In this week’s edition of our newsletter we will be talking about the impact mobile apps can have towards providing a boost to your small business in Australia.
Mobile apps is a widely talked about topic today. With the rapid rise of smartphone usage it has become a leading source of convenience for both business and customers. Be it for product searches, product reviews, purchases, reservations, bookings etc. mobile is increasingly becoming the preferred source.
Small business owners depend on staying connected with their customers and mobile apps provide the perfect medium.
According to GO-Globe.com, as much as 80% of the world’s population has mobile phones out of which a staggering 1.08 billion people use smart phones! These numbers are on the rise and launching mobile apps catering to smartphone users makes business sense.
Click on the image for detailed stats on smartphone users in the world by go-gulf.com
Usage of Mobile Apps
Developing mobile apps to suit your business is not easy as the developer needs to be continuously updated on the latest technological changes to be able to create a unique mobile app. Be it for your local dry cleaning business, cafeteria, or a plumbing service, a mobile app can be the answer to lift your business to the next level.
Mobile apps can be developed for several purposes as mentioned below.
- Provide the ability to gain appointments
- To create a shopping cart for a business
- Carry out loyalty programs schemes
- Push notifications
- Directions to your business etc.
Organisation benefits
- To be in touch and engage with the on-the-go customer at any time and any place.
- To be able to promote and create awareness of existing and new products and services the company has to offer.
- To be a point of purchase for your products and services for the convenient-seeking customers.
- To provide useful information in a clear and timely fashion.
Customer Benefits
- Easy and convenient access to the required information at any time.
- Ability to experience a better and smoother user experience than a mobile website.
- Faster loading speed as an internet browser is not used which may at times become slow and also face connection failure.
- Ability to make payments without having to be present physically.
It’s a must that we look at the downside to the above benefits as well. A couple include the creation and maintenance of mobile apps being more costly than a mobile website, while it also takes more time. Furthermore, having to create separate versions to cater to the wide array of operating systems available in the market today may also be a costly and timely hassle.
How Mobile Apps Benefit Small Businesses
Smartphone penetration in Australia is amongst the top 10 in the world. It shows that the potential to get leads and to promote awareness levels can easily be done among this group via apps.
Worldwide Smartphone Penetration Courtesy: pocketapp.co.uk
Localized business is the mantra in today’s world of small businesses and creating localised apps could be the boost that your small business has been longing for. There are numerous small businesses that have benefited from the creation of mobile apps. Examples for such companies are,
- MonsterApps Print & Design
- Captain Coffee
- Liquor Barrel Mahtomedi
Its ability to provide effortless accessibility in comparison to personal computers or other means of mobile information access gives it the vital edge. It would definitely increase the audience interaction of your business which would result in increased sales, better services and an improved overall experience of your business.
For further information on why your small business should have a mobile app click here.
Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Websites
One of the basic conundrums especially a small business has is whether to go for a mobile app or a mobile website, or even both! It is safe to say that both have their benefits and for a stronger mobile presence, we do recommend both.
The difference between a mobile website and an app is that a website needs to be accessed through a mobile browser while an app is downloaded through the device-specific portals such as Apple’s App Store, Android Market or Blackberry App World and used independently.
The main point when deciding over a mobile website or an app is the objective of having an online presence. If your objective is to reach a wide market with a lot of content, we would suggest a mobile website. On the other hand if the above mentioned reasons are what is tempting you to move towards a Mobile App, then it is the most suitable.
Businesses are often unable to find time and resources to build an effective and simple mobile app. We at solomoIT provide comprehensive digital services which includes the expertise of developing mobile applications. With the current trend of “thinking and going digital”, mobile apps should definitely help you in the pursuit of success. The benefits of mobile apps are long term, and the decision for investment in a mobile app is something sure you wouldn’t regret.
Let us know your thoughts by dropping us a comment below about mobile applications and its importance to small business. We will be pleased to resolve any of your issues or concerns. Also don’t forget to click the share button and spread the word on the importance of mobile apps to small businesses.
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The Importance of Mobile Websites for Business
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About solomoIT
SolomoIT is a digital marketing agency, based in Sydney, Australia, offering fully integrated social, local and mobile marketing solutions.