We Are Social research shows that in 2019, mobile is used more often than personal computers and other devices to log on to the internet – 52% vs. 48%. Every year this figure is increasing towards phones, and app development is becoming a mandatory part of customer service. With the popularization of Android and IOS marketplaces, training programs, online banking and other types of applications, the question arises – how to stand out from the competition? We will tell you about 5 secret tricks and real cases on how to make a mobile app popular.
Business app: is it worth the gamble?
To begin with, let’s consider what web application development will give to a business?
- Sales. A marketing study conducted by Criteo in 2018 found that:
- apps generate 47% of online sales;
- App conversions are 3% higher than on mobile sites;
- average sales growth in mobile apps – 22% per year.
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- Regular customers. After downloading the app once, the icon will be in front of the customer’s eyes all the time. The psychology of the buyer is such that it is easier for him to make a purchase from a familiar seller without wasting time searching for the desired product or service through a browser.
- Increase in average check. An app is a way of communicating with customers. By tracking browsing and query history, it’s much easier to give the customer what they need and sell related products that will enhance the effect of the purchase. You’ll also be able to make personalized offers that the customer won’t be able to refuse.
- Loyal customers. The application itself makes the client loyal, because with the right approach and competently selected “pluses” he will buy himself, make you free advertising in social networks and, if you are lucky, will become a “brand advocate”.
- Automates business processes.Popular mobile applications help not only customers find what they need and wherever they need it, but also business owners to improve the quality of services and optimize internal processes. There are a lot of programs (including thematic, niche programs) that can quickly solve a number of problems, freeing the entrepreneur from losing miles of nerves and money. For example, a presentation development app can help you and clients save money on a designer and copywriter.
- Simplify communication with customers. With the help of the application you can quickly convey to the client the necessary information: notify about discounts, promotions, bonuses and so on. And also receive feedback, which will help you always keep your finger on the pulse and respond to criticism in time.
- Accepting Payments. Not all companies implement payment acceptance, but comfortable payment in 2 clicks is an indicator of customer engagement. If the payment process takes a long time, the customer will leave for a competitor.
- Analytical data. You will be able to see: location, age, interests of the buyer. This will help generate an offer for the user that they can’t ignore.
- Cost Reduction.Developing an app requires investment, in the long run it will help save money. Having an app you will be able to refuse the services of some full-time employees: call center operators, HR, etc. Thanks to quality software, many business processes will be optimized, which means less manpower will be needed. Developing a software application will reduce business costs and open up the opportunity to invest in scaling the company or advancing other projects.
Mobile application development: ideas and examples of implementation
Have app development trends changed over the past few years? No, but their transformation and new exploitation possibilities are amazing. Let’s take a look at 5 “tasty” ideas that inspire you to create a wow app for business.
1. Gamification of mobile applications
The element of introducing game forms into the business that motivate people to become interested in the product or service. Used for both product promotion and employee engagement.
The goals of gamification are sales growth, which is achieved by:
- the client’s trust;
- Understanding the target audience: interests, needs, challenges, pains;
- to strengthen the position of the brand;
- attracting new clients;
- promptly informing clients about promotions, discounts, “hot offers”, personal bonuses;
- to create a bend community.
You don’t need to create a multiplayer game with a large prize pool to attract an audience. It is enough to introduce some game elements or simple low-budget quests, riddles, tasks for logic and dexterity, simulations.
Simply put, the customer completes a task, gets points, badges or rating and at the end – a prize: a discount, a gift card, a course. The main thing is to ensure that the app design development respects the needs of the target audience. Poor or incomprehensible interface design is discouraging.
Let’s look at gamification using the case study of Monobank and Microsoft.
- Monobank case: cats made 500,000 users search for them
Do you think banking apps should be “serious”? Oleg Gorokhovsky, co-founder and idea inspirer of Monobank showed how gamification works in banking by making 500,000 users of the app chase… cats.
