Push Notes: A Powerful Marketing Tool For Your Business

Push notifications are an amazing tool to reach customers on the devices that they use most. Businesses and entrepreneurs in every industry can benefit from the ability to directly message their customers with the latest happenings and deals at their establishment. As smart phone usage continues to skyrocket, this feature has become one of the best and most useful marketing tools for businesses.

A great way to leverage push notes is to let customers know about upcoming events and specials. If your restaurant is having a happy hour from 3 to 7, be sure to plant the seed and let all of your customers know a few hours ahead of time. If you are a musician or YouTube influencer, shoot out a message to your fans and let them know about your latest song/video release, or an upcoming event that you’ll be holding near them. You can also schedule push notes to be sent at a future date and time, to accommodate your schedule but still make the best use of the feature.

Another awesome feature built into the push notifications functionality is geo-fencing. If you are unfamiliar, geo-fencing allows you to fence off a specific area for your push notification, and when users enter that area, they’ll automatically receive the message on their device. By setting an active period for the push notification, you can limit the time period for the message -- for instance, if you’d like all users who enter the fenced off area before 5 PM tomorrow to receive your push notification, you can do just that. This is especially useful when businesses have deals or events that they’d like to advertise to nearby users who are most likely to take advantage.

Don’t let this feature go to waste!! Push notifications are easy to launch, and can have a great impact on your customer base.

Are you ready to start using push notes? Let Cluvis Apps help you launch your mobile app today and reach your customers like never before.

Google's Search Algorithm Ranks Mobile-Friendly Sites Higher

Google has altered the way that it's SEO algorithm ranks websites once again. The latest changes, which were implemented on April 21^st, give ranking preference to mobile friendly websites equipped with easily-clickable links, text that re-sizes to fit the device screen, among other features. For the moment, these changes only affect searches performed on mobile devices. However, considering that more than 60 percent of search traffic comes through mobile,  its very important that businesses make the necessary changes so that their sites aren't penalized by the new system. (source)

Test your site to see if it meets Google's mobile-friendly standards.

All things considered, most companies will do 1 of 3 things:

1. Wait

Many businesses will wait and see how the changes affect their current search ranking status. This is a risky play, considering the amount of traffic pouring in through mobile phones. As the saying goes, if you play with fire....well, you know the rest!

2. Revamp Their Current Site

Businesses can choose to build a new website that is mobile responsive, or implement the changes necessary to ensure that their current site runs smoothly on smartphones and tablets. This requires some in-house or hired technical expertise, but is a solid alternative for a fluid mobile experience across devices.

3. Create a Mobile Alternative

Businesses can build a mobile website that recognizes when its visitor is on a mobile device and redirects to a separately designed mobile site. This is a great alternative as well, and passes Google's mobile test.

Take the Initiative

Now matter how you slice it, the world is trending towards mobile and businesses must make the adjustment...Google has only confirmed this. Businesses no longer have the luxury of not being mobile optimized. Take the initiative and implement a mobile strategy that will put your business in the best possible position for the mobile future.

Ready to implement your mobile strategy? Let us build your beautiful mobile app and HTML5 mobile website today. Contact Cluvis Apps to get started!

5 Questions to Consider Before Building a Mobile App

­Mobile applications have become the portal of choice by most consumers today. Whether playing their favorite game, browsing social media or connecting with a local business, today’s smartphone users are consuming more app content than ever. Major corporations and small businesses alike are recognizing the need to incorporate an app into their current business strategies and become more accessible to their customers. With smartphone penetration at an all-time high, there’s never been a better time to get started.

Before diving into the development of your app, every business should answer a few specific questions:

1) Should I develop my app in-house or outsource?

The answer to this question lies within the specific objectives of the development project. When developing an application in-house, you can expect to have greater control over the nuances of production, and increased collaboration from working closely with the team. This, however, is typically a more expensive option than outsourcing. If your budget allows for this, pursuing a custom, in-house application may be for you.

