There’s no denying the revolutionary effect apps have had on our new digital era. The concept of apps actually began way back in 1994 when IBM released the very first smartphone that included a telephone feature as well as PDA features all in one device. The phone was named ‘Simon’ and it boasted a 4.5 inch touch screen, a stylus pen and a memory capacity of an impressive 1 whole megabyte!
How an app has the potential to improve your business
With a cost of £540, the device was one of the most expensive on the market, thus geared towards business people who possessed the overwhelming urge to send faxes whilst on the move. Today, we see technological devices as a necessity rather than a luxury, which has led to apps evolving and becoming widely available to the mass market.2009, the total number of app downloads has shot up dramatically from 1 billion to 127 billion. This may seem like an incomprehensible jump, but not when you consider the growth of devices that apps are now available on, such as tablets, games consoles, cars, laptops, televisions…the list goes on, although smartphones continue to be the most prevalent device. More than a million apps are now available to download from various app stores such as Apple App Store and Google Play. And there’s all kind of apps too, from a useful app like Google Maps to something completely counterproductive like the Angry Birds game, which basically sets out to rob you of your sanity. As infuriating as Angry Birds seemed during its spell of popularity, it was undeniably an incredibly successful app, reaching a whopping total of 1 billion downloads, as well as generating revenue of 200 million U.S Dollars and obtaining its own franchise based on its popularity. So what is it that makes an app so prosperous, and should brands consider investing in one?
The growing popularity of Branded Apps
Angry Birds is an example of an app that generated success from going viral. But not all apps have to go viral to be successful. Although gaming apps continue to be the most downloaded category of app, there’s a rising trend of ‘Branded apps’, an app that in some way is an extension of your brand. With smartphones now being the device of choice for many consumers, businesses are now quickly learning that their own app is a great way to get a leg up on the competition. It’s estimated that by 2016, 70% of smartphone users will have downloaded a branded app, and they’re suitable for just about all businesses, whether your business is B2B or B2C, all companies offer core products and services that can be more effectively promoted with an app that provides your user with a ‘one-click-away’ alternative to searching for your full website. In a recent study, it was found that consumers spent six times longer ‘browsing time’ on a branded app than its website alternative, with 60% of consumers reporting that they preferred the app version due to navigational ease.
Don’t miss the mark!
Despite this fantastic opportunity to connect with target audiences, many businesses can miss the mark due to poorly conceived and developed apps. As Affari Media are now in the process of developing our very own app, we wanted to share some knowledge we’ve learnt along the way on some common app errors that businesses should consider and avoid! One of the most prominent aspects that have stood out to us is that an app should be designed to be an extension of the brand without re-creating the web experience. The whole point of developing an app is to improve user experience for your audience, by providing on-the-go-users with responsive design on a mobile device. Businesses should therefore focus on taking advantage of mobile-only functionality, like bar-code scanning and location-based recommendations. This will enhance user experience and be an extension of website offerings, whilst still maintaining and promoting your brand identity and values. However, it’s also important to ensure that there is an audience for your branded app. If you specialise in bespoke hats targeted at the over 60’s market, an app probably isn’t for you! Don’t become one of the 400,000 ‘zombie apps’ that has never been downloaded from the App Store. Businesses should first of all study their target audience, identify unmet needs and then use their app as a way to meet these unmet needs.
A Clever APProach to Marketing
An app should bolster marketing in the early days after its release by providing some hype with PR bounce about your digital expansion. But in the long run, apps can provide tremendous marketing insight into your consumers’ minds! Be sure to utilise this and devise a digital marketing strategy, making necessary tweaks to collateral and content based on the results provided by your genius little app. The app itself can be used as marketing tool to promote a particular product or service; in fact, some apps never generate a direct financial return but bring other benefits such as increased loyalty or better customer service. If this continues to be fruitful for your business, it is possible to make more money from your app by creating a premium version of the app which construes an accrued cost to users but will upgrade the app and thus your particular product or service offering.
Be Flexible
As you plan out your business’s digital strategy for an app, be sure to consider the inevitable need to pivot to meet the current market needs. Don’t lock yourself down with an app by putting all your digital eggs in one basket. This digital era is a rapidly changing landscape, be ready to roll with it!
