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Millions of smartphone users have been plastering apps over their home screens. Obviously, there’s something about an app which is appealing to your typical customer. In fact, one study found that 58% of millennials preferred shopping online through apps. Most of us are familiar with what’s known as a  “native mobile app”. This type of application software is stored within the phone thus takes upward of 10mb of space. However, with native apps, users can become frustrated with having to constantly delete and re-install applications that don’t fit on their phones. This is known as “consumer app fatigue” and risks deleting company ecommerce apps where users are forced to prioritise what and what not to keep. One study found that after analysing 8 billion app installs it only took an average of 10.8 days for users to delete native apps within the category of e-commerce! It makes sense. Most people would rather delete those apps than remove social media platforms or personal photos. 

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The fight for phone space! A dilemma that customers have

Web-apps are often seen as an attractive option with business owners. One reason for this can likely be attributed to the fact that the amount of phone memory a web app requires to operate is practically zero! information is stored within remote servers navigated by users via a compelling brand icon. Zero memory requirements with no installation time are significant advantages that native applications just don’t have. There’s no wonder web-apps are considered “progressive” within the online community. Web apps decrease the threat of deletion and if the app can survive on your customers’ phones this allows time to properly reinforce trust and familiarity between your brand and your customers. 

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Good for users/Good for business 

Apps are best known for having a user-friendly interface. It could be said that the true beauty of web apps is they strike a fine balance between web sites and native applications, combining the best aspects from both. Web sites are searchable and commitment free i.e. No installation time, use of memory etc. but are static pages of text and photographs where visitors can quickly become disinterested. Apps are usually colourful with good use of imagery and can be navigated quickly using icons which spark curiosity however requires a degree of commitment. Web applications combine the simple user-friendly interface of a native application and are easily accessed from any device with an internet connection. This is because the app is accessed via your brand’s icon which is saved on the customer’s phone screen and connects with the browser on the mobile phone. Great when all mobile devices come with a default search engine. This makes accessing your services super easy and challenge free! With customers able to interact with your app from anywhere and from any device!

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It’s all about that connection 

Another benefit of a web application is its ability to send push notifications. Communications help to engage your customer informing them of upcoming events, invitations, news and sales promotions. Studies show that 60% of users agree to receive notifications and 70% of users consider notifications useful. Amazingly, it’s been shown that notifications have a click rate of  7 times more than email! This is a good way to keep your customers in the loop about your business. As active participants, this helps users form a sense of involvement, contribution or connection with your brand. Especially where encouraged to write reviews, give an opinion or attend events. This helps forge a “digital intimacy” between customers and businesses owners. Its interactive nature leads to an increase in app activity, thereby magnifying results. The inevitable outcome… loyalty. Notifications act like a bridge between your business and your app users. People return to what they know, and once trust has been established, they are likely both refer you and to come back again and again.  

Are you selling online yet?  Are you missing out?

In Ireland 69% Small and Medium Sized Enterprises have a website but astonishingly only 32% of these are successful at selling products and services online! According to Owen Clifford, head of retail sector, Bank Of Ireland, “If people are buying online, we need to encourage them and give them the option to buy from an Irish business”. Online retail is a reality. Having an effective online presence in Ireland saves goods and services being lost oversees to companies like Amazon, boohoo.com, Alibaba etc. saving a whopping 70% of all online revenue made in Ireland being lost overseas! Maybe its time “buy Irish” also encapsulates all the dimensions of the internet and effective online marketing. 

Essentially having a trading presence online is the new  'advertising', and it’s very effective. The fact is, today if you are not online, in the minds of most people your business is not in the game. No online presence means no online sales. But, how are we to stand out? When customers are bombarded by advertisement after advertisement… A web-app helps to keep it personal, using direct communications to cut through the noise and get to the heart of customer wants and needs. In a country where 6% of our Gross Domestic Product is brought in online, worth 7 billion!  It seems not using the most effective online marketing tools at our disposal would be a major disadvantage. 

How a modern web-app can help you!

With a growing trend towards online shopping expected to continue its seems a no brainer to move online.  These days, considering our ‘living with COVID-19’  in some circumstances online stores are literally the only place buyers can go for “non-essential items” during certain phases of lockdown. If your local clothes store is closed and you need a new winter coat in November, where would you go to shop? 

A website might be the first step to existing online but to take your business to the next level a web app can help establish your logo on the devices your customers look at every day. It can streamline  communications, encourage engagement, in app activity, and build loyalty allowing your business to grow and eventually thrive!

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Researched and written by our guest writer Sean Jenkins

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References 

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Mohsin, M., 2020. 10 ONLINE SHOPPING STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2020. [Online]
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