The idea came about after being introduced to Pokemon Go. No thought was given to the choice of the hero, the white kitty – the symbol of Monobank has long been loved by the bank’s clients. So in September 2019, the app introduced an “Rewards” section. Animated SEALs were given to those who completed tasks.
The result: 1.3 million users participated in the cat collecting game, of which 500,000 were actively collecting rewards (and there are 51 of them!). At the time of the prize draw (February 28, 2020), the number of the bank’s customers reached the 1.8 million mark.
- Microsoft Case: 5000 thousand employees and Windows 7 bugs
After the release of Windows 7, Microsoft launched a bug bounty quest. No rewards were provided, but the game so enthralled the staff that more than 1,000 software bugs were fixed in short order. The motivation behind the quest is competition.
2. Augmented reality
Augmented reality is the introduction of digital information into the real world that is perceived by humans in a three-dimensional format. This technique is often used in blockbuster movies.
How the technology works:
- The camera of the AR device captures the object.
- Special software identifies the image and selects the appropriate complement.
- The image and the virtual information are connected. The result is displayed on the screen of the gadget.
- The Boeing case: the secret of unprecedented safety
To reduce production time and minimize errors, the air giant provided employees with smart glasses and Upskill’s Skylight platform, a “handheld” technology that provides the right instructions in the viewfinder.
The result: a 25% reduction in wiring installation time and a reduction in the error rate to zero.
3. Character and brand story for the mobile application
The character or hero of a brand can be anyone. For example: celebrities: actors, TV presenters, athletes. Fairy tale characters also appear as heroes: M&M’s dragee or Nesquik rabbit.
- A brand story is a marketing tool whose task is to provide the customer with a sense of security, increase audience loyalty, and strengthen market positions. Corporations have historical past narratives.
For example, the Payot brand was founded by Nadia Payot from Odessa, who went to Paris and opened the first ever cosmetology school there.
The Skoda brand logo came about thanks to an Indian with whom the founder traveled in his youth.
- Brand persona and story are tools to help you assert yourself, promote yourself and speak the same language as your audience. By the way, you can use them not only to create a brand, but also to promote it.
- PayPal case: #whereyou’vebeen.
To promote PayPal’s services, they filmed a series of cool videos, each telling the story of a user living in a remote corner of the country and utilizing the power of e-commerce.
4. Seamless interface in the mobile app
No more buttons – not a myth, but a reality. Today, things are being linked into separate ecosystems where they are managed through a smartphone.
Seamless interfaces are a time-saving solution. And the likelihood of “poking it in the wrong place” is reduced to zero. All information is placed on one page, which means that you no longer have to make unnecessary movements to switch to another block or tab.
- The New York Times case study: when you lose readers
After losing a significant amount of its target audience, The New York Times decided to change its approach to the reader and make an app with a number of benefits.
With a seamless, intuitive interface, understated design and Timely – receiving content notifications at a convenient time – the company has been able to make significant improvements and win back some of its audience.
Result: receiving information at a specific time increases customer loyalty.
5. Proprietary illustrations and recognizable mobile app design
Proprietary illustrations are a tool for easy communication with the consumer. The main thing is not to overdo the creativity, otherwise the illustrations may play against you. KOLORO knows how to achieve the golden mean and present the brand at its best.
- The Oreo case: how to live now?
In 2012, the Oreo brand turned 100 years old. During the same period, product sales peaked and the question became: what to do next?
The decision was made to update the positioning and advertise the brand rather than the cookies. The company’s management entrusted the brand relaunch to Martina Agency and they didn’t miss a beat.
Martina Agency developed the Wonderfilled platform, which hosted animated videos asking “What if we gave Oreo…?”. Everyone won: mentions in Wonderfilled searches topped 56 million times, and Oreo sales went from 8.1% to 13.2%.
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A mobile app is a sales and business process optimization tool applicable in any niche. A competent approach, a drop of creativity and correctly prioritized priorities are the key to a brand’s long-term success.
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