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Is Your App Ready for the Holidays?

The holidays are quickly approaching and people are already looking for the best apps that will deliver the most relevant information, deals, specials, discounts and make sure they make it through the holidays effortlessly and without breaking the bank. Retailers tap into the power of mobile apps during the holidays because it’s the busiest season on the App Store. But how can consumers use your app if they don’t know about it?

That’s why App Marketing is critical! Apps are not just discovered in the App Store. They need the necessary coverage in order to gain popularity and increase downloads. Through app marketing we are able to drive thousands of daily downloads and hit top store rankings.

Purchases made on mobile apps more than doubled in 2015, to nearly $50 billion. Now is the time to ensure that your business is ready for the potential profits that mobile ecommerce has to offer.

In 2015, 60 percent of consumers used their smartphones to make holiday purchases. Consumers are increasingly purchasing directly from mobile devices, skipping the aisle, the desktop and any possible referrals to a physical store location.  75% of shoppers used mobile devices in some fashion for holiday shopping. Without a mobile-optimized website or app, you could severely miss out on reaching these mobile gift givers.

Black Friday use to be associated with waiting in long store lines and competing with other customers for the best offers. Not anymore. Due to the increase in number of people shopping online, in-store traffic has dropped and mobile devices are more important than ever.

The holiday season drives more app downloads in the U.S. than any other time of year. Apart from smartphones being a main source of information, deals, and special promotions, they also make great gifts during the holiday season. Millions of people will unwarp new mobile devices and that’s why it’s more important than ever for app marketers to ensure that their apps show up when consumers come looking.

What do these mobile shoppers value most? In-store discounts, price comparison, product ratings, new products, earning reward/points, product features and ordering out-of-stock items. Does your app stack up to the competition? Here are some ways to ensure your app gains the attention of your audience.

Implement a Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs offer exclusive deals and early bird specials to customers. Stored data allows you to specifically target users and ensure that you are keeping your existing customers. Rewards programs also encourage return shoppers because they gain more “points”.

Use Push Notifications

Let your customers know when you’re offering a special price or having a sale.

Access More Customers

Today’s mobile-obsessed consumer is constantly on the lookout for the next big thing. When you manage to offer a mobile app experience that is engaging, useful and fun for the customer, they are more likely to refer it to friends and family members.

Make Payment Easy

Mobile apps can be customized by the user so they can store their payment information. This makes the process of making a purchase much easier.  85% of consumers admit that the prefer shopping on a mobile app than a website because of in app payment methods.

Generate More Revenue

There are a lot of transactions occurring in the mobile environment and developing a mobile app gives you the opportunity to get a piece of that revenue.

If you want your business to be competitive during the busy holiday season, it is time to consider a mobile app.  If your business offers a mobile app, then you are automatically afforded the chance to get a piece of that customer’s daily mobile time. If you already have an app, it’s time to consider marketing so your app will be noticed and used!