While big brands and retailers have embraced mobile applications as an important strategy for engaging customers, they do not all take the same approach. Some have deemed it best to develop separate apps for different customer segments while others are taking a one-size-fits-all strategy.

A great example of this is the different approach taken in apps by two of the largest big-box retailers. While Walmart recently introduced an augmented reality app to support an in-store promotion and acquired app developer Small Society with the goal of creating more apps, Target has taken a broader approach and offers one single app across several platforms.

?The multi-app approach is the better way to go,? said Rolfe Swinton, CEO of Lumi Mobile, New York.

?It fits with human behavior and needs and helps people better segment their own needs,? he said.

Up close and personal
EBay was one of the first marketers to recognize the potential to create different apps to serve different customers. The company offers fashion and automotive themed apps as well as others.

While it is still too early in these marketers? mobile strategies to know how these different approaches to apps are working, industry experts agree that the multi-app strategy can help marketers serve a specific audience better.

?It makes sense when you think about eBay?s business ? one app doesn?t serve all of their market,? said Mark Beccue, senior analyst at ABI Research, New York. ?The same could apply to any marketer that goes after multiple demographics.?

?What mobile allows you to do, and apps more than Web, is this personalization opportunity that is pretty easy to do with an app,? he said.

?I think we will see more marketers take this multi-app approach this year.?

One possible exception is narrowly focused brands. In this case, it may make more sense to have just one mobile app.

?The narrower your offering is, the more logical it is to concentrate on one app and make it the best that you can,? Mr. Beccue said.

Another reason we are seeing multiple apps from some brands is that the apps market is still relatively young and brands that have the budgets are experimenting to see what works.

For example, The New York Times, which, in addition to its general reading app, also offers an election app for its more politically inclined readers and a fashion oriented app.

?The New York Times has segmented its audience carefully and realizes that different audiences want to access different content at different times,? Lumi Mobile?s Mr. Swinton said.

Emerging opportunities
In some cases, brands are offering general purpose apps but are taking a slightly different approach with their apps across platforms.

For example, a Zappos.com speaking at the Mcommerce Summit in New York City last week spoke about how the company?s apps for iPhone, iPad and Android are all slightly different. For example, when consumers use the Zappos iPad app and shake the device, it starts to rain little kittens, a feature that is not available on other apps.

Also at the Mcommerce Summit conference, a Citibank executive discussed the company?s iPad app, which uses graphics to present account information and provides a very different experience than its smartphone apps. As a result, the iPad has attracted new customers to sign up for online banking with Citi.

Some retailers reaching a broad cross-section of consumers could end up hurting their brand by offering only one general purpose brands.

?A multi-purpose app when it comes to retail can be detrimental,? ABI Research?s Mr. Beccue said. ?You can?t let consumers fumble around too much ? the app has to serve them in the most immediate way possible.?

?The goal of an app is to streamline messaging for what you are trying to accomplish with that customer set,? he said.

As marketers begin able to segment their mobile audiences more finely, they are likely to uncover new opportunities for apps.

This is when there could be flood of niche-oriented mobile apps.

?We are starting to see marketers get the analytics together about what is having an impact,? Lumi Mobile?s Mr. Swinton said. ?When this happens, they will start to do more experimentation.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York