Long gone are days when mobile phones weren’t ruling the world. Studies suggest that there are more than 3.5 billion unique users of the mobile internet, as of August 2017. Moreover, it has also been observed that users spend, on an average, 69% of their media time on their smartphones. So, what do these statistics tell you about the scenario of using mobile apps for business? But it is also the truth that you do not need to run a race blindly. So, how do you know for sure if your business can benefit from a native mobile app? And if you know for sure that a mobile app will boost growth, how exactly do you come around doing it? With this article, we solve the puzzle of mobile applications for small and big businesses. Let’s start by deciding whether your business needs a mobile app or not. Factors to decide if your business needs a mobile appBefore you decide on making a native mobile application for your business, ask yourself the following questions. Is it primarily user-oriented or plainly for personal profits?Remember that the primary use of mobile apps in business is to satisfy your customers. And not just to look at your own benefits that may arise out of users downloading the app. Users generally avoid installing apps as they use data and occupy storage space. If the user is not going to benefit much from the app, they may download it once, but you won’t be able to retain them. In the long run, the investment may seem futile. Thus, try and make your app user-oriented. Will it help you provide the user with best possible experience?Websites sometimes have limitations to the user experience. This is where mobile apps come in the picture. With a mobile app, availing your products or services becomes easier for the user. Let’s say that you make games. By creating an application dedicated to the game, you attract more users. For, one may not be able to access a desktop all the time. Whereas, with mobile apps, they can play your game while waiting in a queue, riding the bus, or having lunch at a cafe. Additionally, user experience also talks about the ease of completing a task with an app. Mobile apps can be accessed easily as opposed to websites. They also tend to make transactions quicker and more reliable. If your business needs such features, you may want to go for a mobile app. Is the app likely to help in more revenue generation?If you ask anyone why your business needs a mobile app, they’ll say it’s for revenue generation. Mobile applications should add to your profits and not be a financial burden on your business. While you should refrain from making them just for monetary purposes, you also have to check if they’re adding to your revenues. If a native mobile application is driving in money, you can consider investing in it as a venture. But it should be done in such a way that using the app proves effective to your users. Is your website mobile optimized?Considering that 57% of internet users won’t recommend a business if its website is not mobile optimized, more businesses have started taking care of the matter. Now, if you have a mobile-friendly website, it guarantees customer satisfaction, since the user is more likely to access your website through their mobile phone. In this case, if it is not extremely necessary, you can decide against making a mobile application. Do your competitors have apps?The market of mobile app designing in India is on the rise. It is likely that your rival companies have already invested in a mobile application. If this is the case, making a native mobile app for your business will prove to be a wise decision. For example, if you sell groceries online and so does your rival. If they have a mobile application, online users who regularly shop for groceries online would prefer a mobile app for it. Instead of going to the website every other day, they can use a mobile app to select items, pay, and track their orders. To help you further with making up your mind on mobile apps for your business, listed below are the examples of different type of mobile apps some famous companies use. Types of Mobile AppsMobile apps can be categorized broadly under four types. If your business falls under one of these categories, building a mobile application will greatly help. E-CommerceThese apps offer the service of online shopping of electronics, goods, and everyday items. Amazon, Flipkart, Tata Cliq are all examples of such apps. PublishingContent publishing apps revolve around producing blogs, articles, and other written content. Newspaper, magazine, book apps all fall into this category. Amazon Kindle and the TOI app are some of the many publishing apps. GamingGames which are in form of apps find a place here. This is one of the most popular app types amongst children as well as adults. Temple Run, PUBG, Candy Crush, and all the other games you’ve loved playing from time to time come under this category. EnterprizeSuch apps are meant for bringing team members on the same platform to share information and collaborate. Companies use them for personal use to manage teams, maintain reports and charts, and to send out information. Benefits of mobile apps for small businessesLast but not least, we would like to discuss some advantages and luxuries that mobile applications provide to a company, brand, or business. Influence the audienceWith a mobile application, you ensure being visible to customers at all times. How? By simply seeing the icon of your application on their phone menu or receiving occasional notifications from you, you keep your business fresh in the memory of the user. Hence, the next time they want to avail the services that you provide, they are likely to remember using the application and coming to you. Which is to say that with an application, you can influence the audience and turn things in your favor. New revenue channelsThe uses of mobile apps in business are ample and genius. We’re sure you’ve seen in-app advertisements. By adding a small section of ads in your business application, you can generate more revenue. If your business is popular in the market, you will get customers looking for advertising spaces easily. This