Once a new business owner has established what their business and brand is going to offer that is different from their competitors in the market, the first point of call is to get their brand name, product or service into the limelight to increase awareness and start to generate some sales. More often than not, many new business owners put a large proportion of their focus into creating an attractive website where customers can learn more about the company or brand and make purchases or enquiries. However, what many tend to disregard is the development of a mobile app and their effectiveness as a means of an additional revenue stream to boost customer loyalty and drive conversions. Due to shifts in consumer behaviour over recent years, many are moving away from desktop to make purchases, and, instead, are turning to mobile and in-app technology to complete fundamental stages of their purchasing journey. As a result of this, there has been a huge growth in the mobile app development market as firms try to keep up with market trends and ever-changing consumer needs.

Increased App Usage

App usage amongst consumers continues to rise. In April 2018, Smart Insights reported that 90% of the time, app usage dominates browsing behaviour in mobile usage and that more than 80% of all minutes spent on a mobile device are being spent in apps across all markets. Today’s generation are demanding access to information quicker and in real-time and the shift from desktop to mobile and, more specifically, in-app usage highlights this. In fact, since 2012, the use of app technology to browse websites and make purchases has been rising steadily. eMarketer predicts that by next year, the average amount of time UK users will spend on their mobile will rise to an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes per day. When totalled together, we now spend a staggering one day (24 hours) every week on our mobiles. Although a significant amount of us still use desktop to make a purchase, apps have become an imperative part of our buyer journey. As a result of wanting information on-the-go, consumers now research, look for inspiration and browse using our mobile phones. According to Smart Insights, as much as 26% of us start our search for inspiration within a mobile branded app. Therefore, if a business doesn’t have a mobile app, they are passing up on the opportunity to connect with millions of consumers at the research stage of their buying process.

Boosted Brand Recognition

Having a mobile app is a great way to boost your brand presence and recognition. Digital Marketing Magazine found that customers feel much more engaged and involved with a brand and are much more likely to purchase from them after interacting with them via a mobile app.

Mobile apps have the ability to be much more interactive, personalised, and provide a better level of service and speed in comparison to mobile websites. By developing an app that is seamless and easy to use, the customer’s experience is far more likely to be a better one, increasing the chance that they will return to your brand when considering future purchases.

Promotion Made Easy

Having a brand mobile app allows a business to use notifications to remind customers of the products or services that they offer and to entice customers to make a purchase. Those who download your mobile app can be made to feel special and that they are part of an “exclusive” club by being the first to receive exclusive discounts and offers just for having your app installed on their device.

By having a mobile app, businesses can create a direct marketing channel and be accessible to customers at all times, providing them with the ability to receive general information, prices, access to news feeds and user accounts etc.

Advancing Technology

As times change and technology moves on, it is important for businesses to be seen as innovative in nature and as keeping up with changing consumer needs. Investing in mobile app development for new startup firms is not only crucial to increase brand awareness and to boost sales but as m-commerce continues to grow, so do new technologies such as smartwatches, augmented reality and other app compatible devices. To be able to “keep up” with the market and your competitors, business owners must prepare themselves for the future and building a mobile app can be a great starting point to being able to adapt to and benefit from future technologies within the industry.

Guest post courtesy of James Flynn. From a young age, James discovered a love for writing and began creating fictional stories in his bedroom. Fast-forward 24 years and he is now an experienced writer having worked in content producing roles across various sectors such as fashion, technology, finance, and healthcare. In early 2018, James launched his own freelance content writing business to continue his love of writing and feed his ever-growing portfolio.