By the word “Brand” we don’t mean the logo, name or trademark of your company alone. Branding context of your business is focused on creating public awareness for a company, its services or products. In other words, the brand is the public image of your business in the minds of your customers.
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Why Your Business Needs Branded Apps?
There are a few business goals that are achieved with the help of branding apps. It is possible due to the tasks a sophisticated app can perform.
Communication:
Communication contributes to the brand recognition a lot. That is why great branded apps contain lots of information about brand and let users dive into its history, learn about success and ask questions. Text is not the only way to introduce your brand. You can employ video content, images, VR tours and any technology that can engage better than text.
Sales:
The quantity and quality of sales always improve with branded apps. When your business app has its own identity and offers a personalized approach, users receive the level of experience they are meant to.
Product Innovation:
Those companies that strive for innovation never neglect customers’ involvement. They turn to their audience to tell their story and encourage them to participate in product design and growth. Branded app development adds to brand awareness and user engagement.
Note, all the above-mentioned tasks can be carried out by a single app. However, it’s much better to have separate apps for each objective.
Types Of Branded Apps:
If you have already decided on the objectives your brand app will fulfill, you should get to know the existing types of branded apps according to functionality and the main idea. Here are five common types.
App As A Tool:
This kind of apps offers certain functionality for customers to perform their tasks. While the apps provide users with some solution or needed tool, it can gather information both about the user and their common needs. Then, having analyzed the data, you suggest your customers better experience that meets their requirements. Here are a few examples of ‘apps as a tool’ type.
- Nike Running Club. It’s a branded app for runners that lets users track distances, activities, share results and set challenges. In addition to that functionality, you can buy running shoes. Sure, Nike’s.
- BMW remote app lets car owner lock and unlock it, track its position and adjust climate control via the app.
- Kraft iFood Assistant offers numerous recipes which are based on Kraft and Heinz’s products. Users are happy to see video recipes while the business is experiences marketing profit.
All those examples clearly show that apps as a tool offer to purchase some good or service directly or indirectly.
App As A Game:
This type suggests a very interactive app UX. Users can make up or design the product they are going to buy.
- De Beers, a jewelry studio, has introduced a Forever App that allows to design and engagement ring yourself and get it done according to the design.
- Domino’s Pizza Hero app is like a real game. You not only choose pizza toppings yourself but also virtually make your pizza from A to Z in the app.
Gamification principles in an app are the best at engaging users providing that you guarantee the quality and nice bonuses.
App As A Social Instrument:
Such apps usually choose social media services to advertise their brand identity.
- Maxhibit app by Smirnoff Vodka acts in social networks. It collects users’ posts, mixes them and creates a custom video, which can be shared in social networks. To create a compelling story, Maxhibit aggregates images, tweets, check-ins from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
The main goal of such apps is to build a loyal community around your brand and popularise it.
App For Sales:
Obviously, these apps have to sell or at least prepare customers for making a purchase.
- IKEA app, for example, helps users ‘try’ a piece of furniture with the Augmented Reality feature and see if it fits their place. Moreover, users can add items to a shopping cart and stay aware of the new commings.
App For Design:
One more way to grab users’ attention in the app is design. The ideas that impress and amaze always get their admirers.
- Camper Weather app is a perfect example that turns routine weather checks to the moment of pleasure. Beside the visual content, they supplement each user’s touch with instrumental response. However, Camper is a shoe company. What do they need such an app for? They non-intrusively influence their potential customers. By creating a philosophy behind their concept, they expand their brand recognizability.
A good-looking app naturally attracts users. However, don’t forget it should bring a certain value as well.
How To Create A Brand App?
There are three main functionality blocks you have to take into consideration if you want to design a successful branded app.
Mobile Features:
To begin with, you should focus on the features that provide well-thought experience. Besides, don’t forget to check out the latest trends. For example, a camera can be used not only for taking photos of your branded staff and posting them to social networks. It is also useful for Bar and QR-codes scanning and implementing AR functionality.
It is also a great idea to use various in-device sensors for GPS-tracking, swaying, swiping, shaking – everything to improve user interaction with your app. You can also try to employ voice sensors, like My L’Oreal app does, to answer customers’ questions. Remember that any unique experience increases user engagement.
Social Features:
Different social media make a great tool for your business. So any successful branded app depends on social interaction a lot. When you encourage users to make and share photos, suggest bonuses for bringing friends or let them talk to each other via chats, you soon will receive customers’ satisfaction and loyalty.
Brand Mention:
Here I mean visual identifiers of your brand: name, colors, logo, etc. Make sure you include them to your app design concept.
All in all, you can build genuine interest in your branded app if you mix entertainment, functionality, information, socialization, stimulation, and aspects of modern trends. However, always start with research. Make sure you know your audience and what they would expect to get.
About the Author:Nataliia Kharchenko is a Technical Writer at Cleveroad company that offers web and mobile app development services. We are focused on helping startups, small, and medium businesses create competitive and winning software.
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