way, you’ll be able to churn out some more money. Additionally, you can enable in-app purchases. By keeping upgraded models on paid features, you can tempt users to avail high-quality service by paying for it. Direct marketing channelNotifications are a tool that can be majorly used to market your services. By notifying customers about latest deals, updates in your business, and other useful information, you are inviting business. Upon reading your notification, the user will be curious and willing to check out what is in store for them. This way, with the help of just notifications, you can direct traffic to your application. By using such marketing gimmicks, you’ll be able to handle a marketing channel and drive user engagement and footfall like a pro. Brand image and visibilityOne more creative reason why mobile apps are important. With a mobile application, you increase your brand credibility. If you have made efforts like creating an app for customer ease, the users are likely to trust you and your services more. Additionally, applications also make it easier for you to maintain a brand image. With the content that goes on your application, you can shape an identity for your brand through the application itself. Moreover, due to the ease of downloading and using your services from a single source, your brand also gets the deserved attention. The more people download your company’s application, the more your brand is going to be visible in the market. Reviews to help better businessApplications can be used to register the real-time response of a user towards your business. With apps, you can put forward the feature of adding reviews. The reviews can be of products, services, application, their experience in being associated with you, and more. By taking reviews, you can work on bettering your services, and as a result, the whole system. Thus, reviews help you understand what consumers are feeling about your ventures. More importantly, it also opens the gates of better-quality service, which we’re sure is your inward goal anyway. Increase the ease for customersIf you hire a mobile app developer in India, this is what they should focus on above everything else. It is a fact that mobile applications get the job done easier and quicker. Be it booking tickets, reading, shopping, or any task that you can pull out of your hat, all is done more efficiently with dedicated apps. They store user information, track data, encourage updates, and speed up the processes. For this reason, applications can be deemed better than websites or other means of getting the respective work done. Customer LoyaltyOnce a user downloads your application, chances are, that they’ll use it for a long time. On the other hand, if they have to refer to your website every time they want to get the work done, they may consider going to your competitor’s website for once. After all, it is the same amount of work. With an application, you put the user in their comfort zone by making things easier. Thus, they are more likely to stick to you and your services. Eventually, this leads to them becoming loyal to your company, if they are satisfied with what you’re offering. When using mobile apps development services, you can ask the company to come up with innovative solutions for gaining high customer loyalty. Run promotional activitiesMobile applications can serve as an excellent platform for communication. Promoting a campaign, introducing a sale, or highlighting an offer all become easier when you have your own customisable app. You can use this opportunity to come up with app-focused branding strategies. This can help in engaging and retaining customers, getting the sales going, and leading the market. ConclusionWe hope the different details we pointed at will help you make the right decision. Mobile applications require effort, dedication, and constant maintenance. So when you decide to go for it, make sure that you dive all in and leave no stone unturned! As of us, RareDevs is a mobile apps development company based in India. We build applications, websites, brand identity, and much more to your best interest. If you’d like to know us better and explore our services, we are available even in the middle of the night. 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So, what comes after building a website, marketing your business on social media, and writing blogs? What is the next big step to make sure your business is seeing an upward graph? Businesses today are spreading across all digital marketing spheres. And your answers lie in the evolving sphere of mobile application development services. Why make a mobile app?Now that technology has advanced, reaching the audience has become even easier. While websites may not always be accessible, you can encourage customers to still avail your services. The easiest way to do so is by creating a mobile application of your business. How to get users to download your appPrimarily, you should promote your application on all possible digital media. The key is to let people know that they can avail your services directly through an app. For example, during the launch of your application, you can post app-only deals which are beneficial to the customer. Additionally, you can enlighten customers about the benefits of using your business mobile app. If they find your selling points convincing, they are likely to go for it. Also, keeping the app costs to a nil or minimum value helps if you’re unsure about users downloading it. Because if it’s a free app, people will at least want to give it one shot. Downloading v/s retainingStudies suggest that consumers spend 90% of the time in mobile applications when they’re on their phone. Thus, with an app, you are more likely to grow your business. However, Google revealed in a report that 26% of downloaded apps are used only once and then abandoned. Which shows that retaining a customer once they have downloaded your app is as crucial as getting them to download it. So, how to retain app users? How to retain customers on your appExperience over everything elseUsers download a mobile app for convenience, getting