Just a couple of years ago, it was impractical for most small businesses to create a mobile app. Most didn’t see any real value in it.
A lot has changed since then.
Thanks to app development software tools, many businesses are building apps. And the trend is expected to continue.
According to data collected by Biznessapps, a mobile platform for small businesses, nearly half of small businesses are expected to adopt a mobile app by 2017 or later.
Small Business Apps to Grow in Future
So, what has prompted this sudden interest in building apps? The data suggests small businesses are building apps to increase sales (55 percent), improve customer experience (50 percent) and to become competitors in a specific market (50 percent).
Sales is, of course, a top priority for small businesses. And as revealed by a Gartner study, more than 268 billion downloads are estimated to generate $77 billion worth of revenue in 2017. That gives a very strong motive for small businesses to adopt mobile apps.
Key Mobile App Trends for 2017
With the mobile app landscape looking favorable, these are some of the trends expected to dominate in 2017.
According to Biznessapps, location-based services will continue to rise. Their growth can be attributed to the availability and ease of use of GPS on mobile devices. Data suggests location-based services will evolve further and give users real-time information or deals based on their whereabouts.
For small businesses, this could provide an opportunity to target more local users with promotional offers.
Another trend that’s expected to gain momentum in 2017 is the integration of augmented reality into utility apps.
Apps that use augmented reality are perceived as gimmicky for promotional purposes. But over time, a number of apps have started using augmented reality for more commercial purposes.
If done the right way, augmented reality can make small businesses more innovative and help engage customers.
A mobile app strategy can help businesses move in the right direction.
Aira Bongco
Business is really going mobile. And apps are the main reason for it. It makes it easier to do business as well so I think this is the reason why there will be a lot of businesses adopting them this year.
Gustavo Woltmann
I think it’s a clever marketing strategy. Everyone has their own smartphones now but not everyone has their laptop. As a businessman, one should take into consideration what their prospective consumers/clients are using nowadays. Nice infographic btw.
Unsure when I fell in love with mobile devices, but I still love to blog and for the most part that requires a good desktop. According to StatCounter, this was the year that mobile overtook desktop’s share of page views for the first time ever. They’ve been watching global traffic since 2009. I was late to the mobile game, getting my first smartphone in 2012.