Should I get an app? Do I need an app? Is having an app essential for me? These questions typically come up before you can decide whether or not to get an app. To answer them, firstly you should know what an app is and what kind of an app you need.

An app is an abbreviation of an application. In a concise sentence, an application is a piece of software that is usually made for a particular purpose. For mobile application, it needs to be downloaded, and it's created to make mobile phone users easier to access the content.

On the other hand, there is a web app. It's basically a website that can be accessed by modern web browsers. Nowadays, a lot of companies and businesses have their website. They use their website to reach out to as many customers as possible.

You probably already have a website, but what about a mobile app? Did you know that more and more people are, now, using smartphones? That's the reason why mobile apps' popularity increases as time goes by. People spend most of their time on their smartphones.

Based on that fact, a lot of companies try to build their own mobile app. From magazine publishers and finance companies to non-profit organisations, they are all turning to make their branded apps. They polish their apps to be as advanced as possible. Some companies even set up dedicated departments to work only on their app.

Having a mobile app doesn't mean replacing your website. If you can support multiple channels, then do it. Each channel has its own advantages. By having more channels, you will be able to reach out to as many visitors, customers and readers as possible.

Using multiple channels is great for your business. In today's increasingly digital landscape, having a website increases the chances of your business getting found online. Based on a recent study, 91% of U.S. consumers use the Internet to look for local goods and services, and 93% use it to research before making a purchase. It indicates that most people, now, are looking for the reviews of the businesses on the Internet. The better reviews you have means, the more revenue you get. That's why more and more companies are going online by having a website.

Nevertheless, before you decide to have a mobile app, you should know what advantages you will get. One of the best ways for a company to strengthen its brand is by having a mobile app.

You may be a publisher or an author, but you can still build a strong brand which your content. Your targeted audiences will easily be able to access your content on their smartphone. You can stand out from the competition. By taking this big leap, you will have a new way to approach your readers.

Mobile apps can help increase brand awareness and also make people more loyal. It's simple when your magazine's title or logo is on the user's mobile screen, they will find it difficult to neglect it. For a magazine publisher, the mobile app has a push notification feature which allows you to remind your readers of your new issues, subscription discount, or special content. It will attract their attention.

Having a mobile app is usually followed by its feature to share the content through social media. It means you will be able to reach out to more people. Your mobile app users will share your content on their social media and expose your brand to others.

A mobile app also can improve your readers' engagement. Whether you are selling books, magazines, or any other content, your readers need a way to reach you. A mobile app can be a solution for that. For example, you can have a Contact Us button in your app which allows your readers to send a message directly to you. You'll be surprised by their messages. They might give you a compliment, feedback, or just a simple hello message.

People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly add help and customer support buttons in their app's sidebar menu so their readers can easily contact them. The more interested and engaged readers become with your product and service, the greater demand will grow.

Other than the revenue from your customers, the mobile app also comes with the low-cost service. It's also one of the reasons many publishers move to digital only. Newsweek is one of them. As one of the most internationally recognized magazine brands in the world, Newsweek published its latest print edition back in 2012.

With the low-cost service, you can offer many promotions and discounts to your customers. For instance, Vogue Magazine's readers pay less for a single issue when they subscribe. Also, magazine publishers can reduce the cost drastically when they move to digital only. A study says that for a print magazine, the publisher needs to spend much money on distribution only. You can scratch this cost when you go to the digital version.

Like mentioned earlier, a mobile app doesn't replace your website. They can and should be used together. Many publishers do it. Men's Health magazine is one of them. It has a website for a few articles that can be read for free whereas, for the mobile app, it has all of the issues that can be purchased or subscribed.

No need to beat yourself up when deciding to have a website or a mobile app. You can have both of them. There might be challenges to have them but MagLoft will help you to tackle all of them. So, what are you waiting for?