The Role of Apps in Digital Marketing

The ever-evolving nature of digital media and digital culture continues to shape all aspects of marketing, but the rise of the Internet of Things has refocused the relationship between individual consumers and business marketing efforts. In particular, the role of apps in digital marketing cannot be discounted; mobile apps have become a regular feature of consumer life, interwoven into the webs of media we all consume. This leaves many businesses facing vital questions about the role of apps in digital marketing and how that affects their business, their marketing plan, and their future potential.

In exploring the role of apps in digital marketing, it’s probably best to start with a look at how app culture has changed consumer expectations and the relationships consumers have with various modes of marketing. Briefly, these include the following:

• Digital Marketing must optimize with mobile devices in mind. This goes far beyond having a mobile-friendly website. Marketing media content, advertising dollars, and the overall marketing plan must be framed in a mobile-friendly way. The majority of consumers are most likely to encounter business advertising on a mobile device; digital marketing needs to plan accordingly. 
• Consumers expect a responsive, tailored experience. The great strength of apps is that they can be personalized and optimized for each consumer, based on demographic research and past behavior patterns. As such, consumers have come to expect marketing media interactions that are user-friendly, personal, and accessible.
• A responsive and accessible digital media presence is a must. There are no longer any two ways about it: consumers expect that digital media–and thus a business’s overall digital presence–will be accessible, available, and responsive. While driven by apps, this trend moves far past them and influences website design, social media implementation, and overall client communication strategies. 
• Data collection is now a vital tool for businesses of all types and sizes. No matter what the industry or the size of the business, data collection is now a must. Effective data collection happens at each stage of the funnel, as potential consumers and customers move through the system. Past trends, present actions, and demographics all combine to create a bigger picture of what’s happening on the consumer/client level.
• Data analysis is critical to future success. It’s not enough to have collected as much data on both present clients and potential consumers as possible; that data must be organized, analyzed, and put to work in a way that helps the business thrive. This requires that accurate data, the right technology, and the appropriate expertise all be brought to bear in a cost-effective and timely manner.

The explosive growth of apps within the internet of things has brought many changes and raised many more questions, chief among them this: does your business need an app? The answer is perhaps anticlimactic: probably not. While apps can be an effective tool for many businesses and are worth considering, more important than the app is a digital marketing plan designed to take advantage of the media and marketing environment that apps have helped create. An expertly designed and properly executed digital marketing plan will make full use of both the current technology and the changing consumer expectations which businesses currently face. The right digital marketing will allow for flexibility to meet future changes and challenges cost-effectively, ensuring maximum ROI for your business. Contact us to know more!