Are you still considering whether your business should join the app action, even though the mobile phone market is growing rapidly?
Keep in mind that:
- Mobile users spend a lot of money on mobile app purchases, which gives businesses an incentive to develop apps.
- When deciding whether to create an app, you need to consider many parameters at once, including your goal, mobile usage, strategy and budget.
- Mobile apps can improve customer experiences and boost product and service marketing.
Mobile apps have gained ground as retail and marketing tools. As smartphone and tablet apps proliferate, they are becoming more and more appealing to small local businesses. From bars and restaurants to florists and doctors are now using apps to improve their customers’ experience. But does every business need an app? If you’re considering investing time and money in creating apps, we’ll analyze the factors to take into account.
Do you really need an app?
The popularity of mobile phones is growing, and people are getting used to interacting with each other – now more than ever – through apps. According to surveys that have been conducted, most people use some kind of mobile phones, and the vast majority of them use smartphones.
The real question to ask is not whether or not your company can benefit from its own mobile app. The major question is under what circumstances is it practical to develop and maintain an app, which you need to constantly enrich with consistent and fresh content, creating exciting features to keep your customers interested.
Whether you’re developing a mobile app or not, it’s important to optimize your business website for mobile devices. Google looks at mobile page load speed as a critical metric when establishing your website’s search ranking.

Here are some factors that will help you determine whether you should develop an app:
The goal
Think about how you plan to use the app and exactly what features you will need.
A dedicated mobile app can help your current and future customers in more than one ways. It can introduce the new customers to your business while better serving the existing ones by promoting new products and services, special offers, loyalty programs and other benefits for both in-store and long-distance transactions.
A mobile app is also an ongoing connection with your customers that happens in real time. Your customers can see your hours, find your location, get directions, see available stock and access any other information you choose. It is important to know that a well-designed application makes all relevant information available with just a few clicks. If your app is making life difficult for its users, then something is wrong.
The customers
When creating mobile apps, it’s important to identify two things. What is your customer base and what is the possibility of them using the app?
Most businesses seek to have a wide customer appeal, with a base that varies in age from 18 to over 65. According to research, younger users aged 13-24 years old visit apps more than twice as often as users over 45 years old. However, they are likely to stop using an app if it no longer serves their needs.
On the other hand, users over 45 years old prefer mobile browsers to apps. They certainly tend to spend 25% more time on apps than younger users when they do end up using apps. Between these two categories, users aged 25-44 spend a lot of time on apps, particularly retail apps.
In terms of how mobile-oriented your customers are, it’s no surprise that the same group that loves smartphone apps and can’t wait to download new ones, spends an astronomical amount of time playing with them. Younger audiences are using apps every day, consuming significant amounts of information, and better understanding how they work.
Users between the ages of 25-44 are the ideal audience to sell your products online via mobile. And because of the attractiveness of retail apps, you can very easily advertise through the app.
Users aged 45 years and above are not as knowledgeable about mobile apps, nor how they work. They are usually more comfortable using desktop computers. They are therefore more likely to use an app if it has familiar features and an easy-to-use interface.
The customers’ wishes
To create your own app, you need to know exactly what customers are looking for. Customers prefer apps that provide them with a convenient and easy-to-use interface, and have better prices and offers that they can’t find on other platforms, such as the company’s website.
Younger consumers aged 16-34 are more likely to choose an app because of personalisation. On the other hand, those with an annual income of less than $50,000 are more likely to prefer apps that incorporate the use of mobile wallets for payments, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Can the app improve your website?
Apps, compared to the mobile website, offer more convenience. An app can make better use of your current web presence, even if your site is mobile-friendly.
A website that offers general information about your company is a necessity, as is having a phone. And like a phone, your customers need to put effort into using it by searching your home page, bookmarking your site, and searching for specific information. Even the most mobile-friendly website is more complex and time-consuming than a mobile app.
Apps are primarily used on mobile. So there is no need to be customized in a different format. Users generally prefer mobile apps over mobile sites because they offer more personalization and efficiency, along with other features such as notifications, offline mode and fast load times.
The strategy for building the app
Once you’ve decided to make an app, the next thing to think about is your strategy. You can build your app using a ready-made app builder. Otherwise you can hire a professional mobile app developer to build you an app from scratch.
Although using software to design your app is not particularly difficult, it does require time, which may be something you don’t have – especially if you also have a business to run. In that case, try to find someone to help you.
The next important question is how much you can afford to spend on building and maintaining an application. You can choose a design company to custom design your app or an app builder. In both cases, you will have to set aside some money.
Depending on whether you choose a mobile design and experience company to custom design your app or an app builder for yourself, expect to allocate some cash. Some generalized app requirements are as follows:
DIY services: DIY services are generally less expensive and can offer exciting and professional results. The charges for these services range from 20 dollars and up, depending on the app, devices and your purchases. Make sure the company you choose is prepared to deal with the regularly changing app store requirements from companies like Google and Apple.