their task done quickly, and availing better deals/services. Thus, if your business has a mobile app, it is important that it ticks off all the boxes. An app that is fast, responsive, easy to navigate and a one-stop solution to the user’s demands is received well. As user experience is the founding step to successfully running a mobile app, be careful with this step during building the application. Being unique is always a good ideaIf you hire a trusted mobile app development company, they can help you build an app that is truly unique. It can be exclusive in terms of design, the way it executes data, or it could be the content. Better yet, it should be all three. To give you an example, if yours is a publishing app, you could involve a feature that lets the user directly access the dictionary from the app. This is to say that you can show your creativity in every nook and corner to win the consumer’s heart. Customers love personal careThis is one of the most crucial ways to make a customer happy with your mobile app. Whenever you take care of the needs of a customer, they are more likely to keep coming back to you. For example, when the user opens the app, you can greet them with a ‘Hello, username”. Or you could wish them on their birthday, anniversary, and other events through a notification. Moreover, using graphics, you can create a video that personalizes according to the profile and the event. Believe it or not, such tiny details make a huge impact. Notify consumers about your businessReminding customers in their busy schedule that you are up and functional is a necessity. With a simple notification about a sale, added feature, or an interesting fact, you increase mobile app engagement significantly. We’ll let the numbers do the talking. It is seen that push notifications lead to as much as 88% more user engagement. On the other hand, it is also important to maintain a balance. Flooding the user’s phone with notifications will only annoy them, no matter how beneficial the deals are. Hence, according to your business and your consumer list, draw a line to the notifications such that they are optimum. This ensures user engagement without risking warding them off. Strong customer support means winning at businessRemember that your business revolves around your customers. Hence, your customer support team has the power of making or breaking your business. Be it canceling a subscription for a confused user or helping them in understanding a product feature, providing help in the most efficient and kind manner always works wonders for a business. Additionally, customers who are regular users of your app will also be able to give you the most accurate feedback about their experience. It can help you better your service in all aspects. Hence, value customer feedback and make sure you take the fixing steps. ConclusionIn all, go ahead and hire a mobile app developer without hesitation. While it can be a tricky business to get users to utilize your app time and again, it is not impossible. Follow the rules, pay attention to their needs, and keep them happy with good user experience.
The rise of mobile applicationsMobile apps have taken user experience to the next level. For ordering a quick snack, there’s Zomato and Swiggy. We don’t call taxis anymore, for Uber or OLA do it in just a couple of clicks. Buying a TV or selling an old wardrobe, renting a house or booking a vacation- they’re all made simpler now. And with mobile app designing in India growing in leaps and bounds, we’re sure you’re on a lookout for the latest trends your users can appreciate. Why should you make an app?Studies show that mobile applications have significantly higher engagement as compared to mobile-optimised websites or desktop web pages. The conversion rates are a staggering 100 to 300 per cent for the same. As evident, mobile apps offer a vast market and is brimming with opportunities. Thus, making the best out of your mobile application can prove meaningful to your business. So, how do you take your mobile application one step further, and give your customers the best user experience? The must-have mobile application featuresWith applications including more features every day to enhance experience, one has to keep up with the latest advances in the field. The competition is tough, and to make the best of available resources is the only way forward. With this blog, we talk about mobile app development trends of 2018. Including them in your mobile app will not only garner your brand a rich impression, but it will also keep consumers coming back to it. Rather, they’d never want to uninstall it and say goodbye. Internet of ThingsIoT is on the rise in 2018 more than ever, says Bernard Marr in an article for Forbes. The market itself is set to grow into $561 billion in 2020, a report suggests. That’s an annual compound growth rate of no less than 26.9 per cent. Hence, what exactly is IoT? According to Wikipedia, Internet of Things is used for extending connectivity beyond laptops, mobile phones, and computers. This means that IoT is an effort to bring internet in daily objects which are conventionally not made for such connectivity. Thus, IoT is a network of physical devices, home appliances, vehicles, and basically every object that uses the internet. When embedded in technology, these devices can be used to exchange data over the internet. So, how do you incorporate IoT as a mobile application development service? With the help of IoT, you can use features like remote control, automation, and application monitoring within your app. For example, if you have a business of room lighting or home theatre, making an app that allows controlling the remote or the switchboard counts as an attractive feature for your consumers. This is made possible with IoT. With advances in technology, people are turning towards luxurious offerings. Connectivity, above all, has become a priority in all businesses. And the most efficient way to achieve it is through IoT. This makes it one of the hot choices in mobile app design trends of 2018. Wearable AppsWith all tech giants indulging into smartwatches, wearable apps