One-half of all local searches are performed on mobile devices.  (Source:  Microsoft Tag Mobile Marketing Report).

Small businesses need to get into the mobile game now to garner their share of mobile business and to ensure they don’t lose out to mobilized competitors.

Users are engaging with apps on a daily basis – according to mobile analytics firm Flurry, in December, on average, U.S. consumers were using apps for 81 minutes per day, compared with 74 minutes for mobile web browsers.

This points to a growing opportunity for SMBs to build customer loyalty. By having their own mobile apps, small businesses can be where their customers are, allowing them to leverage their local edge and effectively compete with national and Internet businesses.

Cost is no longer an excuse for waiting to implement a mobile strategy. Solutions like App Express make it easy and affordable for SMBs to get mobile. The real cost for SMBs will be sitting on the sidelines while competitors swoop in via smartphone or tablet and swipe their customers out from under them.