There is a lot of opportunity in Shopify to develop and release a mobile app. 58% of millennials mentioned that they preferred purchasing through apps. It’s also much cheaper to sell something to your existing customers than it is to acquire new ones.
Anyway, the app market is a little saturated. Apps constantly improve, consumers demand and have high expectations of how a mobile app functions. They also care about the ease of use of the mobile apps they download. Think about it, all big players in your niche have a mobile app. With so much competition, your Shopify mobile app really needs to be set up properly and stick out in order to be a success.
Some merchants share the opinion that having a mobile-friendly website is enough to earn online sales. However, many consumers turn to apps to make their purchases. So if your brand doesn’t have an app, now is the time to start.
In this post, we’ll discuss some strategies on how to develop a mobile app for your Shopify store.
Content structure
- Features to make your Shopify Mobile App stand out
- Make it easy to install
- Have a clean and user-friendly UX
- Show tailored offers
- Don't make your app robotic
- Market your Shopify Mobile App
- Work with influencers
- Use Google Ads
- Utilize e-mail list
- Leverage social media
- Implement a loyalty program
- Get Maximum Out of your Shopify Mobile App
- Balance App Updates
Features to Make Your Shopify Mobile App Stand Out
Customers don’t have a lot of time or patience so your app needs to be easy to make purchases on and easy to use. You're aiming for consumers not to uninstall your app and you don’t end up losing business.
Let’s look at a few features that make every mobile app stand out. This way you can plan your Shopify mobile app release with patience and get the maximum out of it.
1. Make it easy to install
The majority of apps ask a bunch of questions and make users fill in a ton of information before they can access one single feature. If you ask too much, they will likely uninstall your app before they even get to experience it. The more familiar they are with the app, the more likely they will leave the desired information you need.
2. Have a clean and user-friendly UX.
Develop something that is sleek and easy to navigate through so that consumers can easily search for the products that they want to buy. Also, stay consistent with the UX because people quickly get used to the navigation. PWAs are a perfect choice because they update accordingly as you update your shop, unlike native apps. With native apps, you have to spend more resources on updating an app every time you change your store.
3. Show tailored offers.
Create mobile shopping incentives that pop up on your consumers’ phones that are catered to their buying history. This touch of personal recommendation will pay off in a long way. Spoil your customers.
4. Don’t make your app robotic.
According to SalesForce, 70 percent of buying experiences are influenced by how customers feel they’re being treated. Many apps provide content that comes across as a robot as opposed to feeling like they actually get to interact with a human. Consumers actually want brands to be friendly after spending so much time online. Add friendliness throughout the buying process. Show that you care about them and appreciate the time they spend inside your app.
Market Your Shopify Mobile App
To get your app in front of many consumers as possible, it’s crucial to market your app. Creating an app is a great start, but the customers you’re trying to reach may not become aware of it. If it just sits in the app store without a marketing plan, you're wasting your money. Read on to learn how to market an amazing Shopify mobile app that will lead to more revenue. Here are a few ways:
1. Work with influencers
Have them use and experience your app and then write about using your app. Influencers have audiences that trust their recommendations so their conversion rates are pretty high. If you have an affiliate program, this can be much easier to do.
2. Use Google Ads.
Find out what keywords your app should rank for when consumers Google for certain keywords that are relevant to your app. Proper ASO can bring you a lot of organic traffic.
3. Utilize your email list
Email consumers by telling them that you now have an app that they can make their purchases with. Provide an email with a special offer for app installs like i.e. discounts, "Buy one, Get one free", bundles, etc.
4. Leverage social media
Buy some ads on Instagram and Facebook showcasing your app. Create visually appealing ads and experiment with different ads to find out which ones get the most clicks. Spend your budget toward the most successful ads.
5. Implement a loyalty program
Everyone wants to save money and receive rewards. Ask customers to install your app in return for getting an award. Loyalty programs are designed to keep your customers coming back. This way it'll be more likely that they’ll spend more money and you'll return an investment.
Read more:Â https://ampifyme.com/blog/offline-first-approach-shopify
Get maximum out of your Shopify mobile app
The end goal of developing a Shopify mobile app is to increase AOV and retention. Through special offers and app notifications for sales and products personalized to the user, you’ll generate more revenue through purchases made inside the app.
To name a few examples. When consumers have items in their shopping cart but haven’t purchased yet, you can send in-app messages to remind them of the abandoned carts. You can even offer incentives for them to complete the purchase process. Also, at the time of their birthdays, you can offer special discounts or gifts with the purchase made. Use push notifications powered by PushOwl to offer this kind of personalization.
 
Balance Your Mobile App Updates
Of course, you are going to update your app but try to do this as little as possible. Updates can be annoying to users, so you don’t want to put them through too many app updates.
However, if you have cool new features for your app don’t hesitate to update your app. The good thing about PWA is that you don't have to worry about updates. The mobile app will update the moment you update your Shopify store. If you are removing an item or adding a new product, don't forget to inform customers about changes made.
Final Thoughts
Users are becoming more tech-savvy than ever, and your brand needs to keep up. With more than 2 million apps in the app store, it’s crucial that your app is easy to use. And that your app makes the purchasing process through your app seamless. To stick in all the clutter of the apps in the marketplace, it’s more important than ever to have a robust marketing plan. Offer features in your app that appeal to users so that they don’t uninstall your app.
Take advantage of loyal customer spending. If you implement all of the tips we mentioned in this article, your mobile app is sure to be successful and your revenue higher.