Smartphones are becoming an increasingly popular item for people of all ages. In the past, you may have been hesitant to switch over, and some people are probably still using old Nokia phones or phones that don’t have internet connectivity. However, as technology improves and as older phones are phased out, more and more people will be switching to smartphones.
Once they realise the potential of a smartphone, however, they probably won’t go back. Smartphones are extremely versatile devices that allow us to stay connected with friends and family all over the world no matter where we are. Thanks to mobile internet technologies that have been growing at an impressive rate, we can do more on the go with our phones than ever before.
In the past, 3G connections allowed us to browse the internet and watch some low-quality videos. With the advent of 4G, we can now stream high-quality video directly onto our phones and even upload videos without much problem. Now that 5G is around the corner, more and more people are going to be using their smartphones not only to keep in touch with others but also for the sake of productivity.
Because smartphones are so popular, it makes sense to include smartphone users in any marketing or promotional campaign that you run—but how do you do this?
Visibility
When creating a smartphone app, you essentially provide a way for your customers a way to constantly be in touch with your company. Whether it’s direct communications channel for the sake of customer service or a way to check all the latest deals and prices that you are offering, apps can serve as a central hub for all of your customer’s needs. Roughly 86% of all time spent on smartphone devices is inside of an app and the remaining 14% is spent on a browser. In other words, mobile websites and internet-based advertising don’t get nearly as much exposure as apps themselves.
Cost
Developing a smartphone app is relatively cheap. If you look up the average cost to develop an app, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that a fully-featured app with push notifications, regular updates and built-in customer information support is more than just affordable. The cost of maintaining the backend of a mobile app is relatively inexpensive too. The backend is what manages all of the customer information and other bits of data that are relevant to your app. Think of it as what goes on behind the scenes to provide your customers with a smooth experience with using your app.
Notifications
Most smartphone apps contain some kind of notifications. These are the little pop-ups that make your phone vibrate and deliver you some kind of message in the form of a notification that you can press to check out, or swipe to get rid of. These push notifications are much more visible to the average consumer than internet notifications because they go directly to the phone and alert the user. It’s much more convenient for businesses too because instead of having to email them or post on social media, you can just a message to everyone currently using the app. With these notifications, you can alert users of updates, sales, new deals, and changes to your business that could benefit them.
Rewards
Rewards are a great way to give people incentive to download your application. There are, without a doubt, many advantages to putting your app in the hands of people. As mentioned before, you can alert them with notifications, engage customers and keep them updated with all kinds of information. However, getting them to download your app is another problem. That’s why many companies have decided to give offers, deals and discount coupons to people that download their app. It’s a quick way to build interest in your app and it gives people a reason to share it around. For instance, many private transportation apps and fast food delivery apps give you discount coupons whenever you share it with your friends.
Standing Out
Many businesses still don’t have a smartphone app. Either that or their smartphone apps are hideous afterthoughts that provide no benefit to the consumer. Creating an app for your business can be seen as a sign of professionalism. By having a custom smartphone application, it builds trust in your brand, but only if your app is relevant to your customers and isn’t an afterthought that was drafted in just a couple of minutes. You can take a huge leap ahead of your competitors if you take the initiative and incorporate more everyday technologies into your marketing strategy.