Ask yourself this: Is your marketing strategy fully responsive? Is it easy for users to connect with your brand/product/service from their devices? Having to choose for your enterprise mobile strategy between responsive web design and mobile apps must surely make things a whole of a lot more difficult.
What’s important is that you don’t make mobile applications the icing on the cake, but the filling. This here is our not to do #1.
What’s this thing don’t make mobile applications the icing, but make it the filling about anyway? Don’t worry; we’re not talking recipes here. What we mean is that mobile apps should go hand in hand with mobile website. Otherwise stated, having mobile apps before or without having proper mobile optimization website just doesn’t add up.
Part of a well-organized and put together mobile marketing strategy is opting for both mobile websites and mobile apps. Preferably in this order.
Not to do #2
Don’t struggle with a mobile website vs. mobile apps decision. Instead, focus on making mobile applications an extension of your mobile-optimized website, even if this is something that you’d only be able to do within a longer time frame. Mobile apps are here to compliment the usability of mobile-friendly web sites.
Apps should be an extension for any business’ specific purposes, and enabling certain functions when no internet connection is available is just a mere example.
Not to do #3
Don’t simply build mobile apps because everyone else does it. It’s true that large and medium organizations, and more recently, even small businesses, are jump-starting a more prominent mobile presence. Competition is fierce. But it’s relevant to have your app respond to certain needs that users and/or clients have. It’s also relevant that your apps have a specific purpose that may address some of your company’s priorities. Maybe you feel that you might be getting more traffic for your website if you had mobile apps designed with certain features, like personalization of products and the like.
Instead of getting ahead of the game, try to establish first the functionality of your app, its purpose and main functions.
Giving users the time of their life while they browse your optimized-for-mobile website is just as important as giving them the chance to have a fantastic mobile-app experience. Graphics elements can be really attractive and engaging, but you want to make sure you’re also making valuable and relevant information available for users.
Always make sure you’re doing your best to deliver superior experiences with your mobile apps.