With the Australian Government putting pressure on small businesses to digitise amidst the COVID-19 recession, more SMBs are looking for support to build an online presence.
AppsVillage (ASX: APV) creates mobile apps from SMB Facebook and Instagram pages. The apps created using the tool aim to assist businesses to interact with their customers, and create customised automated campaigns for Facebook advertising.
“COVID-19 has proven that now more than ever having an online presence and strategy is a must if businesses want to be successful,” said AppsVillage CEO and Founder Max Bluvand.
“The home screen is the most valuable real estate in the world, and we help small businesses use this space to get the attention of their customers.”
As part of its economic plan out of the coronavirus recession, the Morrison Government has invested $800 million to “encourage and support” more Australian small businesses to digitise, so they can “compete, succeed and create job opportunities.”
$19.2 million of the funds will be handed out to Australian businesses to help them take their businesses online, a need which has proved crucial as contactless business continues to become a mainstream practice.
Mr Bluvand’s tool, which allows businesses to create an app “in under a minute” and integrate it with customised Facebook adveritising, aims to cut the costs of small businesses digitising, and help them compete with larger enterprises.
Related: “Navigating the 2020-21 Budget: Top tips for businesses”
AppsVillage began with Mr Bluvand assisting his wife digitise her small business.
“My wife has a kids book store,” he said. “She had a tough time competing with all the big chains. While they had apps and mobile addresses, my wife was still using text messaging, paper flyers and emails.”
“When she realised she needed to make a change, she knew it would require thousands of dollars, several advisors and great marketing expertise.”
“This is when we saw the chasm between SMBs and enterprises. AppsVillage aims to make this chasm a little smaller.”
This week, AppsVillage announced they have been selected to take part in Facebook’s ‘It is the business of all of us’ initiative to help SMBs.
AppsVillage along with Fiverr, Wix, Lightrics, Monday and HoneyBook, have been selected as part of this initiative based on their unique capabilities to provide SMBs with the various tools necessary to build and develop their digital presence.
The Facebook initiative is currently planned to commence in Israel in Q4 2020, before being rolled out in other select international markets.
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