November 2016 – jācapps

By: Vince Kattoula

It’s a been quite the year for mobile apps. Even though they made their mark on other devices throughout 2015, I feel like this is the year when they really proved their worth in places other than our phones – like our homes and our cars. Of all the apps that I have downloaded on my iPhone, there’s really only a few that I’d truly have a hard time parting with. Perhaps it’s the way these apps keep me engaged, or maybe it’s the way they allow me to connect with friends and family.

Either way, these are three of my favorite mobile apps of 2016:

Slack

Slack is awesome. I constantly use it in and out of work to share funny memes, GIFs, videos, and other posts with my friends and co-workers. But, it’s much more than that. It’s a place where we get work done, too. We use Slack to share important files and brainstorm ideas with one another. Many important announcements are made through Slack – like when there’s chocolate in the kitchen (thanks Ben). Slack is definitely my favorite mobile app of 2016.

Slack is available for free on iOS and Android.

Vivid Seats

I couldn’t tell you how much Vivid Seats has saved me on sporting events this year. From Tigers to Red Wings games and Lions to Pistons games, Vivid Seats seems to always offer tickets for some of the lowest prices available. And it’s more than just sports. Tickets for concerts, plays, comedy shows, and many other theater events can be purchased at low-end prices. Vivid Seats successfully hits on three key features – it’s easy to use, it’s customizable and interactive, and (best of all) it’s FREE

Vivid Seats is available on iOS and Android.

Snapchat

Snapchat is one of those apps that gets better every time I use it. Constant updates to the numerous filters and geo-tags keep the app fun and engaging for all types of audiences. What I enjoy most about it is getting an “behind-the-scenes” look into the lives of my favorite athletes and celebrities. It’s also a place to access the latest news and content from brands like BuzzFeed, Comedy Central, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, and Mashable (just to name a few).

Snapchat is available for free on iOS and Android.

By: Vince Kattoula

The internet has come a long way. I remember the days of waiting what seemed like hours for a website to load over the dial-up connection – only to be kicked off moments later because someone had to make a phone call using the landline. Luckily for us, gone are the days of using a landline to connect to the internet. In today’s world, most people use a mobile device to access the internet. In fact, MediaPost reports that mobile will represent 75% of internet traffic next year. This really wasn’t groundbreaking news to me since I’m immersed in the world of mobile every day, but it did get me thinking…

What’s more convenient: mobile apps or mobile web?

Judging by the sheer dominance in the way apps have outpaced mobile web, it’s safe to say people love and prefer the apps on their smartphones and other mobile devices. This is not hard to understand considering apps are easy to use, and they can provide users with instant gratification. Mobile web can sometimes make for a frustrating experience, especially when the website isn’t optimized for mobile. comScore provides us with the visual below to help us understand just how dominant mobile apps are compared to their mobile web counterpart.

So, should your business get an app?

Probably.
Since 2008, competition within the space has increased pretty heavily. So much so, that 63% of app users become inactive within the first 30 days of downloading an app. For this reason, it’s important to keep your customer base engaged. People aren’t always going to check your website for deals and updates, and emails sometimes fall into the spam folder. Mobile apps create an instant connection between your business and your audience. Users who download your app are likely your best customers, and they give your brand a small piece of precious real estate on their device so your message is never more than a tap away – useful to them and your business.
To find out more about how mobile apps can help your business become more lucrative, reach out to us today by emailing us at sales@jacapps.com or by calling 248-353-9030.