are the new talk of the town. Apple offers a gadget called Apple Watch, which uses the Watch OS. Whereas Android smartwatches run on the Wear OS. Applications can now find a place on these OSes. To do so, they have to be simply connected to the respected mobile application. Thus, wearable apps require an exclusive development. However, since the rise in wearable gadgets is constant, the investment is well worth it. Artificial IntelligenceAI is one of the latest mobile application technology trends. The service itself is a breakthrough in technology and has found its place in all digital places. Using AI in an app makes the technology smarter while also cutting on company costs. For example, they leverage information from chatbots to learn user behaviour pattern. This helps in providing a more personalised experience within the app. AI also helps with enhanced customer support services. It makes calls on behalf of humans, books shows, reminds of appointments, and so on. Yes, AI is exactly what comes into action when you ask Siri or Cortana to perform a task. And when the media and business giants are indulging in a technology, you know it is good for your business as well. Mobile WalletsIt all began with e-commerce and online banking a few years ago. However, the trend has shifted since from website to mobile banking. Mobile wallets, popularly known as m-wallets are more convenient. They do not require going to a particular website, so they save the hassle. By just clicking on the app, you can make recharges, pay bills, or buy things. Paytm is a popular example of one such application. Moreover, they are a secure means for transactions. With OTPs, passwords, and emails to provide layered security, mobile wallets are equal parts convenient and trustable. If your business requires frequent purchase, m-wallets are exactly what you need. ChatbotsOne of the latest mobile app development technologies, Chatbots are automated machine engines. They are a boon to the customer support section of apps. When a user tries to reach out to the company, chatbots read into their queries and provide them with programmed answers. For information or questions that are frequently asked, you can program the expected questions and relevant answers in the system. Thus, it saves time and also provides quick service to the consumer. BlockchainBlockchains are basically a means of encrypting data. Here, blocks of transactions are chained together. Each one is dependent on the previous one. Thus, with tempering one block, you lose access to all the next ones. This process thus helps in securing transactions. This distributed database system was introduced by Bitcoin but is now not limited to the venture. Mobile applications use blockchains for data encryption and transaction security, making them more reliable. Instant AppsInstant apps bring the future of mobile apps and their development to the table. Users are often hesitant at downloading a mobile application due to their file size, the amount of data it requires to download them, or their purchase cost. Instant apps come as a relief here. They let users try these apps without downloading them. For example, if your mobile application is available on the instant app mode, a user can get a good understanding of its design, usage, and features. This way, you are inviting more consumers to try the app. It could eventually lead to conversion. The best part is, instant apps offer the possibility of maintained user engagement. When the user has tried the app before downloading it, they are most likely to make frequent use of it. This, because they liked how the app functions and what it has to offer. So, there is no uncertainty involved. Cloud AppsCloud apps are beneficial not only to the customers but the company as well. They offer seamless performance, scalable infrastructure, and most importantly, increased productivity. Moreover, they let you provide all the services at a lower operational and hosting cost. Most importantly, Cloud provides a secure operation. And as you already know, there is no need to worry about losing data, as it is all permanently stored up there. For Cloud, developers can build apps which are compatible with both iOS and Apple. With all these conveniences, we don’t see why not to make Cloud Apps. It is a boon to the mobile apps development company, the user, and the app host. What a win-win, don’t you think?. Battery and Storage efficient appsThere are applications available for every next task. Be it alarms, calendar, or playing music, there is a mobile app available for all you want to do. This eventually leads to too many apps on the user’s phone and too little storage space. If you’ve talked about mobile applications with anyone, you’ll know how prevalent the problem is. Thus, creating ‘lite’ versions of applications comes as a blessing to the users. So, what are Lite apps? A lite app is just a lighter version of your original app. It uses simpler graphics, eats up less data, and requires lesser storage space. Lite versions are especially recommended for original applications that are heavy in data or use up more battery and storage. This way, you can encourage users to shift to a lighter version by compromising on the experience a little. Note that it is not much of a compromise for the user who really needs the app. Plus, it helps you retain them. Best of both worlds, we tell you. What next?Mobile application development sees new trends in and out. Thus, be wise about the trends you accept and the features you incorporate in your application. While all features are the best in their own offerings, your business may or may not need each one to gather more users. Thus, when you hire a mobile app developer in India, make sure you make the right choices. Smart selection of features will help you cut cost and make the mobile app easier for consumers to use. We at RareDevs are a digital marketing and branding agency who love to talk about everything digital. If you would like to know more about our mobile application development services or hire us for your company, drop a message. We will get back to you in a jiffy.
