Do you need a phone app?

Several years ago, when smart phones were developed, a lot of companies gave huge amounts of money to developers to create their phone app. Was it worth it?

Current studies and surveys strongly say no. Sorry, you hitched a ride on the bandwagon but it's unlikely that there was any return on your (probably quite large) investment.

I have so many apps on my phone. They range from restaurant finders to a handy spirit level. Do I have any apps from specific businesses? No, I don't. What good would they be to me?

"Ah" you say "if you had my company app, you'd be able to find out about our special deals and offers". Well, I can find out about those from Foursquare (free to you), Gowalla (free to you ), Yelp (free to you), your Facebook page (free to you), your LinkedIn group (free to you) ...

"But" you reply "it has all sorts of useful information about us". Like what? An interactive map to your location? What else?

"Well...."

Exactly.

Those recent studies I mentioned revealed that phone apps just don't work as far as marketing is concerned. They are an indugence - and a rather expensive one. 

Your phone-enabled website however, is another matter. Of course your website needs to work well on a phone. And it will have an interactive map, details about your business, the ability for viewers to order, your special offers... 

So do you need a phone app, really, truly, honestly? Or has someone just persuaded you that you do "need" one because "it's the latest thing". Well, you're not going to be fooled by that one either because phone apps have been around for many years - you'll hardly be a forerunner.

Do you want to spend a lot of money on developing a phone app that, according to studies and surveys won't bring you any business?

I thought not. Do not be fooled. 

Comments

[Macey Prange]

Some phone applications might not be that useful in our daily activities, but to those who are much dependent on their phone, and internet use, use it most often; say for example a traveler or a tourist that searches maps through their phone. And we may find that some of these apps are not useful now, but in time (or there will be time) that we will find them very useful on certain events.

[Duke Williams]

I have heard this argument before and while I agree that phone apps cost too much in most cases, I think that we are in the early stages of mobile usage. In the early stages of Internet usage, curated web portals like AOL and Yahoo played the same role as curated apps like Yelp and Foursquare do today. Technology always starts this way. But does any business think a listing in Yahoo is enough that they do not need their own website?

I work for a company - www.sehmobile.com - that builds very inexpensive apps for small, local businesses and I know that most of these apps are making money for their owners. It is all in how you use the tool.

[Mulberry Alexa]

For this statement, Jochen Zeitz argued that a considerable part of the product had being through wind and rain to counter the trend of fail for decades

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