How SME can Benefit from Mobile App Development

Mobile App Development in 2017

We often hear the term mobile app development nowadays. Most of the time, we would assume that having a mobile app is reserved for big companies such as airlines, hotels, fast food chains, etc. While it is true that most highly prestigious companies already have their own mobile app, it doesn’t mean that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) can’t benefit from it.

Frontline mobile app development Singapore company has been in this industry for more than 6 years. We specialized in Android, iOS, and web app development, and we can tell you that mobile app can greatly boost your business. In fact, our clients include those from Fortune 500 companies as well as the local SMEs.

How Mobile App can Help SME

So, what are the ways mobile app can benefit SME? First, it brings you closer to the customers. When customers download your app, it will perpetually be on their phone screen. As a result, customers will be more likely to think of you first when they need a certain kind of product or service. Mobile app also makes you more accessible to the customers. They can browse products and make a purchase whenever and wherever they are. It is also easier for them to provide feedback, rather than having to call the customer service center. Next, mobile app is digital on online, which means all kind of data is automatically recorded. This kind of system will greatly reduce error in taking order, misspelling of name, wrong address, and many others. It can also save your time by the end of the day as you won’t have to manually key in data anymore. Finally, having a mobile app can help increase your revenue because it is in general easier for customers to make a purchase. Moreover, you can send push-notification to inform customers about the latest promotions that you have.

Having said all that, it is simple to see how SME can benefit a lot from having a mobile app. It is an investment that will be worth it in the wrong run. It is also sustainable as business should always adapt and respond to changes. In the near future, it is possible that having a mobile app becomes a necessity. Why not do it now and be at the forefront of the industry? Contact us for further inquiry: https://www.frontline.com.sg/contact/. Our in-house experts are ready to give consultation and solutions for your corporate mobile apps. so that you can have a clear idea before starting on the app development.

Being an App Developer

Mobile App Development in Singapore

Predicted to be one of the hottest field in the future, mobile app development is growing faster than ever in Singapore. Every business, big or small starts to realize how having a mobile app can boost their business growth. It helps to increase accessibility and allow business to engage more directly with the customers. Operational error can also be diminished as things are being recorded online. With the country’s dynamic and flourishing start-up scene, mobile app development is brought to another level and often becomes the basis of a business model. Thus, app developer is currently highly sought after.

If you are living in Singapore and are interested to learn how to develop an app, there are some options that you can take. First, you can get a diploma in app development from several local polytechnics. Another way is to take a short-term course that usually lasts 2 to 3 days, and you will be rewarded a certificate afterwards.

Youngest App Developer in the World

There are many great app developers out there with cool portfolio. But here is another kind of special. Meet Yuma, world’s youngest app developer. The boy-wonder recently received a scholarship from Apple to attend the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose.

The 10-year-old is the creator of more than five apps, such as Kid Calculator, Weather Duck, Let’s Stack, Hunger Button, and Pocket Poke. Very excited to meet Tim Cook at the event, Yuma mentioned that he wants to learn about in-app purchase, how to code cleaner and make a good app. We are excited to see what he creates in the future!

Create an App Without Coding

Surely, we can’t all be like Yuma. But in case you are interested to create your own app, either for a business or just for fun, don’t be discouraged just yet. Here is the good news: you can use online app maker to create an app without coding at all.

It is quite easy to use. All you have to do is go on the internet, choose an app creator and register a new account. After that, you will be shown some categories of business to choose from. For example: restaurant, hospitality, education, retail, and many more. You will then be able to edit the main details, such as the name of your app and the pages you want to include. Some app makers out there even allow you to customize the smaller details such as font type, colors, and the elements of each page.

Singapore User Experience in Digital Marketing

Successful Digital Marketing

In a time when everything is moving towards being digital, having a strong online presence is extremely important to maintain relevance and keep up with the trend. A range of digital marketing initiatives such as setting up social media account, developing mobile app, and creating websites is the industry standard way to build online presence.

It is, of course, desirable to have a successful digital marketing. The benefits can come in various ways such as making your business marketing more cost-effective, providing a direct and straightforward way to track response rate, generating higher revenue from online sales, giving boost to brand reputation, and heightening the brand competitiveness.

Not Just About the Quantity

Digital marketing can be tricky, though. To be successful and hopefully rank high on the Google search engine result, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing is usually employed. The goal of SEO is to make stuffs easier for both the audience and the search engine robots. Therefore, it generally focuses on making useful content that is relevant to the keywords that users may key in. However, in recent updates, more sophisticated technology is used to encourage digital marketers to pay attention to the user experience as well.

