With mobility on the rise, mobile shopping is hotter than ever.
This year has been a hot year for app development. More businesses are recognising the importance of developing a mobile app for their company. However, you can’t just enter the world of app development blindly. It helps to know the key trends defining the current marketplace, so apps are developed with the customer in mind. In a recent Forrester report entitled “2016 Mobile and App Marketing Trends,” they revealed a lot of the key insights that are guiding the current wave of mobility and marketing.
1. Over 50 percent of all searches occur on mobile devices. Mobile Internet traffic is now exceeding desktop traffic, which makes it more critical for businesses to develop a mobile app in conjunction with a strong mobile marketing strategy.
2. Business app development is growing. According to a 2015 analysis of app development, typical industries like retail and restaurants were highly likely to have an app, but even less common industries, like plumbers, hotels, golf courses, and politicians were developing apps. In fact, app development is increasing across a wide range of industries, even those less typically reliant on mobile marketing.
3. Mobility needs to be a key element of marketing. For businesses to continue to excel, Forrester outlines the importance of mobile devices when it comes to marketing. They claim that, whilst many brands have some sort of mobile marketing strategy, few are truly implementing mobile marketing to the level that will bring about results. For brands to exceed their competitors, they need to leverage mobile marketing in a way that provides customers with real-time value. That’s where app development comes in. App development can provide your customers with coupons, in-store promotions, online shopping, easy payment options, and more, allowing you to provide additional value that will help you distinguish your brand from competitors.
4. Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) will become more pervasive. Both AI and IoT have their place in the world of app development, and their role is continually increasing. 2016 could be the defining year for both of these technologies, as brands seek to incorporate them into their apps. With voice-based personal assistants, wearable technology, in-store beacons, and more, AI and IoT can offer a lot of potential for app developers.
With AI and IoT, there will be an increase in wearable technology.
5. Search engines will be expanding their reach. Google has already been increasing the types of things that appear in search results. Alongside webpages, social media posts and videos can also appear. This offers a lot of potential for video marketing and can greatly increase brand visibility. It’s just important to ensure all videos are optimised for mobile devices. It’s also predicted that apps will begin making their way into search results, which could greatly improve the download-rates for business apps.
The year 2016 has already been a big year for app development and marketing. Businesses need to leverage these trends to entice consumers and keep shoppers engaged. Business apps are more relevant than ever before, and, when designed with the consumer in mind, they can greatly increase sales. However, in order to create a great app, you need the help of top app developers to advise you in the process and develop the app for you. That’s where Glance comes in. We have a long history of partnering with companies to design apps that improve customer engagement, increase sales, and strengthen customer relations. Contact us to learn more.