Does Your Brand Really Need a Mobile App?

Article Outline:

‍

Launching a branded mobile app for your business is a power move. It establishes a direct connection to your audience without Big Tech standing in the way. But making this happen can be expensive and time-consuming. Does your brand really need a mobile app, or are you simply following the hype?

The reality is, not every brand needs an app. If you don’t have a clear strategy, you risk sinking time and money into a tool that doesn’t deliver. However, Big Tech takes such a massive cut of your revenue that for many creators, the question isn’t if your brand needs an app—it’s whether you can afford to keep handing over power and profits to someone else.

If done right, launching your own app puts you in control of your revenue, audience engagement, and brand experience without the middleman.

So, does your brand actually need a dedicated app? And what’s the best way to build a mobile app for your business? Let’s break it down.

‍

Man using laptop in a cafe

The Ugly Reality of Third-Party Content Distribution

Big surprise—Big Tech is built to maximize profit for themselves, not your brand.

Every time you sell content through Amazon Kindle, Audible, or another third-party platform, you’re giving up a hefty chunk of your earnings and losing the opportunity to collect valuable customer data. The whole experience is built to make sure they stay top-of-mind for your audience and they profit. 

Your content is just the bait to keep your audience engaged with Big Tech.

When You Don’t Own Your Digital Space:

  • You don’t control how your audience finds or engages with you.
  • You don’t own your customer list. Instead, you pay outrageous fees just to access the people you’ve already built relationships with.
  • Big Tech gets the profits; you get the scraps. See our other post to find out how much of your revenue is siphoned away by major platforms like Amazon Kindle and Audible.
  • Selling on their platform means playing by their rules—which means staying up-to-date on ever-changing terms of service. 
  • You don’t really have creative freedom. If Big Tech doesn’t like your message, they can nuke your content from orbit.

That’s not just inconvenient—it’s a business model designed to keep you dependent. The truth is, if you don’t own the platform, you don’t own the relationship with that audience. 

You deserve to own the audience you’ve worked so hard to build.

‍

Woman using laptop computer

Why So Many Creators Are Launching Their Own Apps

Many brands are choosing to break free from Big Tech’s grip with—you guessed it—a mobile app. No middleman. No hidden fees. No lost audience. 

Owning an app allows brands to shift the power dynamic in a few key ways: 

Keep More of Your Revenue

Tired of giving away 30–75% of every sale? With your own app, you set the prices, you collect the revenue, and you decide how to structure your monetization. Whether it’s subscriptions, pay-per-download, or premium content tiers, you call the shots.

Own Your Customer Data

Platforms hoard customer data because they know it’s gold. With your own app, you own every interaction, purchase history, and engagement insight. This means you can personalize experiences, refine marketing, and create content your audience actually wants without guessing. Platforms like Kindle and Vimeo keep most of that data locked away.

Cut Out the Algorithm

Social media reach is unreliable. One algorithm tweak can wipe out years of audience-building. With a mobile app, you don’t compete with distractions. Push notifications, in-app messaging, and exclusive content keep your users engaged with your content. No more begging a third-party platform for visibility.

Create a Centralized Hub for All Your Content

People expect seamless content access. Netflix-style streaming, Audible-quality audiobooks, and Kindle-like reading experiences—your audience wants it all in one place. Third-party platforms don’t do it all, so your audience has to spread their attention across multiple apps. A custom mobile app gives them everything in one place with the polished user experience they have come to expect.

Control Your Brand Identity

Your brand deserves better than a generic storefront on someone else’s platform. White label solutions allow you to customize the ecosystem so your audience is immersed in your world, not Amazon’s or Apple’s.

Give Your Audience What They Want

If you’re serious about engagement, you need a space that adapts to your audience’s needs, not a platform that forces them into a generic experience. A mobile app allows you to tailor the user experience based on behavior, preferences, and direct feedback. 

‍

Man using cellphone with OTT app

Signs Your Business Is Ready for Its Own App

Wondering if your business is at the right stage for an app? Here’s a reality check: If you’re producing digital content, not having your own app is probably holding you back. 

Here are some signs your business is ready for its own app:

1. Your Audience Is Mobile-First

Check your analytics. If most of your traffic and engagement comes from mobile users, an app is the best way to personalize your bid for their attention. 

Your app creates a distraction-free environment for users to enjoy your content outside of the oversaturated catalogs of Kindle, Audible, and Vimeo. This strategy also allows you to connect with your audience directly through push notifications and personalized messages. And above all, a custom app can give you real estate on their home screen. That’s like an ad for your brand living in their pocket.

