If New App Stores Emerge, App Makers with a Knack for Geography Stand to Gain

Companies that offer mobile apps could soon have new opportunities to distribute those apps on their own terms.

In the US, the recently introduced App Store Freedom Act aims to reduce the influence of the digital marketplace’s main players by allowing new app stores and payment methods. For some companies, this shift could open new distribution channels as app stores emerge with a focus on specific geographies, brands, or lifestyles. It could also add to the complexity of identifying top customer groups across platforms.

Companies that integrate geographic insight into app development, marketing, and distribution will be better equipped to thrive in this new digital marketplace.

That’s because apps operate in digital spaces, while users live in physical ones. To understand local customer trends and preferences, leaders can look to technologies like AI-enhanced location analysis to identify core markets and target apps to the right people in the right places.

The Geography of App Store Strategy

Mobile apps generate rich behavioral data on usage patterns, popular features, and purchase habits, giving companies profiles of their best customer segments. By enriching that data—cross-referencing it with demographic, lifestyle, and human movement information—business analysts can uncover specific locations where their best customer groups live and shop.

Industry-leading companies, including the largest US sporting goods retailer, have long relied on this type of location intelligence from geographic information system (GIS) technology to understand customer purchasing habits and successfully sell through local channels.

[Hear from your peers] Companies that use GIS mapping and analytics capabilities across the enterprise explain how it transforms business planning and operations.

Predictive analysis from the AI models in GIS helps decision-makers avoid unprofitable outcomes. As more app stores and payment methods become available, companies may face additional fees and development expenses for placing apps in new channels. They can prevent wasted resources by forecasting customer demand and expanding in only the most promising markets.

Smarter App Marketing Through Spatial Insight

As companies plan digital launch strategies, they can also use GIS-powered analysis to determine where to advertise apps in new markets. They can identify the places prospective customers spend time and use digital or out-of-home advertising to reach them. They can deliver advertising messages at opportune moments and locations: An ad for a fitness tracking app could appear at a gym, while an ad for a customer loyalty app could appear near a retail storefront.

Understanding customer location also helps app marketers craft hyper-targeted campaigns, like tailoring advertising to local sports affiliations or customs. Such precision builds stronger connections with users and could be key to capturing attention in a regional or lifestyle-oriented app store.

Navigating the New App Economy

Expanding into new markets—both digital and geographic—has always come with risk. GIS maps and analytics can help improve the odds of success.

If third-party app stores gain traction, user behavior will likely shift in unpredictable ways. Consumers in different regions may gravitate toward niche stores offering better prices, unique features, or localized content. New usage data will emerge, offering fresh opportunities to grow customer bases and improve app features.

With a clearer understanding of where and how to engage users, companies can enrich digital strategies with on-the-ground insight and prepare for a changing marketplace.