How mobile apps can help your firm

The rate of technological change can be pretty hard for any firm to keep up with, but doing so is vital to ensuring you don’t fall behind. In recent years, it’s likely you’ll have heard a lot about the growing importance of businesses having mobile apps – but can they really make a difference to your firm?
Read on to find out more about what mobile apps can do for businesses.

Huge growth in mobile internet

With the arrival and proliferation of smartphones, there has been rapid growth in the use of mobile internet services – so much so that it’s been predicted that this will overtake desktop internet use by 2016. Whether that ends up being the case or not, mobile looks set to occupy a vast chunk of the market, so it’s not something your business can afford to ignore.

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Keep up with your customers

So, what does all this growth mean for you in practical terms? Well, more and more of your customers are going to be moving their product/service research and shopping habits to the mobile sphere. This means both existing and potential clients will essentially be shopping in a new way and in a different place and, if your business does not occupy this space, you may end up losing out on crucial custom.

By hiring app developers, you can avoid this fate. Getting on to the marketplace as soon as possible – even if you can’t spot many of your competitors on there – means you can start working through some of the challenges of mobile commerce.

For example, there’s the problem of ensuring consumers actually find your app, as the marketplace is incredibly crowded already. Then, there is making sure they use it, as well as things like perfecting the mobile shopping experience. By getting started sooner rather than later, you give yourself more time to hone your mobile technique and make sure you’re giving consumers what they want.

Mobile marketing is connected to traditional marketing

Another reason to release a mobile app for your business is that mobile platforms are increasingly connected to offline marketing methods. Not sure what I mean? Well, think about it for a moment – have you ever seen a TV advert or a poster and then used your smartphone to find more information? Chances are, your customers are doing the same thing, so make sure they can find you when they do so.

In fact, Google’s recent Understanding the Mobile Consumer report shows that 96 per cent of US smartphone owners have researched a product or service on their mobile. And, in terms of mobile ads, 89 per cent of users reported seeing them, while 66 per cent searched their smartphone after seeing an offline ad.

Consumers increasingly use their smartphones in-store

If your business operates solely online, chances are you’ve already recognised the value in expanding into the mobile sphere. But what about firms with an offline presence? If you fall into this category, it’s worth remembering that customers who enter your store are likely to be carrying smartphones. What businesses are seeing more and more often is consumers who use high street shops to view products and, while in store, compare prices on their mobile devices – and even make a purchase while doing so.

Of course, you can’t stop this from happening. What you can do, however, is make sure your company offers a stand-out mobile experience which, hopefully, will encourage customers to shop with you rather than elsewhere.