With mobile connections reaching the 7 billion mark in 2012, a significant shift in mobile application strategies is underway. This explosion of application development has allowed consumers to stay connected and entertained in any location. The average mobile user has his phone on hand at least 16 hours a day.
For small businesses to gain visibility, the development of an application becomes more and more critical. If the application is viewed, even at a glance by the user base, it will be much easier to stay ahead, which will lead to increased conversion and increased number of regular customers.
Let's say 100 people end up downloading your app. It sits on their home screen, and whenever they unlock their phone, search for another app, check their messages or jump on social media, they see your logo. This creates constant visibility and makes your business a priority for the next time your product or service is needed. If this additional exposure results in a new conversion, this translates into additional revenue.
How can your small business stay relevant in the mobile world?
But, how do you get to the home screen – or better, become a daily app? Experts are looking at how small businesses developing applications can keep their brands relevant.
Creating More Controlled Feedback Cycles
A critical challenge that small businesses face is the creation of applications that do not take too long to build and are not inferior to the end. "Things are usually very clear as long as the concept lives like sketches or prototypes, but once the application leaves the comfortable sphere of the idea and enters the real world of implementation, it can become very quickly experienced organizations, "says Anders Lassen, an opinion leader in the development of applications and CEOs of Fuse.
He adds: "The ability of a designer to directly affect the final appearance of the application is also significantly reduced once the application enters the code, which does not can be solved only by a new generation of development tools. "
Solving a Real Problem
Any of us can think of an application that we downloaded that did something but did not solve a real problem. Applications like these may seem great because of the various functions they contain, but if they do not meet a practical need, they are simply cluttered.
"Make sure you take advantage of every point of contact you have with the customer to promote the application. Many brands will promote their app on the website, on the social, email and other digital platforms but will not ignore your other relationships with customers. If you're a regular, use your in-store signage or receipts to promote your apps, "says Marin Perez, director of content marketing at Kahuna.
Understanding less can be more
Everything in the digital world is moving towards simplicity. First, because consumers are constantly overloaded with information. Second, the complexity tends to be the sworn enemy of the customer success strategy.
Marketing sociologist Richard Kelleher says, "You have to use the cloud to serve your application. The Associated Press application takes about two or three minutes to download. Too much information. Targeted web design, not mobile. Thirty seconds is the death of a mobile application loading. Do not try to be everything for everyone via an app. That's the problem with websites and why they have been abandoned by consumers for mobile. "
Always looking towards the future
"Designers will become more and more code-driven because the use of code in designs that otherwise would have been static mockups and images will be the new standard," says Lassen. "At the same time, the process of writing this code will be much simpler, with tools helping designers to the point where many of them will not know what they actually encode." and the widespread use of good multiplatform layout engines will be the choice of future intelligent designers. "
If they want to stay ahead of the industry trends, companies must make the most of technological innovation, while ensuring that every deployment of technology is done in a timely manner. application makes sense for the needs of businesses and customers. Registering with industry experts can help prevent the pitfalls that accompany the change and accelerate a company's marketing strategy.
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