A little over a year ago, I wrote a piece on why mobile apps would be the next “website” for businesses. What I meant by that is not “apps are going to be a big thing” but that apps are going to be THE big thing. They’ll be the next stage in biz/tech evolution and will literally usurp websites.
I still believe this. In fact, I believe it more than ever.
Just like they’re doing with Lil Dicky (best rapper alive right now…bet), the whole world is sleeping on mobile apps. And it’s kind of weird.
Don’t get me wrong, plenty of businesses have apps. Others, like Snapchat and Instagram, have built entire companies around an app. But at some point, we’re going to move past apps as a “product” or an “add-on” and start looking at them as our primary home base in the digital world, and there are three reasons why.
1: Everything is mobile
This isn’t news. We’ve been talking about the “mobile revolution” for years now, but that’s over. Mobile won. We are now living in a post-desktop world. So it stands to reason that mobile apps will have a dominant role moving forward.
2: Personalization
Personalization is the name of the game for marketing in 2017 and beyond. By that, I mean creating marketing experiences that speak to very specific, segmented groups of your audience. We’re already seeing it take place in so many areas, but it’s going to get bigger as time goes on, and mobile apps play right into this trend because they allow you to curate your own personal digital experience with the brands you love and trust the most.
3: Marketing potential
The smartphone is one of the most important inventions of our lifetime. If you’re on a consumer’s phone, you’re on their mind and in their line of site. For businesses and marketers, I can’t think of anything with more value and potential than that. Not to mention, authenticity is growing in demand. Meaning consumers want closer, authentic relationships with businesses. And there’s nothing on the market that can facilitate that relationship between brands and consumers like an app.
The groundwork is there. Now we’re just waiting for the shift. We’re waiting for the light to come on and for businesses to step back and realize how powerful an app really is.
Think ahead. Think bigger. Imagine what your company can do with an app and be a pioneer.
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