Did you know that American adults spend more than four hours on mobile internet each day and 88% of that time is spent using apps? As a result, many businesses are turning to mobile apps in order to meet consumer expectations, including small businesses.
In fact, a study by Top Design Firms found that nearly half of U.S. small businesses – 48% – had mobile apps in 2022, compared to just 32% the previous year. Additionally, of the small businesses that didn’t already have a mobile app, 74% voiced plans to build one in the near future.
These statistics show that mobile apps have become just as much a necessity for small businesses as they are for large corporations. They also come with ample benefits. In this article, we’ll explore the many ways that mobile apps can set your small business up for long-term success. Keep reading to learn more.
Why Build a Mobile App?
A mobile app can help elevate your small business to new heights by expanding your online reach and boosting your brand reputation. It can also greatly increase customer engagement and open up new marketing avenues.
Stand Out From the Competition
While it is a growing trend, small businesses that have mobile apps are still the minority. So, by offering one, you can ensure your business is set apart from competitors. A mobile app will also enhance your overall reputation by giving the impression that your business is utilizing the latest technology and cares about consumer preferences, making it stand out from the competition all the more.
It’s important to note that there are financial barriers that keep many small businesses from pursuing their own mobile app. However, at Idea Maker, we can work with any budget or project level to create a custom mobile app tailored to your needs.
Increase Monetization Opportunities
A mobile app offers various marketing opportunities that can substantially increase your revenue. In-app advertising, for example, involves letting advertisers run pay-per-click ads (PPC) in your mobile app, paying you each time the ad is clicked on by users. This strategy can be very effective, especially seeing as how the in-app advertising market is expected to reach $472.64 billion by 2027.
A “freemium” approach can also be implemented where the app itself is free but users can pay to unlock additional features. The subscription model is another solid revenue model for free apps, in which users pay a monthly subscription fee to access premium content or features.
You could always go the traditional route as well, charging users a one-time fee when signing up for the mobile app. For this strategy, you will need to ensure that your app is compelling enough that users won’t mind having to pay in order to use it.
Improve Customer Experience
With 85% of online shoppers preferring apps over mobile websites, having an app will go a long way in enhancing the customer experience since it will be properly tailored to a mobile device. Mobile apps are also much more holistic in that everything having to do with the business can be included within the platform.
Additionally, a mobile app can boost engagement rates by offering app users exclusive deals like rewards programs. Push notifications alone can increase app engagement by 88%, as they encourage customers to open the app and browse or discover the latest news pertaining to your products and services.
Better Understand Customers
With a mobile app, you can easily collect valuable insight that can be used to optimize the customer experience. This means that small businesses can ultimately improve their services and marketing efforts based on customer preferences, behavior and purchasing patterns.
Essentially, understanding the customer consists of analyzing when, why and how often they are choosing to buy certain products. This insight can then be used to predict how the buyer will behave next so you can effectively personalize their experience by suggesting relevant offers or deals.
Hiring a Mobile App Developer
When hiring a developer to build your mobile app, there are a few important considerations that should be taken into account to ensure they are the right fit for your project. For instance, it’s critical to examine the agency’s portfolio to verify that they have the skills and experience required for your project. It’s also a good idea to confirm that they offer transparency, as well as maintenance and support options.
Clearly Defined Development Procedure
Any reputable development agency will provide clients with a clearly defined development procedure, as it helps clients better understand the overall process and also gives them a chance to ask questions. This also helps involve the client more in the creation of their app.
It’s important to note, however, that the development procedure should always be high quality and transparent. At Idea Maker, for example, we offer a refined, tried, and tested process that focuses on our Four Pillars of Development.
Cross-Platform Support
If you’re building a mobile app for a small business, it’s crucial that your app is available on multiple app stores in order to effectively widen your potential reach. As a result, a company that offers cross-platform support is a must because they will basically be able to develop two platforms for the price of one.
In addition to lower costs, a cross-platform app boasts quicker completion times and is generally much easier to maintain since you’ll only have to fix a single app. These types of apps also offer full functionality and cohesive branding across platforms, making them all the more appealing for small businesses.
Post-Release Support
Post-release support is vital when it comes to hiring an agency to build your mobile app. This will ensure that you will have maintenance support in place if bugs and errors arise after your platform has been deployed on app stores. After all, your app is bound to experience some type of error at some time.
So, before hiring a development agency, you should confirm that they offer robust maintenance options and are willing to work closely with their clients to swiftly identify and resolve any issues that may come up.
Mobile Apps From Idea Maker
Interested in seeing what a mobile app can do for your small? Idea Maker is ready to help. Our expert designers and developers have completed various custom cross-platform mobile apps, including Cover Fields and Quick Friends. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about how services can help your small business reach its full potential.
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