Some of the Top Mobile Apps and What Your Company Can Learn From Them
Recent years have seen mobile apps take center stage in marketing innovations. With the ever-increasing market, evolving customer behavior, and cutting-edge technologies, businesses utilize mobile apps to stay ahead of their competition. Additionally, many people worldwide swear mobile apps make their life simpler. According to eMarketer, adults in the US spend on average at least 4 hours on mobile internet. 88% of that time is spent using mobile apps. You should ensure one of these apps is yours. But how can you make your app popular and irresistible enough to boost your brand awareness? A look into the leading mobile apps will give you invaluable lessons you can utilize to become the next big brand, and we’ll have a look here:
1. TikTok
TikTok is among the new kids on the social media block and is now a darling among youngsters. Statista reports that as of February 2021, this platform boasts about 83 million monthly active users. The 2020 pandemic saw this app delighting people as they shared heartfelt stories, choreography, and other amazing content videos. A brand community and personalization differentiate certain creators from the competition and make users feel at home amidst hard situations. Amidst quarantine and other social restrictions, people still need to create and maintain intimate human interactions.
The app overtook the other behemoths like Facebook and Instagram by connecting users with similar life stories, pain points, hobbies, and interests in a more intimate way. The TikTok mobile app also capitalized on audience hook. If you’re familiar with this platform, you’re aware of their short, user-friendly, and easy-to-watch videos. These tactics work wonders by grabbing users’ attention and keeping them glued for more content. So be sure your app’s content is short, spicy, and to the point (especially on the landing pages) if you want your users to commit.
2. Instagram
Instagram continues to be among the most popular social media platforms, garnering 1.074 billion users worldwide. The secret behind this staggering figure is its powerful combination of social networking and photography. Hashtags have found a place among the new generation of teens and young adults desiring to make a mark through comments and likes. Instagram gives users a platform to invent and joy-ride on creative hashtag ideas.
This way, bloggers, photographers, designers, and other consumers can make their pictures stand out from the pack. Another thing that comes to mind when thinking about Instagram is its high-tech filters. Even amateur photographers and common users can now become the pro without expensive investments. They can post images with the right saturation level or white balance. Users looking to spice things up can integrate these inbuilt filters with other tools. Your app’s users have desires beyond their needs. They always seek to unleash their positive characteristics and let everyone know. So make your consumer the hero of your brand and help them feel good and achieve their wildest dreams.
3. Dropbox
Dropbox is a robust cloud-storage app that has grown in leaps and bounds since it came into the scene in 2007. The number of its paying users increased from 13.2 million in the first quarter of 2019 to 14.6 million in the same period last year. The mobile app allows users to share files with team members, comment on documents, and browse anything they’ve stored on the internet. It gains its competitive edge in allowing users to integrate with a myriad of other apps and web services without having to contend with compatibility issues. Additionally, users can upload any document regardless of file size. But the most crucial lesson from Dropbox is the importance of developing an app that’s unique and hard to copy. The internet is awash with platforms that provide cloud storage, some of which have been around for years, are larger, and offer more services and products under the same umbrella.
But according to Dropbox co-founder Drew Houston, you can choose to complain about that or embrace a rock-solid strategy that puts you ahead of your competitors. Dropbox is more than just another platform where users format and print documents. It aims at connecting users working on those documents and helps businesses to work creatively and boost productivity. Managers no longer have to waste 60% of their time trying to coordinate people. This ability has become more crucial amidst the pandemic as more people had to work on a screen. Other providers find this document collaboration technique a hard nut to crack. Houston says that for other word processing platforms to imitate them, they would have to take away what their users are already using and start from the ground up.
4. Amazon
Jeff Bezos’ baby has been killing it. Recent years have witnessed it netting around 50% of US eCommerce retail sales. While there’s a lot to learn from the Amazon mobile app, its user experience stands out among the most prominent driving forces behind its success story. E-commerce retailers should borrow a leaf from the platform’s ingenious upsells, cross-sells, and related products. The platform’s algorithms are good at pinpointing customers’ preferences and serving what they want. You’ll encounter sections like “customers who bought A also bought B,” ”recommended items,” and ”frequently bought together.”
The platform usually looks into past purchases to recommend the products you’re most likely to purchase. Amazon will also teach the power of focusing on the customer rather than what your competitor is doing. Yes, competitor analysis is crucial, but don’t get lost in it. Amazon plays its cards like a pro when it comes to awesome support and fast shipping rates because they know that modern customers don’t have the luxury of time. The internet has taught users that sluggishness belongs to the past. Send Amazon an email today, and an answer will land in your inbox within 24 hours. So your next big app needs to focus on top-in-line speeds in everything from delivery to support, browsing, to handling returns.
5. Uber
Uber is the king in the world of on-demand cab service, connecting drivers and riders globally. Currently, at least 103 million active users access this mobile app in around 400 cities spread across 70 countries worldwide. Users no longer have to wait for taxis or walk to the main bus stages anymore. The company has also integrated Google Maps into the map, meaning users can know the exact locations of drivers (and vice versa) when booking. They also get to know the estimated period to arrive at the pick-up and destination place. Furthermore, payment for a ride is a breeze. Users can easily use their cards and mobile wallets.
As seen, Uber utilizes a disruptor business model by using a digital customer interface to revolutionize the age-old taxi system. Initially, the company didn’t own any vehicle — all it did was connect drivers and customers, then earn from commissions. Your brand, too, can harness the power of software interfaces in connecting users with products and services. Do you know your customization game? In other words, do you serve your customers based on their specific needs with your mobile apps? From UberBLACK to UberX to UberSUV to UberLUX, Uber users are spoiled with options. The mobile app usually segments its audience base into several categories: users who don’t own a driver’s license or car, those who prefer not to drive, and tourists.
They don’t stop there. They micro-segment the categories to enrich their personalization game. For instance, you can go with UberKIDS, UberPETS, UberBOAT, UberEATS, UberRush, and other laser-targeted options to enjoy a more customized experience.
6. Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading video streaming platform that enjoys a stock market value of around $152.6 billion, more than Disney. So, what’s making this giant continue winning in its industry? And what’s so great about its mobile apps? Users are always looking for new and fresh content in the entertainment industry. Continue serving them stale movies, and they’ll unsubscribe from your channels faster than you think. Among Netflix’s growth strategies is the tactic of rolling out content strategically. That’s why it released the Stranger Things TV series during Halloween Week since it fit well with the “horror” genre. Netflix has also mastered the art of creating a buzz using a brand voice that ticks in its industry. Visit any popular social media platform, and you’ll see a viral post from Netflix. Their brand voice is casual and funny, giving their marketing campaigns a witty style suitable for the entertainment industry.
Wrap Up
You now have tips to push your mobile app forward. But to be on the safe side, be sure your app developer knows what works and what doesn’t. Brightscout is your award-winning design and development team that will build a highly polished app for your business. Contact us now and let the journey begin.
