It's no secret that smartphone applications are now a massively used commodity, with more and more brands and their respective online PR or social media agencies beginning to see the value in creating apps and the different use cases for their business.
The ability for brands to create a more direct impression on smartphone users and maintain a presence within their pockets can be instrumental in improving brand awareness and in some cases influencing the bottom line, creating direct ROI. Below are just a few use cases when it comes to how a mobile application could have the most benefit for a business:
E-commerce usage - one of the most effective uses of mobile apps is for mobile commerce opportunities - a successful mobile application will essentially pay for itself over time. A fantastic example of a mobile commerce application is that of Dominos Pizza; the brand recently revealed that it had taken $1,000,000 in mobile pizza sales within a week of the app's launch. This should be very encouraging for consumer brands.
Viral marketing - some of the best mobile apps are the ones that provide users with the means to create their own bespoke user-generated content. Such apps usually come with a form of social media integration, so as well as providing an engaging experience for the app user directly from their smartphone, they also allow them to share that experience with their extended network, affording greater brand visibility. A great example of this would be the recent Autodance application created to promote Just Dance 3 - a brilliant way of showcasing the product whilst creating bespoke and instantly sharable content for the user.
Complimenting other services - some businesses with a more serious and formal brand personality may view mobile applications as a frivolous and unnecessary investment. However, when used as a means of enhancing an existing product or service, they can be highly effective. Last time I travelled by air I used the British Airways mobile application to check in and retrieve my boarding pass - the app made the whole process a far simpler affair.
Advertising revenue - this may not be appropriate for some brands, but another key benefit of the mobile application platform is that it can be monetized through advertising. Regardless of the application's area of interest, it can almost certainly be supported by adverts. Obviously for most brands, the application is likely to be branded, but for other businesses such as online publications or games companies, this could be a great source of income.
It's probable that as more and more brands find success with mobile apps, more will begin to dip their toes in the water and discover how the medium can be of benefit to them too. Brands stand to achieve a great deal from integrating mobile platforms into their marketing strategies moving forwards. With constant advances in location-based technology and augmented reality, there's sure to be a great deal of innovation on the horizon.