Did you know that U.S. consumers now spend five hours a day on mobile devices? And 92 percent of that time is spent using apps, and the remaining 8 percent is devoted to web browsers.
Now, you might be wondering if building a mobile app is right for your business. Here are some questions to ask yourself before taking the plunge:
Do your competitors have apps?
When evaluating whether or not your business should develop an app, it makes sense to examine what your competitors are doing. Do they currently offer an app? If so, check the statistics available from the relevant app stores. The number of downloads and user reviews should give you valuable insight into how consumers are responding to your competitor’s app.
If it seems that their app is getting some traction, you may be left behind if you don’t offer your customers an app with similar or improved functionality.
Will your app solve the customer’s problem?
Some mobile apps seem like a solution in search of a problem. If your app doesn’t provide any additional functionality or convenience to your mobile-optimized website, you will likely have difficulty gaining traction with consumers. Think of the pain points, your customer’s face, and how an app can resolve them.
Does retaining customer data simplify conversions?
One major reason why mobile commerce sales conversion rates still lag significantly behind desktops is the clumsiness of inputting information such as billing and shipping addresses on a mobile device. If your business relies on repeat customers – such as an eCommerce store or a food delivery service – the elimination of this tedious entry of information when using an app may lead to increased sales.
Do you rely heavily on branding?
When consumers download your app, they bring valuable real estate to your mobile devices. Simply, having your logo on the home screen of a device that your customer looks at many times each day will help make your brand top of mind.
So, if you’re a small-business owner who answered yes to any of the above questions, it may be time to build a custom mobile app for your business. But only building an app is not enough. Focus on delivering tangible benefits to your customers, and the hard work will pay off.