2. You’re Relying Too Much on Marketplaces

Selling on Amazon, Audible, or Vimeo? Every sale funds their empire over yours. The more you grow, the more they take. If you’re making significant revenue through third-party platforms, switching to a branded app will dramatically boost your profits.

3. You Have Digital Content to Deliver

Whether it’s eBooks, courses, podcasts, or exclusive video content, a mobile app helps you streamline content delivery in a polished, professional way—all in one place. No clunky workarounds. No sending users across multiple platforms. And you can monetize in whatever way fits your business strategy, whether that’s subscriptions, pay-to-download, membership tiers, or a mix.

4. Your Audience Wants More Control Over Their Experience

Consumers today expect personalized, seamless experiences. They don’t want to sift through unrelated content or be forced into a one-size-fits-all platform. A branded app allows you to tailor content recommendations, create exclusive experiences, and give your audience the level of control they crave.

5. You’re Building a Community

A branded app allows you to have direct, unfiltered engagement with your audience, so you’re not reliant on the mercy of shifting algorithms. This is especially important for mission-driven and religious organizations.

6. You’re Serious About Long-Term Growth

While it’s not an acquisition tool, high customer retention makes a branded app a great foundation for sustainable growth. If you’re planning for the future and want a scalable way to monetize content and deepen audience relationships, stepping away from Big Tech is a smart move. Definitely incorporate this into your long-term strategy.

‍

Group of people gathered around a laptop computer and smiling

Signs That You’re Not Ready for an App—Yet

1. Limited Content or Product Variety‍

A single product line or a small content library might not justify the cost of building and maintaining an app—especially if you’re not planning to roll out fresh material anytime soon. But if you have plans to grow, an app is a great tool to plan for down the road!

2. Budget Constraints‍

It costs money to launch an app (surprise!). If your marketing spend or product margins are tight, you may need to wait until your finances are robust enough to sustain the project without cutting corners on user experience or security features. But when you’re able to invest, this forward-thinking step will allow you to keep the profits from your content over time, eventually making up the difference. Read our other post to learn how much it costs to develop your own app either from scratch or using a white label solution.

The Smartest Way to Launch an App (Without Breaking the Bank)

Building a custom app from scratch? Expensive. Time-consuming. Overwhelming.

That’s why white label app solutions like Annunciate exist. A white label app is a pre-built, customizable platform that allows you to launch your own branded mobile experience—without the massive cost and time commitment of building one from scratch. Think of it as a ready-to-use app framework that you can brand, customize, and monetize as you see fit. It’s everything you need without the insane cost and timeline of custom development. 

White Label Is the Full Package:

  • Fast deployment – Since the base software is already written, you can launch in months or even weeks—far quicker than the 12–18 months it takes to develop an app from scratch!
  • Custom branding – Your name, your logo, your colors, your identity. No more third-party logos and distractions. Your app will look and feel like you. 
  • Integrated monetization – You should have control of how you monetize your work. With a white label solution, you get to choose how your audience accesses each piece of content. That could mean subscriptions, pay-per-download, membership tiers, exclusive perks—whatever is best for your brand.
  • Scalability – Big Tech scales their cut with your success, taking a large percent of your profits. White label solutions like Annunciate do things differently. Unlike Big Tech revenue-share models, a white label app is a fixed-cost solution. The more you grow, the more you make.

The Best White Label App Solution:

Annunciate was built to put you back in control of your content, your audience, your profits, and your future. Here’s why brands love this white label app builder:

  • Simple fee structure
  • Flexible monetization options
  • Powerful, transparent analytics
  • Feels like it was built just for your brand
  • Full integration and multi-channel support
  • You get full control over how you connect with and grow your audience
  • First-class support (talk to the guys who wrote the code, not a customer service rep reading a script)

See the possibilities for yourself! Get in touch to start the conversation and schedule a no-obligation demo.

‍

Phone screen with OTT content delivery app

Own Your Turf

You’ve built something great. Why let Big Tech take a cut? Your audience should be engaging with you, not a third-party marketplace that buries your content beneath competitors.

In many cases, a mobile app isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. If you’re still relying on platforms that limit your reach, drain your revenue, and hold your customer data hostage, ask yourself: How much longer can I afford this?

The good news? You don’t have to keep playing their game. A white label app gives you everything you need without the enormous costs and roadblocks of custom development.

Ready to Break Free?

If you’re serious about owning your brand’s digital future, it’s time to take the next step. Get in touch today and see how a branded mobile app can put you back in control.

see all posts