When I started with e-business in the mid-nineties, the business world the question was asked should my company have a website? The time responded to it. The web is already consolidated and today not a business, organization or government that does not have a network space is conceived.
I must confess that was not the first time I had that experience, not long before the question was do you need my business email? The answer is already known.
But not enough to be; to compete is necessary to define a digital strategy and identity that involves multiple channels, web, social networking, search engine strategy, network links and more recently, mobile strategy.
Smartphones have become an appendage over our body, we live “stuck” to them and probably the first and the last we see every day; alarms, emails, reminders, notes, chats, social networks, photos, music, games, Web browsing and Apps.
They are close and intimate devices; for many people their Smartphones are no more than a meter and a half away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do you think it is a good place for your brand is?
The cell phone has become the main point of access to the Internet, surpassing personal computers and 80% use of time is devoted to applications.
What is an App?
A mobile application or App is a program that is installed on the Smartphone or Tablet customer.
In this way the app becomes part of the cell, a privileged place in which every mark would be. The icon that identifies with the image of your company, will be visible at all times, reminding the user our existence, so when you go to use as when performing another task.
Remember that when the user is working, look at the phone, when you are bored, look at the phone, when you are traveling, looking at cell, when communicating, look at the phone, when you’re having fun, looking at cell when reading mail, see the schedule, etc., look at the phone.
Unlike the web, the App is available for instant execution, the user simply touches its icon to start it, without opening a browser, type Web addresses or use search engines. In a world where immediacy is the paradigm and ease is everything, the app is there to be used without further delay.
The interface perfectly adapted to mobile devices allows our customers to browse from your mobile or tablet with the simplicity and optimal usability. If properly designed, the utility of a mobile App is much higher than a responsive conventional web, since not only its interface, but information and all content are organized for a mobile device and is much more accessible and manageable in the App.
Finally, the presence in the major app stores -App Store, Google Play and Windows Phone Store- can generate an increase in the number of organic searches originating from mobile, improving SEO positioning.
He advantages of having a mobile app:
- Always present (mind share):
Probably the first major benefit for companies highlight
Our App will be so very present and continued in the Smartphone of our customers. Each time the user visualizes your phone, our brand will be there, contributing this to their presence in the minds of our consumers.
Think how much money is spent on TV, street posters, brochures, etc., to achieve this goal, an opportunity that the App will give us to occupy a privileged place in the mobile of our customers and potential customers.
- Always available:
The App is installed on the Smartphone or Tablet, available to be used immediately, unlike a web browser that imposes open and search the site without mentioning that typing on the screen and moving often becomes more dificulties
- Privacy:
Smartphones are ubiquitous. Users spend looking at them. They are close and intimate devices that are no more than a meter and a half away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, a special place for your brand.
- User Experience
Thanks to the interface perfectly adapted to mobile devices allow our customers and users to browse from your mobile or tablet with the simplicity and optimal usability. A user experience that mobile web sites or players are not able to provide.
It also allows use cell capabilities such as positioning, camera, compass, vibrating the device, etc., as well as store data locally and operate in a disconnected, all concepts that create a more exciting and interactive experience.
- Optimized Content
The content that people can access through the App does not necessarily have to be the same as the website. Typically it is not. This is a key element to consider as a major challenge for the App is to be a practical and useful way to keep installed on your Smartphone, so the content has to be optimized for size and usage scenarios of a Smartphone , avoiding too many other things that the user is not interested and that blur interesting.
- Prestige and innovative image
The App is novelty. They speak a language of young and innovative companies can benefit by having a exhibiting a modern and innovative image.
- Presence in Stores – Help to know our business
Our App will be seen by many more people in the different app stores like iTunes, Google Play, etc. Only Apple and Google have millions of searches per day. This will make our company to appear organic searches from mobile devices and like the previous point, will also contribute to the image of the brand.
- Differentiation
Today is still not many businesses have decided to create your application. Why not anticipate them and thus differentiate?
- New channel service to our customers
An App expands the market reach of your brand, products and services, making synergy with other existing channels, sharing information stored on centralized servers, providing a consistent user experience and improved.
- Push Notifications
Notifications “push” are darlings messages sent from a server to the Smartphone user, bound App, but without it is running, the style of an SMS, but without the costs of these as they are sent through the Internet.
This provides a very effective communication channel with the user, a centralized proactive action that enables “wake up” to the App remotely to keep active and interested user.
- And most importantly, it generates “Engagement”
The best thing about mobile is that companies are given the opportunity to participate with their customers in real time, depending on location, schedule and tastes, providing the opportunity to create a profile and answer under him.