Focusing on User Experience

A good UX is one that put the users’ needs first. There are many ways to do this, for example: writing high quality content that will benefit the readers, using recorded data to personalize browsing experience, and many others. Usability aspect should also not be ignored as it is essential in helping people have an enjoyable experience. In return for the effort, an excellent UX will make a good impression on people, resulting in organic sharing and positive word-of-mouth.

UX in Local Context

The Singapore User Experience scene is a lively one. As businesses are increasingly aware of the importance of UX, companies focusing in the field and freelancers are on high demand. A UX agency can provide their service to handle stuffs ranging from the initial UX research and evaluation, designing and developing the website and mobile, to helping the brand makes a mark in the digital scene.

In Singapore, where the start-up culture is thriving, a good UX is not just an addition to a good enterprise. Research and planning of websites and apps are very important. Designing a good UX and having a clear workflow can help a lot in figuring out a product’s goal, the message it wants to convey, target audiences, and coming up with a sustainable scheme to generate profit.

Why You Need Digital Marketing

Moving to Digital Marketing

Here is a fact: we are quickly shifting into a digital era. As time goes by, people are becoming inseparable with their mobile devices, consuming more and more digital content. It is also a noticeable phenomenon that there are much less traditional media being produced and consumed now as compared to a few years ago. Publications such as newspaper, magazine, and even television production are taken over by the digital. People are now enjoying digital content as it is faster, more accessible, and up to date.

As the popularity of traditional media has dimmed, business and enterprise who want to retain their relevance should have strong online digital presence. The future customers will be the ones who have grown up with internet and mobile devices. Thus, it makes just a perfect sense to dive into digital marketing which can be done by utilizing website, blog, online content (e.g.: video), and social media marketing (e.g.: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).

The Benefits of Digital Marketing

Apart from doing it to keep up with the changes in the media industry, digital marketing can also bring you many benefits:

1.        1. Affordable Cost

In traditional marketing, a lot of budget should be allocated to advertise in prints and TV. Sometimes, marketing personnel are also recruited for direct marketing. In digital marketing, however, little resource is needed and wide audience can be reached which makes it more cost-effective.

2.       2. Easy Tracking

You may print brochures, give coupons, and advertise on various media. Nevertheless, the results are often difficult to be tracked and in the end, it is not guaranteed if all the spending is worth it. This is the opposite in digital marketing. Response, views, and engagement rates are easily tracked for marketing campaigns. Equipped with these insights, it becomes easier to identify what works and what doesn’t in the campaign and improve for the subsequent ones.

3.       3. Increase Revenues

Websites, mobile applications, and social medias offer the possibility for businesses to include Calls-To-Action into their pages. Buttons and features such as sign up, download, add to cart, subscribe, call now, and many more can be used to converse traffic from digital channels into revenues. As online transaction is increasingly common and safe nowadays, customers are keen to make purchases through digital platforms, citing its convenience.

4.       4. Build Brand Reputation

Digital marketing channels such as social media usually allow users to leave comments and review. If a business has a strong online presence and reliability, it will cultivate the customers’ trust and loyalty. Positive word-of-mouth can also rapidly spread online, with one user informing many others.

5.      5. Increase Brand Competitiveness

Lastly, digital marketing also makes it possible for smaller businesses to compete with the larger ones. Unlike traditional marketing that requires big budget, smaller businesses can afford digital marketing which does not need much resource. This way, they are able to attract their own share of target market.

User Experience, SEO, and Mobile App

About User Experience, SEO, and Mobile App

User Experience is how people feel when they engage with your product or content. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization which utilizes high quality content to get traffic to your website. Mobile App is the software application developed specifically for mobile devices. At a glance, there seems to be no connection between these three words. But let’s examine further.

UX and SEO for Search Engine Success

To make a website known to the people, it is best for it to appear high on the google search ranking list. While SEO deals more with keywords and links for the site to appear on relevant result pages, UX plays a role in making sure people have pleasant experience which results in organic sharing and distribution. Combined, UX and SEO will help you to optimize your product.

