What Type of App is Right for You?

You need an app for your business. Let’s start there. It is 2022, and you need an app for your business if you hope to stand out among the countless other businesses trying to carve a slice of the market for themselves.

First, apps are highly versatile in their functionality. An app built for your business should not be as simple as a different version of your website. An app should be a unique appendage of your business, constructed to add a new, dynamic interaction component for consumers. In order to gain the most benefits from an app, you will need to decide on a specific intent. What will your app do for your consumers?

Let’s look at some of the options.

Content apps

A content app provides you the option to share content with your users. The content is usually exclusive to the app, which offers users an incentive to partake. For example, a photography business might sell exclusive prints through their app or provide exclusive discounts via the app.

Retention apps

Also known as “loyalty apps,” a retention app will bestow frequent customers with rewards of some kind. A well-known example is Hello Fresh, a meal kit service. Hello Fresh provides customers with a free box of meals depending on the amount of boxes ordered through the app. By driving your consumers to the app with rewards, you will cultivate a loyal customer base who wants more.

Entertainment apps

Unlike content or retention apps, an entertainment app comes with no incentives. However, an entertainment app should provide stimulating content to the user, whether that’s video material, games, or even long-form customer testimonials crafted into creative narratives.

There is an important note to make concerning entertainment apps. On the surface, an entertainment app seems like a lot of work without any return in terms of profit. But an app is not always solely designed for resolving customer tasks or providing products. In the right hands, an app becomes a multi-faceted marketing tool that can fit whatever needs your business has.

For example, Red Bull entertains their audience with an app called Red Bull TV. Although no one is buying cans of Red Bull through the app, Red Bull keeps its brand image alive and healthy through this source of entertainment.

Process apps

A process app is the simplest of the bunch: consumers can enjoy your services through the app. Whether buying something, scheduling an appointment, or viewing inventory, your customer is directly connected to your professional process through the app.

Customer service apps

Lastly, we have our customer service apps. Although they are not nearly as exciting or dynamic as entertainment or content apps, a customer service app should make consumers feel cared for by providing an intuitive space to solve any issues they may have with your product.

Beyond the different types of apps, having an app of any kind will help your business with brand recognition, customer visibility, and relevancy in a world that is consistently becoming more digital. Imagine yourself as a customer, bouncing back and forth from social media to your work email to your text messages—and probably back to social media one more time. All the while, a colorful app icon sits in the corner of your vision every time you return to the home screen.

Is it your app they’re seeing? It should be.

You have many options for strategically deploying an app for your business. However, the keyword remains “strategic.” Semaphore Mobile can help build a strategic solution for you. Get in touch with us, and one of our team members will reach out to discuss your ideas.