Professional developers: Although prices vary widely, app development in the US can range from $50 to $250 per hour. Developing a simple app can cost up to €60,000, and the more complex they become, the more the cost goes up. In addition to the cost of creating the app, the cost of updates and marketing must also be considered. Applications that require a back-end server or built-in APIs will cost even more. Building for both iOS and Android platforms will be something that also increases the cost. In short, the more features, complexity and platforms you incorporate into your app, the higher the price will be.
Hybrid approach: you can also save money and improve your business results with a hybrid approach. Start with a DIY app builder, but use one that can offer in-house services as well. That way, you can design the basic framework of your app first and then hand it over to the professionals for advanced, specialized features. Although the hybrid approach costs more than doing it all yourself, it’s cheaper than having an app development company design it from scratch.

Everything you need to know when developing an app.
App development is something that is constantly changing, as every six months or so there are changes, updates, new features and versions that will need to be integrated. Some of these, referring to Android and iOS updates, can even change the way the entire app works. To avoid incompatibility or cybersecurity issues, it’s vital to keep track of updates and new developments. Finally, keep in mind that all these updates cost money.
For any application you want to deploy, there are six key steps you should follow that will help you achieve your goal quickly and efficiently.
Idea: Consider the following – What problem does your app solve? Who do you want to address? Why are the features of this particular app important? Are there other similar apps?
Design: create an app that is easy for users to navigate.
Development: write the code for your app and develop it by starting preliminary tests.
Testing: Determine the quality of the application, discover any glitches and find out what you can improve.
Launch: Once your app is bug-free and ready to go, publish it to marketplaces like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Marketing: create a marketing strategy to get users to download your app and give you feedback to improve it.
Always keep in mind the purpose of your app and your budget as your app will benefit your business. Many users are already enjoying the convenience of mobile shopping. Α his means that many customers will be looking forward to your app. Therefore, it is up to you to provide them with the services and experiences they desire.
But why are mobile apps so important for your business?
Times have certainly changed. Not so long ago, mobile apps were only available from the big companies. But today, most small and medium businesses are using mobile apps and are benefiting from their advantages while serving their customers in the best possible way.
The marketing of today’s companies is no longer limited to handing out brochures and leaflets. The world has gone digital and you should too!
You may still be thinking that you don’t need a mobile app to sell your products and that you can keep your customers no matter what. That may be the case right now, but in the near future, you’ll face a completely different situation and you’d better be prepared for it.
Below are 4 ways in which your business will reap the benefits of a mobile app.
Create Value for your Customers
Customer loyalty is your goal. You may have to have hundreds of meetings with your customers to encourage their engagement with your business.
The goal is to increase interaction to achieve better promotion of your products and services, but at the same time you need to provide your customers with a certain value that they will only find in you.
What does this have to do with mobile apps? The well-known Starbucks uses its mobile app to offer rewards exclusively for customers who are registered with it. This motivates its customers to buy coffee from it. Additionally, they allow customers to pay directly from the app, creating the best possible experience for the customer.
Build a strong brand
Once upon a time it was fridge magnets, calendars and posters that had an important role in advertising. Every company had their logos on these memorabilia in order to advertise their products or services. But now these souvenirs have been replaced by mobile apps!
One of the most important features of mobile apps is that they offer brand awareness and recognition to customers, improving communication. It is this regular interaction with the target audience that helps develop a trusting relationship between the business and the customers.
Mobile apps are designed to empower and educate the customer about your brand. The more he believes in you and buys your products, the more he commits to your business and becomes loyal to you.
Connect with your customers
Face-to-face communication has now been replaced by digital media. The same applies to customer service and their experience as they perceive it and communicate it to other people. Mobile phones have changed the current landscape and this was bound to happen.
Mobile apps have taken customer service to a new level thanks to their adaptability. An app, unlike a human, can serve a person and convey information to them at any time of the day, not just during business hours.
The environment offered by mobile apps provides customers with a seamless study and decision-making experience. Considered as a primary means of improving customer service by the majority of marketers, mobile apps ensure that your business is always with your customer.
Boost your profit
Domino’s pizza has increased its six-month e-commerce profits by 28%, after the launch of its app for ordering and delivering or picking up pizzas in-store. Creating a mobile app was a simple strategy to make things simpler for their customers so they wouldn’t choose other available options, such as calling the store.
Another recent example is the 35.4% of Black Friday sales completed last year using mobile devices. That’s an increase of over 16% over a few years ago, which is quite a big increase!
As you’ve probably figured out mobile apps are a trend in an ever-growing market. And if you don’t have your own app yet, then you’re one step behind the current market trends.
Sources: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/ & https://www.specbee.com/blogs/