick access to information about loyalty programs
The ability of the above means your users will have all the information and news they need about your brand, as well as access to your products or services within seconds of them opening your app.
Provides a great customer experience platform
A mobile app is a great way of providing an excellent customer experience. Customers appreciate it when their questions and queries are addressed quickly and this is where mobile apps can play a vital role. With the help of online customer support services, such as help articles and AI chatbots, brands can maintain a happy audience, which leads to building customer loyalty.
With over 70% of users now using mobile devices to shop online, a mobile app enables businesses to improve their accessibility to their brand and their offering, providing users with a seamless and convenient way to shop which contributes to an overall positive user experience.
An effective channel for advertising
When it comes to ads, there is so much going on and standing out from the crowd can be difficult. However if you have a mobile app, you can effectively reach your target audience in a much more personalised way. That’s because mobile apps allow you to implement personalisation features such as shopping and browsing history, meaning you can target your audience with customised ads and discounts that are relevant to them.
Combine that with the fact that your users are already interested and engaged with your brand and your app, you’re likely to see much better performance with your ads, leading to a boost in your conversion rates.
Keeps you ahead of your competitors
No matter what industry your business is in, you’re fighting for your target audience’s attention and custom and this can be a particular challenge if it’s a competitive industry you reside in. But investing in a mobile app can help you stay one step ahead of your competitors, as you’re providing users 24 hour access to your products or services.
To truly stand out, you should also consider adding innovative features to your app like AI chatbots for customer service, augmented reality so your customers can ‘try-before-they-buy’, or voice recognition for search purposes. All of these differentiators give your brand a significant edge – especially if your industry is niche – giving users more reasons to choose your brand over your competitors.
Enables you to utilise unique app features
This leads us nicely onto our next benefit of having an app – utilising unique app features. We’ve mentioned a few innovative features you can add, but one of the best benefits of a mobile app is that you can truly tap into the capabilities of a mobile device that can enhance customer engagement and offer a user experience that desktops can’t match. Some unique features you can take advantage of include:
- QR codes – for quick access to your most important landing pages or promotions for example (using these also hold much more invaluable data on your customers giving you better insights).
- GPS functionality – provides your users with location-based services like precise mapping, navigation, or finding your nearest brick-and-mortar store.
- Contact list integration – this helps streamline the process of your users sharing your products or services with their friends.
- Facial recognition – this kind of authentication adds an extra layer of security to your app, further building trust with your audience.
Taking advantage of these unique app features enables businesses to differentiate themselves in their industry and create valuable interactions with their target audience.
In-depth analytics and customer insights
One of the most valuable benefits of an app is the ability to gather in-depth analytics and customer insights. Mobile apps aren’t just an opportunity to sell your offering, they’re also a great tool for gathering valuable business insights.
For example, you can track user behaviour (if the customer consents to this of course) to see which in-app features are most popular, or you can track where your users are most disengaged, giving you more information on how your customers are interacting with your app. This data can then be used to make informed decisions about marketing strategies, product offerings, and overall business growth.
With the power of analytics and customer insights at your fingertips, you can tailor your mobile apps to better meet the needs and desires of your target audience, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Your app can work offline
For many, Wi-fi connection can be unpredictable so the ability that a mobile app can function offline is a game-changer. This allows your users to access certain functionalities of your app even without an internet connection, providing a seamless experience and enhancing conveniency regardless of connectivity.
It also enables businesses to enhance user satisfaction because their app remains accessible and functional in a variety of situations. Whether your audience is travelling, live in areas with poor broadband coverage, or they simply prefer to use apps offline, you can enhance the success of your app by offering this kind of uninterrupted service.
As well as this, offline capabilities reduce the amount of data your audience uses, which is an attractive quality for those who live in areas where data costs are particularly high. This is a particular USP businesses can promote to encourage downloads.
Ready to create your own app?
In today’s dynamic world, people use mobile devices to keep up with their favourite brands. Regardless of the industry you’re in, there are many benefits of mobile apps for businesses, enabling you to keep your organisation open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you’re ready to create your own app for your business, or if you’d like to learn more about how your brand could benefit from having an app, get in touch with us today. Our talented app developers will work closely with you to understand your brand, your audience, and your objectives and design an app that works flawlessly and elevates your business to new heights.