Should Your Company Create a Mobile App? Factors to Consider
For many businesses, a mobile strategy is a necessity. With mobile app development being more accessible, businesses can create their own apps to grow and succeed. Unfortunately, many mobile apps fail in the market after a few weeks after being launched due to improper planning and lack of management.
Before choosing to create a mobile app for your business, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions:
Do Your Customers Need One?
If your customers want you to have a mobile app, then it’s probably time to start developing one. However, if your customers are not asking for an app and you still want to build one, find where you have room for more growth. Make sure that you test your market to see if an app would be profitable or if it would be a bust.
Will an App Expand Your Reach?
Technology has long been used to expand a business’s reach. A mobile app can engage users and enable access to native device functionalities like the camera, location, and notifications. A mobile app can also connect to other devices like smartwatches and voice assistants like Alexa.
If done correctly, an app can multiply your reach, but only if your customers use your app.
Does it Fit With Your Product?
Not every company needs a mobile app even though they need a mobile-friendly website. For example, A company that provides trust might not need an app because trust is something you will only create and modify a few times in your life.
An insurance policy provider, however, can develop an app where people can choose and modify their insurance plans and be a place where individuals can check their policy when they need to.
Building an app for your business depends on the users and the nature of the product. If your business doesn’t require people to interact with it often, then you likely don’t need an app. However, if your clients communicate with you daily, an app might make the process easier.
What Are the Right Functionalities?
Your app doesn’t need to have the same functions as your desktop app. Instead, think about which services your customers will need when they don’t have access to their computers.
You can get customer feedback from the app to add more functionally when you need it. For example, Grin’s social media analytical tools can work perfectly for an app, since most people use social media on their phones rather than on a computer.
Will it be Used Daily?
A mobile app creates easy access to a consumer, but it doesn’t need to replicate the desktop experience. It should, however, be customized to provide the necessary information a consumer will need. If an app is designed to be used daily, consider the experience people will have it with before you go into development.
What Do App Users Need?
Your app should fulfill the needs of your customers. If your users only interact with you occasionally, then your website might be enough. However, if your customers interact with you daily, then a mobile app will be easiest.
For example, if your weight-loss business allows people to track their calorie intake on the website, you might want to develop an app that allows them to track their calories more easily than on the go.
Should We Create an App for Internal Use?
A business mobile app doesn’t just need to focus on the consumer. Instead, it can focus on your internal employees and processes. Companies can use apps that allow employees to communicate with one another, clock in, and keep track of any of their HR documents. Talk to your employees and see if they would use any internal app to determine whether or not it’s worth investing in one.
Does the App Provide Value?
Apps should provide value for your customers in the form of convenience and personalization. Most people will settle for going to your website on their mobile devices without the need for an app.
However, just because people are using their phones to visit their website doesn’t mean that people want an app. Ask yourself if your app will provide any value for users. If you can’t think of an obvious reason, then it’s likely there’s no value that you’d be able to offer by developing an app.
Is Our Website Enough?
Many apps for your ideas already exist, so if you end up creating an app that’s similar to an app that’s already out there, your app is likely not worth developing. Similarly, if your app is a simple clone of your website, it’s not in your best interest because people can simply visit the website. Instead, make sure that your website is mobile-friendly since most websites can be coded to provide a feeling like an app when used on mobile.
What About a Web-Based Solution?
A mobile app is not always the solution for your company’s needs. Instead, your business should focus on functional, well-designed, and mobile-optimized websites. A good web-based solution is easier to build and much cheaper to maintain.
It can also be a starting point if you’re considering developing an app. A web-based solution can help you get feedback as to whether or not an app is necessary and what functionalities users would need from it.
Is a Mobile App for Your Business a Good Idea?
For many businesses, a mobile app is a great idea. People are using their mobile devices for more tasks than ever, so you might be able to gain more customers by developing a mobile app. However, you must consider your end-user. Apps are ideal for businesses whose users would need to interact with the company on some level when they’re not at home and can’t get to a computer.
You should also consider your customers and their ages. If you provide services for age groups that aren’t technologically savvy, an app might not help your business succeed or grow.
Matt Casadona
Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. He is currently a contributing editor for 365 Business Tips. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys the San Diego life, traveling, and music.