Apps
Apps

quick search

Do I need an app?
How an app is developed
Why mobile apps?
Customer loyalty / punch cards / location marketing

Push notifications
Social media integration
Is mobile app development right for your brand?
Additional mobile app questions

App Development

Need An App?

We all know what an app is because more than likely, you use several of them every day. Spotify, Slack, Snapchat – all apps (that coincidentally start with an “S” lol).

The real question is, do you need one?

We specialize in helping people develop their app ideas and determine the best way to see their vision realized. In some cases, developing a mobile app for Apple and Android is the only way to get the functionality you need. And having your own app on these platforms can make your business stand out.

But developing for these platforms can be expensive and time consuming. In many cases, “web apps” that users access through an ordinary web browser, can be just as powerful — and far cheaper to make. Whatever the case, we’ll help you find the right solution for you. Then we’ll help you define your needs and get it built.

How to Develop An App

The first question is, what problem will your application solve for users? Before any code is ever constructed, this question needs to be answered from all angles.

From there, an app development strategy needs to be developed. We work with you on all conceivable “If this, then that” scenarios for how the app should function.

Building an app is like building an engine. Every engine has a specific function or needed end result.

After we’ve developed a strategy and solved the “problem” for a user, we start working on content. Literally the copy or text, images, video that will be included in the app build.

From there, we work up a wireframe. We script out the design and function. We hone in on user experience in the phase.

Then, we start building the app. There is a lot of back and forth between our developers and our clients at this point.

Why Mobile App Development?

Mobile app development is another way to get in front of current customers and attract new ones. More people search from their phones and tablets than from their desktops.

People rely on their devices for information on products and services as they are making purchase decisions. Which means, people are using apps, several of them every day, more than ever before.

The days of researching via a desktop computer (and even laptops) and then going to a store and making a purchase are waning. Mobile app development is a way to make your business more visible, and an app provides direct access to your customers, or potential customers, 24/7.

Building Memorable Mobile App Experiences With Impact

Customer Loyalty/Punch Cards/Location Based Marketing

Remember the old Subway Sub Club punch cards? We can replicate that process via app every time a customer uses your product or service and set them up with rewards or discounts. The ultimate form of engagement is creating a benefit for your customers and having them respond via a call to action that is relevant to their needs. What if you could do this in real time? With a mobile app, you can.

Here’s an example: Joe’s Diner has a lunch special and wants to increase sales immediately. Via the functionality in his mobile app, Joe can send a message (called a “Push Notification”) out via his mobile app to everyone who has the app installed. Not only that, but he can directly select the customers who receive the notification by zip code and a radius of x miles.

He can find out the largest company in town, determine its zip code, and market directly to those customers who then via word of mouth tell their co-workers about the special.

Just like that, Joe has increased his sales of a particular item and has increased his brand awareness, creating new customers in the process. All via a mobile app development.

Push Notifications

Another thing to consider is the functionality of push notifications. When someone downloads or installs your mobile app, they consent to receiving direct text messages and notifications via a push notification.

Unlike social media messaging/content publishing, when a push notification is enacted, a message is sent directly to a user’s device whether or not the app is open. It literally comes through like an Amber Alert or a severe weather warning, guaranteeing that an app user sees your content.

Previously only available on mobile apps on platforms such as Apple or Android, now websites can deliver push notifications, another factor to consider in what direction to go for your services.

Social Media Integration

Social media and mobile apps have a symbiotic relationship. Quality mobile app development will feature a business or brand’s social media accounts and make them accessible via the app.

Similarly, you can push downloads of your mobile app via various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. For an example of how we value and utilize social media, please read our page on social media Omaha and why it is critically important that you take advantage of social media.

Is Mobile App Development Right For My Business Or Brand?

It’s hard to envision any type of business or brand that does not benefit from more eyeballs on their products, or more people interested in the content they are producing. One aspect that makes mobile app development so viable is the fact that all content is fully customizable.

Questions you should ask yourself before developing a mobile application:

  • Who is your biggest competitor? Does something like this already exist on the market already? You’d be amazed how many people we talk to that have not done a basic Google search to determine if an app for their chosen functionality already exists. Your “great idea” may have already been thought of, and passed on. Typically there is a reason why that “great idea” doesn’t already exist. But not always.
  • What workflow or problem does my app streamline or solve?
  • Are these issues common to other business owners in your space?
  • Who is your ideal, targeted app user?
  • What is the budget you are willing to spend? The most basic app will be in the $10,000 range. More complex apps, you can budget $20,000 and up. Some apps can easily go north of $100,000.
  • What is your “Elevator Pitch” for your app? Can you sell it to me in a couple sentences?
  • What is the timeline/deadline?
  • How will you market your app once it is created and available in the App Store and via Google Play?
  • How is it going to be hosted?
  • What is the monetization strategy for the app?
  • How is the app going to be found once it is live? This needs to be thought out prior to any type of code is ever built.

Questions About Mobile App Development?

Developing a mobile app is a big step, but a necessary one if you’ve asked yourselves the right questions.

We can help you brainstorm and strategize the development of your app before you commit yourself to a large spend.

Pitching an idea to a group of battle-tested veterans like lgx has a ton of value in and of itself; we can see things from an outside, objective perspective that maybe you had not yet considered.

We have a lot of experience as consultants for application development. We can meet with your team and brainstorm the app, really get a feel for what it needs to be, in a very stripped down format. From there, we strategize internally and create a workable document with recommendations, mockups/wireframes, and actionable next steps.

App development is a broad topic, but we specialize in explaining involved concepts in an easy to understand way that won’t make you feel “little.”

Please contact us with your questions today. We are happy to help.

Banner art inspired by pop artist Robert Indiana