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Mobile App Advantages: What Having a Mobile App can do for Your E-commerce Business

Mobile app users are a big wave of consumers constantly washing over the shores of the e-commerce industry. According to Statista, the total number of mobile app downloads in 2017 is 197 billion, while a full one third of e-commerce customers are mobile app users. So what does having a mobile app really do for your e-commerce business?

Capture preference. According to recent polls, 78% of users said they prefer accessing shopping services via a mobile app rather than within mobile browsers because it’s easier, faster, and more secure. Mobile apps make way for serviceable transactions that customers don’t find in e-commerce websites. Mobile apps unlike websites do not take more than 3 seconds to load and have a quick and flexible interface.

Prompt conversion and sales. Since people prefer to use mobile apps than websites, more customers turn to mobile apps for shopping and become consistent shoppers. According to MarketingLand, apps drive 189% more conversions than mobile websites, which means that merely having an app and driving some traffic to it already garners profit.

Bring brand loyalty. The establishment of brand loyalty is what happens when a customer virtually acquires a store in the palm of their hands which they can access anytime and anywhere and which also lets them share purchases and finds to their friends. The 24/7 visibility, availability, and usability of mobile apps motivate customers to form a habit of dependency on mobile apps, while integrating a social sharing feature in your mobile app gives you an opportunity to have your brand reach more people.

Control user experience. Mobile apps can be designed according to the features and specifications present in the user’s device. This allows e-commerce mobile apps to control and personalize customer experience with engaging commands, functions, and push notifications.

Boost SEO. Having a mobile app amplifies your brand’s SEO rating because Google Search ranks app content in addition to website content. Through app indexing, your e-commerce website gets additional organic traffic. Results obtained through app indexing actually are prioritized above regular web results by Google, so without an app, it will become almost impossible to be on page 1 of mobile search results.

To get started on your e-commerce mobile app, choose a professional app developer that builds smart and handy apps. Alfafusion is an expert in developing mobile apps and other digital marketing technologies in the Philippines since 1998.

How to Improve Your Mobile SEO

With numerous studies proving that more and more people are now using their mobile phones to get on the web, and that people spend more and more time on their mobile phones to search, it is clear that mobile phones are on their way to becoming the primary way for people to access the internet. Indeed, with all the conveniences a mobile phone offers, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise. With this new development however, it is important for businesses, as well as for a SEO services Philippines, to keep up with the times and make sure to list mobile SEO at the top of their priorities.

Here are 5 ways to help you improve your mobile SEO:

1. Use the ‘mobile first’ approach

With PC sales getting lower and lower all over the world, you know that it is due to mobile phone usage overtaking the use of desktops. That’s why, in developing your site, it is important for you to do so with mobile design at the top of your agenda.

2. Make your site responsive

Before thinking about how to design your site in a way that will make it responsive, it is necessary to think mobile first because this will help you determine how you would be presenting your content. With one of the main problems of achieving responsive web design being the load time, it is important to remember that how you design your site for mobile will be different from how it is designed for desktops. Load time is very important when it comes to keeping a visitor on your site, and a faster one could lead to higher conversion rates, and of course, higher revenue.

3. Ensure your mobile site is fast and can be easily navigated

One thing about mobile browsing is that at times, buttons are so small that they’re difficult to click, as well as everything else that you have to keep on zooming the screen or scrolling up and down, which can indeed get pretty frustrating. Make sure to design your mobile site with the convenience of users at the forefront of your mind, such as making buttons easy to click with their thumbs, or having a great interface. The more usable your mobile site is, the more likely visitors will be converted into customers.

4. Simplify your landing pages

Again, a mobile site is not the same as one you can access on a desktop. The landing pages on your mobile site shouldn’t be the same as the ones on your desktop site. Maximize the use of your mobile site by placing call-to-actions at the very top of the page, so that users on-the-go need not waste time navigating your mobile site for whatever it is they need.

5. Do a lot of testing for your site before making it go live

This will help your site be as effective and user-friendly as it can be. By doing a lot of testing, you get to determine what kind of layout, CTA, design, etc. a user will have a positive response to the most.

5 Mobile App Development Mistakes to Avoid

Make no mistake about it, mobile apps are the new way to go if you’d like to propel your business to greater heights. With smart phones and tablets making it easier for users to access the internet anytime, anywhere, developing a mobile app for your business definitely makes it a great idea and one to seriously consider. But, despite its popularity and its ability to pave the way and open doors for your business, one should not be getting into it in haste. Of course, careful planning is needed, and as with any endeavor, one of the ways you can achieve success is by learning from the mistakes of others.

Here are 5 common mistakes to avoid when it comes to treading the tricky path of mobile app development:

1. Failing to make comprehensive considerations in deciding on a platform

As an app developer, one of the most important questions you would have to face is: iOS, Android, or Windows? Many developers fail to realize that the platform on which they will be placing their app is a crucial element in its success. That’s why it is important for you to make a thorough evaluation of each option. Make sure not to leave any stone unturned when deciding on a platform. With the many things you will need to consider, it would be best to come up with every possibility and alternative. For instance, you would need to consider your audience – are you planning to publish your app in numerous countries? Consider what is most popular on a global scale. Though iOS may be the popular one in your country, Android is the one that happens to run the show worldwide. If you fail to make this consideration, among many others, the success of your app could surely suffer.

2. Failing to see the differences between mobile and web

If you think that a mobile app is just like a website, albeit on a smaller scale, then we need to make things clear. The two aren’t one and the same thing. They are fundamentally different, and you’ll need to understand their differences in order to build a successful mobile app. Do not make the mistake of thinking that your app should be able to perform just like how your website does, for not only are they different in size, they are also different in functionality and scope.

Though they are different, it doesn’t mean that one is less valuable than the other. For instance, though the mobile app is smaller, one should not underestimate its value as due to this element, it can be easily accessed, even while one is on the go, and its touch screen features make it more intuitive. On the other hand, accessing the web on one’s desktop or laptop computer, with its own advantages, should make you seriously ponder on and answer why a mobile app is necessary to be built for your business in the first place.

3. Failing to plan on the best path to take regarding monetization

Another important question: How to monetize your app? There are different options, such as offering subscription or going free – but with options for purchase. Or you can also just go with in-app advertising. This would be another element in developing a mobile app that you need to devote a lot of time to research on. One way to help you decide? Check out how other apps – the most successful ones – in your genre are monetizing. Look into what they do or how they do things. Learn from the best.

4. Failing to fiercely market your app

No matter how good you think your app is, it would’t matter if people don’t know about it. Remember, as you launch your mobile app, don’t make the mistake of thinking that your app’s sheer amazingness will be able to make a name for itself, even without any marketing efforts. Uh, in a world of thousands of competitors? We think not! Make sure you have an extensive marketing plan with the help of an SEO expert Philippines if you’d like to build awareness and visibility.

5. Doing the beta test for your app yourself

Even if you can do it yourself, it’s best to have other beta testers for your app. They will be able to help you gain a different perspective that will provide you with very useful and helpful information in developing and improving your app, and in making it as user-friendly as possible. Since you are the developer of the app, it’s difficult to see your own flaws, and an outside perspective is the one that can do the trick in making sure that whatever flaws exist are dealt with, ensuring that your app is indeed ready to be launched to the public.