Apps may be the next new frontier for small business visibility.
Believe it or not, there once was a time when businesses had to carefully consider whether or not to invest in the development of a branded website. The internet was relatively new and most businesses considered it a luxury, and a costly one at that.
Today, of course one can hardly consider going into business without a website to promote their brand and represent their business identity online.
Just a couple of years ago, designing a responsive, mobile-friendly website was also just a consideration for small to mid-sized firms.
Now, of course, it’s an absolute necessity. Google’s Mobilegeddon algorithm updates mandated that if your business is going to get any share of the mobile search landscape, it was going to have to invest in mobile-friendly design for its website.
Well, today businesses face a new choice in digital visibility: to invest in a branded app or not.
And like all of the previous forks in the road, business owners will have to make the only choice in the road that leads to business growth. And in this case, it is to invest.
Apps are increasingly becoming the new standard for business visibility. People are mobile and with smartphones serving as little mobile computers, it’s the mobile app that will allow businesses to be available and accessible for their customers wherever they go whenever they need them.
At the touch of your branded icon they are able to do business with you and that means added marketing channels, more customers, greater customer loyalty and faster growth.
Your app icon serves as a constant promotional tool with every download. Every time a user browses their apps to find a banking app or a Starbucks app and sees your icon, your brand benefits over your competitors. That level of visibility is priceless. And having an app available for browsers to find offers new channels for new customer acquisition.
Many businesses on the fence about developing an app for their brand see no real reason to do so because apps are generally considered necessity for technology based companies. But consider this, the real purpose for a mobile app is convenience.
Businesses with a customer loyalty program or that offer special discounts, products for sale or even frequent content marketing via blog updates can benefit from funneling these customer engagement opportunities through an app and benefit by simply gaining visibility over their competitors.
The fact is, like the business websites before them, mobile apps will one day become the norm, even a necessity, for any serious business, and getting in now may just give your business the leg-up it needs to stay ahead of the curve before the next big thing in the digital marketplace hits.
If you would like to discuss how to increase your business’ digital visibility with a Proctor Digital consultant, call us at 773.664.5819. We love helping clients stand out in the crowd and grow their brands.