Why Mobile Apps and Mobile Web sites for Small Businesses
The mobile app revolution is already here. More and more consumers are using I Phones and Tablets rather than labtops and personal computers (PC's). However, most websites do not yet have a mobile app or mobile friendly site. The result? Small Businesses are losing business to their competitors who have Mobile Apps and Mobile Websites.
Consider that a smart phone is often in the consumers pocket or purse whenever they leave their home. People use them at work, in public places, at home, wherever they go. It’s with them 24/7. Not the case for a personal computer. Human nature leads people to instant gratification. When people want something, they want it now! Mobile devices allow for instant gratification via instant communication, whether it is getting their email, surfing the internet, and more.
Think about it. A text message or an email to a smartphone is answered within seconds. How long does it take someone to get to their email off their PC? Many people use their smartphone or tablet just for this feature alone - the ability to instantly access their emails remotely. This is leading more and more people to spend more time on their smartphones and Ipads, and less ont heir desktop. For this reason, it is critical that you offer mobile apps or have a mobile friendly website.
Features of a Mobile APP
Location, reservation requests, push notifications, everything in a website, Photo’s, Descriptions, content, deals (coupons), invitations, events, specials, instant messaging, QR codes. One touch dialing and more.
These are all instantly accessible to the consumer. The customer will use their smart phone to instantly do a price check from different retailers and find who has it in stock for quick pickup. Customers now have the ability to review the services on their phone. This has the effect of spreading word to their friends when they like the service they received. What better marketing can a business get than word of mouth advertising!
Links are provided on an Mobile App to Facebook, Linkdin, Pintrest and Yahoo. Your customers can review your service on social media sites. When your customers rate you, they are increasing your rating on socialmedia. The more reviews a business gets, the better their social rating.
Social ratings are critical to the growth of your business. Having a web page on the first page of these social sites gives you first chance of being discovered by new customers.
Features of a Mobile Web site
Mobile web sites have the same information as an internet website. The major difference is in the presentation format. Mobile web sites are formatted to appear on the Smartphone platform. This is physically different from a internet website which is formatted to a pc format.
If the Mobile web site was not differently formatted, it would appear exactly like a pc web site on your smartphone. Way too small to read or interface with. One very big difference. Businesses have to be assured that they have their sites correctly formatted.
The fact is a Mobile web site is needed along with a Mobile App and Web Page. The Mobile web site and web page are useful in acquisition of customers. How?Many times, when a customer is looking for a specific business, they look on the social media sites for the top listed businesses in a specific local area. The business who has a presence on the first page of the social search page will get their business.The customer will then look at the web site for more information about the business. This is why the Mobile web site and Web Page are considered "Customer Aquisition".
The Mobile App is also considered "Customer Retention". We state "Customer Retention" because your business uses push notifications, coupons, event notices, fan pages in the APP to retain customers. Get a good quality App and web sites for your business, and you will increase your business long term.
