How Mobile Apps Go Hand In Hand With Websites

Before you question the need for or relevance of a mobile app for your product/service in tandem with the website, it would be great to take in a few facts first-

• #1 As of 2017, 5 billion people across the world or 2/3rds of its entire population had mobile phone connections according to a report by GSM Intelligence.

• #2 More than 50% of search queries globally come from mobile devices as per Google.

• #3 Studies indicate that an average consumer spends approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes using mobile apps. Reports also indicate that the average individual has around 60-90 apps installed on his/her device while using around 30 of these each month.

• #4 As per reports, the total number of app downloads last year touched a whopping 197 billion. This is projected to increase to 352 billion by the year 2021.

• #5 People use an average of 9 apps on a daily basis according to studies.

These facts tell the real story as you may have already realized. Mobile apps are an indispensable part of business branding, marketing, engagement and retailing in today’s times and work hand in hand with websites.

If you are considering a mobile app for your business, make sure you hire a skilled and experienced mobile app development company. Here are the key reasons why you should consider developing a mobile app in tandem with your website-

1. Communication: Smartphones are clearly the key drivers of all communication nowadays as indicated by the facts and figures above. More and more people are searching for products and services on mobile devices and hence the right app increases both visibility and accessibility for a targeted buying audience.

2. Instant brand marketing: Mobile apps have unleashed a whole new marketing and promotions channel where companies are no longer restricted from instant brand marketing thanks to these apps which enable immediate exposure to the product/service, company and engagement initiatives.

3. Better customer retention and engagement: People do visit websites and you will always need responsive web design services, which are user friendly and attractive website that showcases your brand. However, a mobile app will help you build a daily relationship with customers based on engagements, activities, customer service support and instant dissemination of special offers, sales and so on. Building an active community of users and retaining them is more likely with a mobile app in today’s times.

4. Mobile devices have their own inbuilt browsers but in terms of screen time, mobile apps account for a whopping 85% of time spent by people on their smartphones which is A LOT and is only forecasted to increase in the future. Mobile apps are a dynamic way of marketing yourself and keeping yourself visible and can complement websites excellently if they are done right. Other advantages of mobile apps that are built by professional app developers include the following:

• Easily accessible post installation and in many cases, even not having an internet connection is no deterrent.

• More interactive and easy to user interface for users.

• Location-based services can be tapped if needed with integration possible for payment processing options. However, one also needs to take into consideration the significant investment required for building mobile apps, both in terms of time and money. This is why many brands start their digital marketing campaigns with fully optimized websites which is definitely the right way to go. However, a mobile app should be a follow-up strategy in order to drive sales and customer conversions from every channel. Apps have higher risks as compared to websites as some experts say but then, the rewards are greater and instant too!

Ian Myers is an expert in web & mobile app development. He has more than 10 years of experience in the industry working with ATop Digital, one of the leading digital marketing agency in USA & India