Companies like eBay and Wal-Mart are paving the way in the adoption of mobile apps as means of heightened visibility, enhanced engagement and, of course, increased sales. Mobile has become the most common means by which people access the Internet, and this fact has profound implications in terms of the approach that a business should take when looking to improve its online presence.

Convincing everyone in the room to push resources into the development and maintenance of a mobile app is not, however, an easy task to accomplish. Many businesses already own the data that would signify the right time to launch an app, there are more, less quantifiable reasons to do so as well. Let’s take a look at the facts – quantifiable and otherwise.

The Demand

Consumers own smartphones – it’s a simple fact that can apply to virtually every demographic. Indeed, some mobile addicts may not be those you’d expect, but given the current trends in mobile sales, virtually everyone either owns a smartphone or will soon adopt one.

Exploring the question of demand for your particular brand’s potential app is a bit harder to discern, but if your business metrics are properly managed, it shouldn’t be difficult to discern. If the trends reflecting internet usage and smartphone adoption continue as they are – and they’re certainly not showing any signs of stopping – your brand will need an app at some point in the future.

The numbers will provide you with a valuable glance at the habits of your demographic. If the percentage of mobile connections reflects anything nearing those of the Internet as a whole, it’s time for an app. Even if they’re not quite there yet, keep watching – they’re likely headed that direction.

The Advantage

In addition to their increased usage, apps offer a number of advantages over even the most responsive of websites. The more a responsive website tries to do – the more complicated it gets – the worse a user’s experience becomes. A native app – an app optimized to be run on the mobile device through which it is accessed – is capable of providing a far more engaging experience.

This engagement is found in far more than the time it takes to load or the time it takes to navigate. It’s capable of providing a far more personalized experience for each individual user. Take, for example, Coca-Cola’s Freestyle app.

This app not only provides users with unique games that help them to associate their positive experience with the brand as a whole, but also utilizes social media to share this experience and, even though one cannot directly purchase Coca-Cola products via the Internet, directs users to the nearest establishment at which such products can be purchased. From technical perspective, it brings another layer of security since the majority of business apps feed from the remote database, your data will always be stored safely, regardless of what happens to the input unit.

The Return

Coca-Cola isn’t the only brand to enhance its awareness and perception using a mobile app. The initiative is working more than fairly well for them, too. According to a study conducted by ABI research, 45.8 percent of respondents indicated that downloading a retailer’s app caused them to visit the store more, and 40.4 percent indicated that they bought more of the store’s products after downloading its app.

Although these numbers are based upon survey respondents who likely downloaded a store’s app due to an existing affinity for that particular brand, the data shows that they believe the app enhanced their engagement with that brand. This, in turn, makes them more likely to share their perspective on that brand.

Indeed, the long-range effects of their positive engagement are shown by the survey as well – 35.8 percent of respondents indicated that the app led them to tell friends about their shopping experience, and 30.8 percent indicated that it led them to encourage friends to visit the store. By enhancing the customer’s’ perception of the brand, they also improved the visibility of their brand – all with an app.

While the potential ROI may not be as easy to spot in other areas of industry, much can be gained from an exploration of the potential avenues through which such returns may arrive. This will not only help to define your brand’s specific goals in the development of the app, but also provide valuable insights that can help the app’s design achieve those goals.

Whether it’s time for your brand to adopt a mobile app or you’re taking a longer view, the topic should be kept clearly on the table. The discussions that you have along the way will prove to be priceless when the time is right, and you can rest comfortable assured that the time will soon be right.