Over the years, the medium for which people surf the Internet has shifted from computers to mobile phones. This is largely attributed to the side-by-side improvement of wireless connectivity and of smartphones themselves.
Year by year, we see how countless innovations are redefining mobile technology, and phones are a lot different from how they were originally conceptualized. We can truly do a lot more than just call with our phones nowadays. It has come to the point that we have very portable yet very powerful computers on our hands at all times.
The popularity of smartphones has also led to the rise of mobile apps, and this is something that small business owners can take advantage of to stand out from the competition. Here are some ways for which mobile apps can be used in the advantage of a small business:
1. It’s Easier for Your Store to be Noticed
One of the most important activities that you should do as a business owner is to ensure you’re up to date with the current business trends and listening to internet marketing podcast and checking your favorite marketing blogs. And in the realms of modern-day marketing, this means implementing mobile strategies that can help your business be seen by your potential customers.
This includes being seen on Google Maps that you can then put on your mobile app. It would then be easier for them to get to your business from there using the directions feature. Aside from Google Maps, also make sure that you tap other map and locations apps. Essentially, the goal is to be able to tap into potential customers in the area.
Another take on being noticed is that you should also invest in mobile search marketing so that when potential customers browse for businesses similar to yours, you would be part of the search results.
Searching on mobile web browsers often lead to innumerable results and standing out is a challenge. Through mobile search engine optimization, you are gearing your website to appear as early on in the results as possible as the lower you are, the less likely that you would get the traffic you want.
2. Geo-Targeting and Sales
Geo-Targeting example on Facebook courtesy by: http:/zammodigital.com
Mobile apps provide business owners the ability to target potential customers in a specific location, or what is referred to as geo-targeting. With this, businesses can send out ads that are more apt for a specific location, something that can boost a business’ conversion rate. For one, you can send out promotional messages to customers who are in proximity to your store, incentivizing customer loyalty.
The idea is to be able to enable targeted promotions, more effective than just blindly sending out to everyone. There’s a higher chance of your strategies to bring about positive results if they are targeted, which boosts your success rates, as well as make your marketing more cost-effective.
It is therefore essential to make the most out of geo-targeting to boost sales and promotion.
3. Connect Through a Wider Range Through Social Media
Some of the most used mobile apps are those for social networking sites. Social media has proven to be one of the most effective marketing platforms today and should be taken advantage of especially because of their high user base.
There are numerous social networking channels out there that you can tap, each catering to various potential markets that can fit your business’ target market. The idea is to tap those sites that you believe are related to your own business’ potential customers.
There are countless creative ways for which you can make use of social networking sites to promote your product. Some of them involve the use of highly-engaging content such as pictures and videos – both of which can be done ingeniously. Social media sites also offer some premium advertising opportunities that you can take into consideration.
A few resources that you should look into.
If possible, it is also a good idea to dedicate a team that can focus on social media marketing. But aside from ads and posts, one good way to use social media is to use it as a channel to communicate with your customers, helping you build a strong connection with them. Being able to do this sets you apart from other businesses, giving you a strong edge against them.
Social media truly offers a lot of opportunities to a small business. The key is to maximize the potential that is present and to be creative about it.
4. ROI Increases
With all of those above, mobile apps ultimately open the opportunity to an increased return on investment. True enough, building and maintaining an app can cost resources – time, effort, and money – but doing this right can bring about huge benefits that can put your business in a better position to grow.
As many of the activities that businesses would entail in hopes to promote its operations, marketing through mobile apps is an investment. But with its potential and with its effectivity, the return would surely be something to look forward to.
Make the Most out of Mobile Apps Now
It is undeniable that mobile applications present a lot of opportunities for small businesses. However, there are resource implications that are also present, and that should be accounted for. It is best to look into what you’ll get out of this involvement before taking a step further.
The benefits listed above are just some of the ways for which mobile applications can help out small business owners. In as much as general marketing is a challenge, going for more specific channels such as mobile, is just as challenging. But with the challenge comes great opportunities to grow the business, as well as earn a lot. It is therefore crucial for small business owners to understand the necessity of mobile apps today.
Again, small business owners can find that mobile apps can be very helpful for their business so they should take on the challenge and make the most out of them in order to stand out from the competition and to be able to take a step further into success.
Author Bio
Kenneth Sytian is the CEO of Sytian Productions, one of the leading web design outsourcing company in the Philippines. He has been designing websites and developing web apps for more than a decade. He is considered one of the top influencers in web design and development.