Mobile App for Business

It is certainly good to have a website. However, in this fast-paced world, mobile app development will provide numerous benefits for your business. First, it gives extra value to your product by making it more accessible to customers no matter where they are. Having a mobile app also increases your brand’s visibility and build a stronger brand name. Apart from that, mobile can serve as a more direct and effective way to engage with your customers. By maintaining communication, you can better retain customers’ trust. Finally, mobile app helps to boost your sales if trust is gained. Repeat purchasing is very possible. Moreover, by utilizing technology, workload and other cost can be reduced and profit increases.

Interested in UX, SEO, and Mobile app development?

Read more about How User Experience Affects SEO and Advantages of Having Mobile Apps in Your Business

User Experience in Mobile App Development

The Rising Popularity of Mobile App

Mobile app is becoming a prevalence, making it is safe to say that everyone’s mobile phone must have at least one app installed. Data from the newest studies shows that desktop browsing rate has been dropping. Meanwhile, the use of mobile app is growing. Superior in terms of accessibility and practicality, more people are now eager to download the mobile app of the business or website they frequent. Many factors can affect their willingness, such as the app size, privacy issues, social login, and push notifications, to name a few. However, on top of them all is the user experience (UX). A top-notch UX will attract people to use the app again, while mobile app with poor UX will soon see users abandoning it.

User Experience (UX) in Mobile App Design

UX design for mobile app may not be the same as that of a regular website in some aspects. One of the most clear distinction is in the screen size. Here are some practices that can be implemented to create a great mobile app experience:

1.       Simple Navigation: The biggest challenge in designing UX for mobile is the limited screen size. Unlike website that can have extensive menu bar, doing the same for mobile will use up a lot of screen space. Therefore, mobile navigation should be easy to discover and made sure that it only includes the most essential functions.

2.       Usability: In general, elements in the app should be designed so that users can reach their goal easily. A special feature of mobile device is that people often use it one handed. To improve on user experience, it is important to place main navigation buttons within the reach of the user’s thumb. Required gestures and action outcomes should also be consistent across the app.

3.       Minimal Effort: Mobile apps that are easy to use are often rated highly. It is principal for mobile app to reduce the effort needed from users. One way to do this is by providing search filters to help users quickly find what they are looking for. Another way is by personalizing the experience of each user by learning their behavior when using the app. For example, giving suggestions based on past buying pattern or pick-up point.

4.       User Interface: People typically don’t have much free time when they decide to use mobile app. Thus, minimal design with only the essential elements is recommended to deal with users’ reduced attention span. In this case, negative space is useful to improve readability and bring focus on certain contents.

Creating a good UX for mobile app should always starts with the users in mind. Consideration of the mobile-specific features is also important. The best app is one that combines both usability and simplicity.

App Development: Android or iOS?

Mobile App Development
Whether you have a business requiring mobile app, or is a developer yourself, there is always one question that comes into consideration... Should I start with Android or iOS?
As mobile app development is growing in a really fast pace, it doesn't mean that you have to rush and try to simultaneously build app for both platforms. In fact, it is often wiser to choose one to start from. It is recommended to do so because in the mobile app development process, a lot of learning and fixing are involved, which makes it simpler to achieve your desired app experience on one platform first. Now that we agree on that point, we can proceed to determining whether you should start on which platform.

Choosing Between Android or iOS
Well, it is not easy to choose without any ground. Nor it is a wise solution to simply toss a coin and see what you get. Therefore, here are list of some factors that you might want to consider:

• Target market: Android holds the largest global market share, with substantially more users in Asia and the majority of developing countries. So, if you are targeting that demographic, then android app development will be more suitable. On the other hand, while iOS have less user, they tend to have higher income and education, as well as higher engagement. It comes down to whether you aim for breadth or depth.
• Purpose: Will there be in app purchase or direct charge for your app? If that is the case, then it might be preferable to start on iOS app development. Data from various studies shows that iOS users are more likely to make in-app purchase and generate more revenue than Android. But it doesn't mean that you should scratch Android off your list. In fact, if you want more control over the hardware and software of your app, Android might be better as it allows more freedom in elements customization
• Cost: Generally speaking, the costs of building app for Android and iOS are similar. However, difference in the cost will occur when you need to design for more number of devices that use Android. At the same time, however, it also means that you can reach wider audience.

Conclusively, choosing a platform to develop your first mobile app depends a lot on the purpose and goal you want to achieve. However, due to demographics, cost, and engagement, many developers usually start with the iOS platform first. One of the most prominent example for this case is Instagram, who waited for 2 years before launching its app on Android.

Hope this helps!