We understand that‚ for many organisations‚ rapidly ramping up your mobile strategy is a matter of urgency in the current climate. Having designed‚ built and launched mobile applications for over a decade – and for some of the world’s biggest organisations and most disruptive upstarts – we want to share our expertise.
First‚ let’s address the elephant in the room. We’re sure you’re tired by now of its constant mention‚ but hear us out: the COVID-19 outbreak has had a huge impact on mobile services. They’ve dramatically risen in use.
It’s somewhat unsurprising. With so much of the global population confined indoors‚ not only are we spending more time on our phones (up to 30% more in some countries!)‚ but mobile is also proving vital for the survival of some businesses.
Yet even before the global pandemic‚ mobile usage was on the up. So what can you do in response? We’ve created a blog series on how to get your mobile app strategy moving – whether you’re thinking about building one‚ aren’t making the most of an existing one‚ or are having to adapt yours to new circumstances. We’ve called it ‘How to turbocharge your mobile apps’.
This first blog answers that initial question: why do I even need an app?
Provide better customer value.
All too often‚ we see organisations create an app simply because they think they should have one. But that’s not a good enough reason. The entire purpose should be centred around delivering value to your end users – it should be something they want‚ need‚ or that makes their lives easier.
Only by building an app with this in mind can you capitalise on the overwhelming figures for mobile usage. App Annie revealed that consumers spent an average of 3 hours and 40 minutes a day on their mobiles in 2019 – a 35% boost since 2017!
For a live example‚ our partners Deliveroo recently announced they’re teaming up with PayPoint to support local deliveries from over 16‚000 UK convenience stores. They’re meeting a specific need for their users in the current situation‚ enabling them to order household necessities while social distancing.
Keep your audience engaged.
Apps offer a crucial touchpoint for customer engagement. The average UK user has 95 apps downloaded onto their smartphone‚ each representing a way for a brand to strengthen their relationship.
But you’ll need to make sure that you’re offering an engaging experience in order to compete. A user-friendly app is worth its weight in gold if you want to be among the apps they use the most.
We did just that when we overhauled Deliciously Ella’s iOS app. The result was a unique and elegant user experience‚ which built up the wellness enterprise’s engagement immensely. Their app was even listed in the App Store’s top 10 Food & Drinks apps within just a few days of its launch!
Market directly to your consumers.
And if the user experience is customised to each individual‚ then you’re really on to a winner. Statistics from Salesforce show that 52% of consumers would switch brands if they weren’t feeling that all-important personal touch.
For this‚ you need to get to know your audience. Push notifications and analytics (a topic we go into detail later on in this series) will help build up this familiarity. As customers are on their phones more than ever‚ now’s the perfect time to gather the insight you need. Then you can send personalised offers‚ or perhaps notify them of a customised product or service recommendation based on what they’ve looked at previously.
Our work with Leisure Pass Group allowed them to deliver tailored offers and targeted promotions to their users. By capturing the audience’s attention within their apps‚ we’re building brand loyalty.
Gain a competitive edge.
Of course‚ there are so many apps already out there. But even if you think it’s all been done before‚ there’s always room for innovation.
Kodak Alaris are a great example of this. The photo printing market is well and truly crowded. Yet we worked with them to ensure that they stood out to their customers from the moment they launched. Their PixPax app goes much further than you’d expect from a printing service‚ with extensive photo-editing tools‚ an intuitive user journey and personable content. And the success speaks for itself: purchase conversions are seven times the industry average!
This edge is especially important if you’ve lost customers to current (or new) competitors as a result of the pandemic. A well-thought-out app that satisfies an audience need is ideal for the present moment.
The future is mobile – be ready.
No matter your industry‚ an app can offer extraordinary value to your customers and drive business growth in even the most challenging times. And if you’re a smaller enterprise or operate more regionally‚ then they can truly help you get the jump on your competitors. It just takes careful planning.
In our next blog of this series‚ we delve into some of the options available for app development‚ including how to choose the right platform.
Once the world returns to relative normality‚ mobile services are going to become even more vital – so get ahead by speaking to our experts. Whether you’re a business dipping your toe into mobile for the first time or a mobile stalwart looking to up your game‚ we can help.
