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Over the past decade, we’ve formed a kind of unbreakable bond with our smartphones. It would not be an exaggeration to say that most today feel lost without it. Then came the pandemic, which further deepened our dependence on smartphones.
According to research, there are 6.648 billion smartphone users in 2021, and that number is growing rapidly even as you read this blog. The average person spends more than 11-12 hours awake in front of a screen, of which at least 4 hours are spent on a smartphone. By 2023, more than 1.31 billion users will conduct mobile payment transactions across multiple platforms.
These existing statistics and data projections all point to one irrefutable fact; mobile is and will be one of the most unbeatable marketing mediums for brands. And what better way to bridge the gap between your business and its target audience than by investing in Mobile app development? Mobile app development is digitization at its best. It is worth investing in, especially for direct customers or D2C businesses. So let’s see how a D2C business application can help brands grow in the limelight.
Why do D2C companies need mobile apps?
D2C or direct-to-customer/consumer business takes a different approach compared to B2B and B2C brands. Since it sells its products and services directly to end users, it needs to strategically position the brand within the niche market while gaining visibility online. D2C businesses do not rely on an intermediary or third-party entity to market their brand or sell their products/services. They have complete autonomy when it comes to the conception and development of the product line along with the marketing and sales strategy.
The foundation of D2C business is a unique brand identity and culture that offers clients an exclusive shopping experience. This gives them an edge over the market competition and brands that lack exclusivity in creating a holistic experience for clients. The brand’s corporate culture is its USP, which cannot be matched using generic marketing and sales channels such as Amazon, UberEats, AliExpress, and the like.
D2C businesses typically rely on direct engagement through social media channels to acquire customers. However, this can be improved for both the brand and the target audience through a D2C e-commerce application. Many brands initially start by reaching their target audience through their social media business pages and then move to an app-based infrastructure to expand their reach and drive growth.
How does mobile app development support D2C business growth?
Coming back to how a mobile app can drive business growth and brand visibility for D2C businesses, here are a few points to give you more clarity.
Attract the mobile-first consumer:
Consumer behavior, especially in terms of shopping habits, has changed rapidly over the past decade, even more so during the pandemic years. Mobile is the preferred method of shopping for most. As of 2021, more than 54% of total e-commerce sales are generated via mobile phones. This will increase in the coming days.
This change in shopping behavior is mainly due to the ease and convenience of mobile shopping. Now is the right time for D2C businesses to take advantage of this transition in their target audience’s behavior and create a mobile-focused marketing and sales strategy. Along with social media marketing, an official app can help them optimize the user experience and brand culture with a mobile-first approach.
Personalized Brand Experience:
Consumers today are drawn to personalized and unique experiences. A brand cannot do enough when using e-commerce applications in the marketplace that cater to countless brands through a general layout and infrastructure. Investing in an official app will allow your business to create personalized experiences for clients or customers. User data generated from the app can help you create marketing content and develop products that reach your target audience.
You can generate recommendations from your target audience’s browsing and purchase history; then create tailor-made promotions to attract the customer and even offer customized services. A personalized brand experience will help your brand gain more recognition from the start, increase lifetime customer value and achieve a positive ROI.
Sustainable business approach:
When working with an on-demand or e-commerce app, you must adhere to company policies and branding initiatives. For example, if the so-called middleman does not run a sustainable business, then your brand is marked with the same. When you approach the consumer mindset today, you need to create an image of sustainability and environmental friendliness because your target audience will notice.
With the official app, you can lay the foundation for a sustainable business by creating your marketing and promotional campaigns and incorporating them into your app marketing strategies. You can promote your sustainable approach to your target audience and benefit from the same. This is a strong brand awareness strategy that can only happen through an official app.
Expanding your consumer base:
Let’s say you’re a fitness trainer looking to grow your business and increase your client base. With a single training studio, you can reach a handful of residents and at the same time divert existing competition in the market. Building a chain of fitness studios is not only expensive, but it would take years. But in this digital age, you don’t have to go through this ordeal. Create an app! You can not only attract more local clients but also people from all over the country and even beyond the borders.
A mobile app gives you the perfect medium to expand your consumer base from local to global. Although this may not apply to all kinds of businesses, the app would help you expand your business zone even if it is local.
Data Analytics for Business Growth:
The app is a data mine. You can derive golden insight from analyzing digital platform data and marketing campaigns. How is the attendance? Which pages get the most traffic? Which products are the best sellers? What reviews are customers posting? What is the cart abandonment rate? What payment options do customers prefer? You can learn so much from the data collected through the app and use it to create better marketing campaigns, develop better products and improve your brand image.
Also Read: The Best Mobile App Research Ultimate Guides With Data & Strategy
Type of Mobile App Development for D2C Business:
Native App Development:
Native mobile app development for D2C businesses is quite common. Coding and framework are platform-specific (iOS/Android/other OS). The application is built using the platform’s native APIs. However, there are cross-platform variations based on the native framework, such as React Native app development, Xamarin app development, Flutter development, etc.
Hybrid mobile App Development:
Cross-platform app development is where a single code facilitates an application on multiple platforms (operating systems).
Progressive app development:
The application is developed based on web technologies and is deployed in the browser. No need to install it from the app store. It gives you an experience similar to a mobile app in a web browser.
Which app development is best for D2C business?
Choosing a D2C mobile app development would depend on the scale and scope of the business, user demographics, and budget. You can hire a professional mobile app development expert like us to guide you on the right path. We also help you with app marketing and cross-channel promotion.
Wrapping up!
To sum it up, a D2C business mobile app development will give your brand unique exposure in this competitive market, guarantee rapid growth through better online visibility, and help you better connect with your target audience. According to Statista, mobile commerce revenue exceeded $359.32 billion in 2021, with a projection of $728.38 billion by 2025. With a D2C e-commerce app, you can become part of this billion-dollar industry.