Businesses that choose to outsource their app development forego some of the hands-on input and control over the process, but benefit greatly from less overhead, time and stress involved. If you are comfortable with relinquishing some control over the project, outsourcing is definitely be a great option.

2) Which device should I develop for?

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone owners, and for many these devices are a key entry point to the online world. (source) Consumers now have a multitude of choices when purchasing a smartphone, which can prove to be challenging when developing an app. Take the time to research your customer demographic and existing traffic to a company website to gain insight into what platforms are most prevalent.

You may decide to build out an Android app first if analytics show that a majority of your consumers shop through Android devices. However, recent studies show that Apple users spend more money than Android users. (source) In particular, tablet users of both platforms tend to make more purchases than through smartphones. If your budget allows, the best option is to develop for both platforms and implement a sleek mobile website that works well across any other devices.

3) What functionality should my app have?

There are several ways that this can be approached. However, it all boils down to the type of business that you operate and the specific objectives of your application. If you operate a restaurant or shop, your goal may be to implement a mobile ordering system or customer loyalty program. The functionality will vary by industry and purpose, nevertheless your app should be engaging, fun, practical and very informative.

4) Can my business handle the increased traffic?

Creating a mobile app will draw in tons of new users and customers. It is essential that you are prepared to handle the influx of customers, and that your existing website and social media are up to date. As always, focus on the customer experience and overall satisfaction. Creating a new app is very beneficial so long as you are able to continue growing your positive reputation in the industry.

5) How should I design my app?

Now that you’ve hashed out all the details of your app, design must become the priority. For apps in today’s market, design has become central to popularity, engagement and effectiveness. A well designed app should have beautiful aesthetics, smooth transitions and ton of useful functionality. Additional design considerations include app performance, data consumption and storage size. When designed properly, your app will deliver that WOW factor to the end user and ensure that they continue coming back for more.

Now that you’ve considered the 5 questions above, you’re ready to jump in and start building your app. Cluvis Apps can help your develop a beautiful app that accomplishes the goals of your business, for an extremely affordable price. Get started today!

Customer Engagement: the New Marketing Frontier

What’s the Secret to Success in Brand Marketing? Customer Engagement

When it comes to brand marketing, many business owners tend to revert solely to the old school methodology of pitching and general advertisements. While this mass market approach is still obviously relevant in today’s market, customers require a much more engaging experience than ever before. The explosion of social media and Internet connected mobile devices has given consumers unprecedented access to your business. When leveraged correctly, this can lead to positive, organic growth of your brand and a boost to your bottom line.

Now, this “engagement” thing may seem a bit intimidating at first, but it isn’t as daunting it sounds. Implement a long term view of your customer interaction, understanding that happy customers will often become your biggest advocates and generate a positive viral buzz surrounding your brand. Engaging customers on a personal and long-lasting level will help your business to realize steady growth, while many times providing a greater sense of satisfaction as a business owner.

Customer Engagement and Experience are Key Drivers of Business Performance and Revenue Generation

Statistics tell stories. They reveal how trends, ideas and movements take shape and shift over time. Here are a few statistics regarding engagement and customer experience.

- By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. - source 

- 83% of those surveyed said they liked—or even loved—when a company responded to them on social - source 

- 63% of millennials say they stay updated on brands through social networks - source

- 51% of millennials say social opinions influence their purchase decisions. - source

- Three out of four consumers have spent more with a business due to a history of good customer service. - source

- More than two-thirds of 2,000 consumers who encountered a customer service or customer experience issue on a brand’s website left the site or visited a competitor. - source

Acquiring new customers and retaining them is simple if you are diligent about maintaining close customer interaction and an awesome experience with your brand. When you engage your customers in this way, they’ll become your strongest marketing tool, sharing their great experience and referring new business.

Enhance your customer engagement by giving them access to your business at all times on their favorite devices. Cluvis Apps has everything you need to get started.