Reading this will help you decide if your business needs a mobile app

Think of a service you use, whether it’s daily, monthly or yearly. Chances are there’s an app for it.

Apps can be a great way to keep your business top of mind and improve the service you provide, but there’s more to it than just creating and sending an app out into the world.

Before you decide to create an app or not, there are some things you should consider. We’ve spelt them out below so, whether you make one or not, you can be confident it's the right decision for your business.

Why should I consider an app?

First of all, the popularity of apps is booming – and it makes sense when you consider that mobile phone usage is on the rise. In Q3 of 2021, people in Europe spent 21.6% more time on apps than the previous quarter, and this is only increasing. By joining the app space, you’re putting your business in front of a growing audience of potential customers. Plus, if your app’s easy to use and full of interesting information and features, this could mean great things for your business. Here’s why...

Apps are a direct channel between you and your customer

If a customer has your app, they can easily browse and purchase products without having to surf the web or go to a store. What’s more, there’s no likelihood of them encountering competitor ads, or other disruptions to the customer journey. So, an app becomes a direct marketing channel between you and the user; especially since you can send push notifications with reminders of offers, launches, events, or even just to tell them the app’s still there, if your customers have opted in.

Apps can improve your customer experience

As a business owner, you know how important providing value to your customer is. An app can help you do this. It’s a great place to host loyalty schemes, for example, letting customers collect points and claim rewards in-app. This doesn’t only provide a great incentive for downloading the app, but it can also help create loyal, repeat customers – every business owner's dream.

Customer service can be hosted within an app too, giving users an easy way to seek help. Depending on your budget and resource, you could provide a live chat feature, FAQs, and anything else you can think of to show you’re a helpful, customer-centric business. You could even let your customers give you direct feedback in-app too. There's no better way to meet their needs, keep them happy, and keep them coming back than hearing exactly what they think needs improving.

Plus, by looking at the app’s analytics, you can understand your buyers better. Look behind the scenes to see how they’re engaging with the software, then adjust to meet their needs and provide a better service.

Things to consider

Before making the jump to creating an app, it’s worth deciding which features you’d include. Think about your business goals and decide which additions could help you meet those goals. There are infinite features an app could have, but we think it’s better to offer a handful and do them well, than offer lots of poorly executed, glitchy options. Remember that an app’s meant to make life easier, not more difficult.

That’s why knowing your customer well is crucial. You’ve got to consider if your target and existing audience are comfortable using smartphones. If they aren’t, investing in an app might not be the best way to reach them, and the time and budget could be better used elsewhere. So, make sure to do some extensive market research to fully understand your buyer, and meet them where they need you to be – whether that’s in an app, or not.

Last, but not least, making sure you have the budget to make – and maintain – a high-quality app is essential because there’s no point having an app for the sake of it. You’ve got to invest money and time researching, testing, and optimising to make sure it’s user-friendly. So, if you can’t afford to spend this budget and time (or hire someone else to) it might not be the right moment to create an app.

Ready to get going? Find out what to consider when investing in a mobile app.