In today’s fully digital world, the battle for a customer’s attention doesn’t just happen on search engines – it happens right on their smartphone screen. To truly own the market, your brand must become part of your user’s daily habits – their mobile app.
“Mobile technology isn’t just another way to connect. Either you live on your customer’s device, or you’re living in the past.”
– Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google
This isn’t just about creating software – it’s a natural evolution of your company’s digital ecosystem, turning one-off sales into lifelong loyalty.
Websites excel at attracting new visitors through search, but they can’t keep them engaged the way an app can. Once a user closes a browser tab, they forget you. Once they install your app, you stay with them for life.
• Control over time. According to data.ai and TechnBrains, users spend 90% of their smartphone time in apps. Mobile web browsing accounts for just 10%.
• Four hours of daily presence. On average, people spend four hours per day in apps. That’s four hours with your logo in front of their eyes.
Source: TechnBrains – Advantages of Mobile Apps
If your strategy focuses on increasing LTV (lifetime customer value), an app becomes your key asset:
• Repeat-sale companies (Retail, Services, HoReCa). Apps remove barriers. Customers don’t need to Google you – one tap is enough. Engagement jumps 88%. You literally become part of their pocket.
• Startups and innovative products. For investors, a working app proves the viability of your idea. It shows real retention, not just “visits.”
• Service and operational businesses. When customers book services via app, you lighten your sales team’s load and cut operational costs by 30–50%.
The ultimate example of how an app changes the game is Starbucks. They didn’t just sell coffee – they built a digital fortress around it.
What they did:
• Introduced Mobile Order & Pay and tied it to their “Stars for Purchases” loyalty program.
Results that shook the market:
• 25% of all U.S. orders go through the app.
• The app became so convenient that customers treat it like a bank account. Today, Starbucks app balances exceed $1.6 billion – more than deposits in many U.S. banks.
• Retention: Loyalty program users spend three times more than regular customers.
Takeaway: Starbucks stopped being just a coffee shop. Through their app, they became a fintech giant that lives in the customer’s pocket, always reminding them at the right moment.
Your app isn’t just a tool for current customers – it’s a magnet for new ones. Publishing in official stores gives you:
• Free organic traffic. Proper ASO (App Store Optimization) pushes you to the top of relevant searches (“food delivery,” “home fitness”), bringing in “hot” customers at no cost.
• Trust and credibility. Being in App Store and Google Play signals quality. Users see you as a serious business that passed strict security checks.
I. Push Notifications: Instant Access to Purchase Desire
Forget ignored emails. Push notifications open 90% of the time. Notify users about a personal bonus or remind them of a booking just when they pick up their phone.
II. Speed and Offline Functionality: Customers Hate Waiting
Websites can lag with poor signals. Apps run instantly since most data is already on the device. In a world where one second of delay kills conversion, the app becomes your high-speed elevator to the sale.
III. Deep Analytics: Know Your Customer Before They Do
Apps track user behavior: which sections they browse most, what they interact with. This allows you to craft offers they can’t resist.
Source: Expedey – Analytics Insights
IV. Purchase-Accelerating Technologies (Native Features)
• Camera & AR. Let users “try on” products in-app (furniture in their room), instantly removing hesitation and speeding up purchase.
• Biometrics (FaceID/TouchID). One-tap payment. Fewer steps to buy = higher revenue.
• Geolocation (GPS). Send exclusive offers when a customer passes by your store or office.
Websites and apps aren’t competitors – they’re perfect partners. The site finds the customer; the app keeps them for life.
Investing in an app creates your own closed sales channel – no competitors, only your loyal customers.
Your brand deserves a spot on the home screen. Not for prestige, but because that’s where the money lives today.
This post is also available in Deutsch, Русский and Українська.