If you think that mobile apps are solely for big-name brands, big businesses, and Banks, you’re totally mistaken. More and more small and midsize businesses are following the mobile trend, understanding that an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile-friendly website.
In fact, these days you’ll notice that many small businesses you interact with within your day-to-day routine have their own dedicated mobile app — be it the corner coffee shop or the beauty spa downtown. These businesses hold leading positions in their particular area when it comes to getting their marketing strategy to the next level.
If you have ever thought “does my business need a mobile App?” you’re in the right place. Building a mobile App for your business is a serious endeavor, so you need to understand the importance of having a mobile app for business and the advantages of having one within your organization. This guide will shed some light on why your business needs an App, the functional and marketing benefits of mobile Apps for business, and the use of mobile apps in the business.
Here are some statistics about mobile app users in the world you need to know
Look at this report from Data Reportal:
Mobile stats from around the world
- There are 5.29 billion unique mobile phone users in the world today, according to the latest data from GSMA Intelligence.
- The total number of unique mobile users around the world grew by 97 million in the past 12 months.
- Unique mobile users are currently growing at a rate of 1.9 percent per year. However, hundreds of millions of people have also upgraded from ‘feature’ phones to smartphones in the past 12 months.
- The latest data from Ericsson show that the number of mobile subscriptions associated with smartphones has reached 6.4 billion, accounting for nearly 4 in 5 of the mobile handsets in use around the world today.
- More people now make purchases via mobile devices than via desktop and laptop computers.
Mobile app users in Nigeria.
According to Statista , The number of smartphone users in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous country, is forecast to grow to more than 140 million by 2025. Currently, estimates from different sources put the number of smartphone users in Nigeria at roughly 25 and 40 million. The exact number of users is hard to pin down – however, the data found shows a strong growth outlook for the Nigerian smartphone market with user numbers to at least triple within the next five to six years.
In 2021, 48.12 percent of the Nigerian population accessed the internet via mobile device. This share is projected to grow to 659.7 percent in 2026. In 2021, the number of mobile internet users in Nigeria amounted to over 101.7 million.
You may be asking >Does My Business Need A Mobile App?.
Looking at the reports above, there are so many opportunities for having a mobile app for your business.
In Nigeria, the data found shows a strong growth outlook for the Nigerian smartphone market with user numbers to at least triple within the next five to six years.
In 2021, 48.12 percent of the Nigerian population accessed the internet via mobile device. This share is projected to grow to 659.7 percent in 2026. In 2021, the number of mobile internet users in Nigeria amounted to over 101.7 million. Imagine the number of people your business can reach. With mobile app, you can attract a good number of paying customers from this 101.7 million mobile internet users in Nigeria
Developing a mobile App for business can offer valuable marketing opportunities and help you reach your target audience, as well as many other advantages that will help put you ahead of your competition.
Listed below are what we consider to be the 5 major reasons why we think your company needs its own mobile app:
1. Creates a direct link with the customer.
One of the biggest benefits of having a mobile app is that all the information you’d like to provide to your customers – including special sales and promotions – is right at their fingertips. Through push notifications, you’re getting even closer to a direct interaction, and can easily remind customers about your products and services whenever it makes sense.
2. Be visible to the clients constantly
Recent statistics say that the average American spends more than 2 hours using his/ her mobile device every day. In fact, only a handful of all mobile apps constitutes the main part of total usage. On the other hand, to find the application the user is looking for, he/she still needs to unlock, scroll, and glance over the device.
As humans mind record unconsciously every text, image, or catchy app icon, such simple scrolling down and up can be an advantage for your business. It works – even if this process happens unnoticed.
3. Helps to build a Brand and Recognition for your company.
• Brand: A mobile app is like a blank billboard sign. You can do what you want with it; you can make it stylish, hip, functional, shocking, or informative. But what you really want to do is create an app that has features that your customers will love, while at the same time being well branded and beautifully designed.
• Recognition: The more often you can get customers involved with your app, the sooner they will be inclined to buy your product and/or service. In advertising this is called the “effective frequency”: as a rule of thumb, hearing and/or seeing your brand approximately 20 times is what will get you truly noticed.
A mobile app for your business can greatly contribute to your brand awareness.
4. Enhances customer involvement and Improve Customer Engagement
The truth is , whether you’re selling a spa service, flowers or food, your customers need a way to reach you without much effort. Having a help desk or messenger in the application can change the way you communicate with the clients. Think about it: How many customers would prefer to communicate with you via text than via phone?. In reality, most of your customers would prefer using your mobile app to communicate with you.
5. Makes your company different from the Competition
These days, mobile apps at the small business level are still rare, and this is where you can take a big leap ahead of your competitors. Be the first in your neighborhood to offer a mobile app to your customers. They’ll be astonished by your forward-thinking approach!
6. Creates Customer Loyalty.
Last, but not least, the most important reason why you should consider building your own mobile app is customer loyalty. With all the noise out there, we slowly lose our impact on customers because of the immense amount of advertising surrounding us all. It’s time to go back to making a true and sincere connection with your customers, and making them loyal lover of your product and/or service.
7. Win the market competition
You may not be aware of it, but today device applications at the small business level are still not frequent. Because of this, you can stay one step ahead of your competitors. Why not take the step and be one of the first in your area to offer an application to your clients. The truth is they’ll be amazed by your wise and farsighted approach and you will even attract more paying customers and make more sales
A mobile app might not save your business, but it can be a way of staying closer to your customers, and being just a “fingertip” away at all times.
