The current trend of mobile apps has gathered different opinions. Some business owners think that the entire concept of mobile app development is a luxury which only big enterprises can afford. The other segment of people believe that mobile apps are the easiest way to bring a significant difference to the business.

But, you will find a majority who are of the opinion that mobile apps can work wonders for startups as they can gain great momentum. It is an inclined factor that depends on how the platform is developed and processed. You can also refer to the mobile app development guide that has a generalized overview of the entire process from a business perspective. Coming back to our major concern, what makes it important for a business to consider a mobile app?

Here are 5 of the most fascinating reasons your business needs a mobile app:

1. Enhanced visibility

According to the reports of Geekwire, Americans spend around 162 minutes on their smartphone every day. Though, they might be using only specific apps of their interest. But, even for this, they will have to scroll and take a glance at the various apps before actually installing their preferred one. This process, unknowingly, gives you a chance to get noticed among your target market. Having a catchy app icon, text or image can hardly go unnoticed by the users. This, in turn, can prove beneficial for your business.

2. Improved customer engagement

No matter what your business is about, whether you are selling a product or a service, your customers will need a way to get in touch with you. How about having a messaging or a helpdesk feature within your app? The way you correspond with your customers can bring a considerable difference in customer engagement.

Let’s take an example – If you have a restaurant and have come up with a mobile app; the customers who wish to dine in won’t have to call and book. With the app, they can simply book their table with just a few clicks on the app. Isn’t that more feasible to your customers? Adding some more advanced features like reviews, ratings and a helpdesk can significantly contribute to improved customer engagement.

3. Brand recognition

Did you know? A mobile app can greatly assist in building brand awareness. Let’s break the term brand recognition into two to make it easily understandable:

• Brand: A mobile app acts as a billboard sign for your business. With it, you can resort to different ideas that complement the nature of your business. You can make it look conventional, functional, stylish or even informative – it totally depends on you. But, try to build an app that has features to fascinate your customers at once. Remember, a beautifully designed app loaded with great features and it is surely going to catch the eyeballs of your target segment.
• Recognition: Your efforts must focus on engaging your target segment with your mobile app. The sooner you reach your goal, the more they will get inclined to buy your service or product. This is termed as ‘effective frequency’ in the world of advertising. Your target market should notice you frequently and that’s all you need for brand recognition.

4. Direct marketing channel

A mobile app can serve many functions – it provides general information, user accounts, booking forms, messengers, prices, news feeds, search features and much more. So, you are free to provide as much detail as you want to your customers on the app.

When there are special sales and promotions going on, you can easily flash them on your apps. Additionally, with the feature of push notifications, you can get closer to your target audience while having a direct interaction with them. In short, you can remind your customers about the products, services, special offers or promotions directly through your mobile app whenever it is required.

In a way, your mobile app becomes your direct marketing channel for your business as it keeps your target audience informed about the updates of your business, products, and services.

5. Loyal customer base

This is one of the most important reasons for building your own mobile app. There is a huge advertisement happening around us. You see different roadside billboards, banners, newspaper ads, flashing signs, coupons, flyers, websites, Facebook ads, emails and much more. The level of impact created by these advertising techniques is not that strong. It will definitely increase your customer base, but the process will be gradual.

On the other hand, the mobile app can make a direct connection with your target customers. It makes you feel like your business is just a fingertip away from them. So, focusing on frequent interaction with your customers can ultimately lead to brand loyalty.

For instance, Starbucks follows a unique star point system in their app. So, whenever a customer visits the outlet, he/she will be rewarded with the stars. In order to earn more reward stars, a customer stays loyal by coming back again. Thus, you get a loyal customer base.

With so many benefits that a mobile app offers your business, it is clear that considering it will definitely turn out to be in your favor. Whatever way you choose, a mobile app is surely going to be a standard element of the business in future. So, take your call – gear up, walk with the trend and get ready to make your business successful.

Ready to make a great app but not sure where to start? Check out IT Craft for all of your custom mobile app development services!