Why brands need to have an app? Is it vital to go mobile? Or is it just another ineffective tool to help raise brand awareness? And how to check whether my brand needs an app?
First of all, why every modern company should have an app? An average American spends two hours of their time on the phone. And if you want to market and promote your products successfully, you better be where your end user will see you. And in most cases, that is either a smartphone or tablet. Can you imagine your life without Domino’s app on your phone? Right, the answer is no. Dominos is so associated with its app that probably a half of their users never thought that Dominos can be called by phone to order pizza. If you still think that apps are pricey and hard to get – you should know you are making excuses and now getting an app is as easy as it never was.
There are a few options for brands to go mobile. The first one is creating a mobile website (just make sure it works nicely and doesn’t crash all the time). The second option is to create a mobile app that will be stored on the user’s phone. And the third option is getting a hybrid app, which is the combination of the two mentioned above.
Today we are going to take a look at three mobile apps that were made to strengthen the brand. And who succeeded.
1. Nike and Nike+ Run Club
Why: Nike decided to promote their brand. And that was a great marketing path to take. Now there are fans that cannot imagine their lives without Nike and their rubber band. People are tightened up to the brand (literally!)- they start every morning with it and finish their day by counting the steps they did throughout the day. Great job, Nike.
The application allows you to track your runs, invite friends, and share your achievements.
2. L’Oreal and their Makeup Genius App
Why: Another great case of marketing with an app. L’Oreal app went viral – therefore, increasing company’s profits in a few times. The app itself is very interesting – with the help of AR technology it scans the user’s face and allows them to try on different cosmetics. After trying on, all cosmetics are available for purchase straight from a user’s smartphone.
App for the brand should achieve two main goals – keep the user’s attention, interest, and be useful and informative (so the user can make a purchase). Mobile apps tend to increase the level of brand awareness and improve the marketing campaign’s overall performance. If your business still doesn’t have a mobile app you are missing a lot.
Before choosing the app for your business, you should clearly define:
– You main goal
– How you want users to interact with your app
– What results do you expect from this app
– Who is the end user and why would they want to have this app on their phone without deleting it
– What features does your app need (that will affect how much does it cost to make an app)
To sum it up, you shouldn’t miss the chance to improve your brand image, raise the level of brand awareness and promote your product. The app should be a valuable thing for the end user and they should find it useful and irreplaceable. And remember, if you don’t take that spot on your client’s phone, somebody else will. So hurry up and don’t hesitate to search for new trends.