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Does Your Business Need an App?

Starting and operating any type of business involves some risk. For most, getting the maximum possible exposure for your business could be the difference between ultimate success or closing the doors for good. In this age of smartphones, an increasingly effective way to reach more people is by having your own mobile app.

Mobile apps are no longer just for large businesses like Amazon and Wells Fargo. As a successful business strategy, many medium-sized and small businesses are now building their own mobile apps as they realize the potential benefits. Although mobile apps are relatively new, their value has been recognized for some time now. A 2014 Forbes article, “Here’s Why Your Business Needs Its Own Mobile App,” describes the top seven benefits of building a mobile app.

Want more assurance before making the leap?

An article at The Huffington Post cautions that user value of the app should be carefully considered but it also explains that “Even if your app doesn’t have some revolutionary function, there are some real benefits to having your own app.”

If you own or manage a business of any size and are wondering whether or not you need an app, here are several reasons why you should probably consider moving forward.

Enhance the Visibility of Your Business

You’ve probably been told in the past year or two that your company’s website needs to be mobile-friendly. While this is still true, the reality is that people spend a majority of their mobile phone time on Apps rather than surfing the web. According to a recent study, nearly 90 percent of smartphone time is now devoted to using apps.

Because Americans now spend more time with their phones than they do on desktops or even watching television, apps have become a key marketing tool for nearly all businesses. Increasingly, instead of searching for a company using a mobile browser, people will do an app search. Additionally, even if a customer does search with a mobile browser, Google is now displaying app results first when searches are conducted with smartphones. In the end, contacting mobile app developers and having a professional app made for your business can be a powerful tool to reach and connect with both new and existing customers.

Create Another Direct Channel for Marketing

As a business strategy, a business app can deliver customized information and functionality to customers, providing your business with another direct channel for marketing. You can set up news feeds, pricing information, booking features, and even instant messaging to handle support issues. This is another way for your business to both make sales and to build its unique brand.

Apps Deliver a Treasure Trove of Customer Data

Many businesses avoid getting a mobile app simply because they haven’t recognized the potential that an app has over other online properties. If learning more about your customers is a part of your business strategy, as it should be, you definitely need to consider the treasure of data that a mobile app can deliver. These apps can geo-target ads, deliver time-sensitive messages, and push data to the business owner about demographics, habits, and preferences.

Mobile apps provide an incredible array of benefits to businesses, yet many are still slow to make the commitment. Currently, less than a quarter of small businesses have a mobile app, but many more are planning to adopt the trend in the near future. As development costs have dropped, it’s likely that we’ll see more and more businesses of every size choose this winning business strategy in 2016 and beyond.