Building apps for multiple platforms has become essential for most kinds of businesses. Statistics show that in 2017, 178.1 billion mobile apps were downloaded worldwide. With a significant growth in the app market, there have been advances in app development as well. And as much as the sustainability of this ‘trend’ is concerned, you can rest assured that investing in building successful mobile application won’t go to waste. In 2017, 52% of the time users spent on digital media was on mobile apps. And the numbers are only going to grow further. What are Application Frameworks?Nowadays, mobile applications development companies can create a base for an application, which can be then adapted on platforms like Android, iOS, Windows, and more. This software library that provides a fundamental structure to build the application is called Framework. As you must have guessed by now, there are many companies that work dedicatedly to provide this framework. So, which one should you opt for and why? We’ll answer that question for you here. The best frameworks for your applicationHybrid frameworks are application frameworks that are supported on multiple platforms. Before you hire a mobile app development service to work on your brand-new application, make sure you have enough knowledge about what would suit your business the best. Here is a list of the best frameworks out there. React NativeThis framework builds a hierarchy of UI components to make a JavaScript code. It allows both iOS and Android platforms for building a mobile phone application. Additionally, it allows a native look and feel. Companies like Facebook, Airbnb, Tesla, Walmart, and Vogue amongst other biggies make use of React Native. It has to be good, don’t you think? ![]() Benefits
Intel XDKIntel XDK is a commendable hybrid mobile app framework provider. A venture of the famous Intel group, it offers HTML5 cross-platform development tools. They have software development capacities for apps which are based on Node.JS, IoT, and onboard apps. Benefits
PhoneGapWith the help of PhoneGap, one needs to code apps in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript just once. Then, they can be established on different devices. It keeps the original features intact. It is a dedicated desktop app, which supports Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Web OS altogether. Benefits
XamarinWith some of the best hybrid mobile app development tools, Xamarin is a common favourite among app developers. Owned by Microsoft, Xamarin helps write native apps for Android, iOS, and Windows alike. Benefits
NativeScriptAs an open source mobile app development software, NativeScript supports XML, JavaScript, Angular, and CSS-like languages. It offers native performance for both Android and iOS. It also lets software developers repurpose third-party libraries in their application easily. Benefits
FlutterThis one’s created by Google. It is an open-source mobile application development SDK. It can be accessed for making Android and iOS applications. It seems like a result of rigorous research on mobile app development, architecture, and management. Benefits
ElectronElectron is another recognised open source cross-platform mobile development environment. It uses the latest Node.JS, CSS, and HTML. Moreover, it extends to most desktop operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Mac. Finally, it is used by companies like Microsoft and Facebook, so you know it’s good. Benefits
IonicOriginally built on Angular.JS and Apache Cordova, Ionic uses CSS, HTML5, and Sass. Its most recent versions are built on only Angular. The apps built on Ionic can be distributed through native app stores and can be installed on devices with the help of Cordova. Benefits
Time to get startedAs you must be assured by now, a hybrid application gives an experience even better than a mobile-friendly website. They are a good choice for procuring better results and getting things done quickly. So, stop pondering and hire an app developer right away. Make sure you mutually decided on the best hybrid app development framework, now that you’re aware of how they function!
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AuthorRareDevs is a Digital IT Services and Solutions provider Company. It also shares latest updates and ideas about Digital Marketing, Branding, SEO, Web Design and Development, Mobile Apps Development. Archives
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