Apps, short for applications, was the word of the year for 2010. According to a recent story on the popular show CBS Sunday Morning, apps are changing the world as we know it. Apps allow us to use our mobile devices as mini-computers and the development of new apps each day acts as a driving force behind tech companies and how they design devices. Now that apps can also be used on tablets and in cars, they really have the potential to saturate our daily experiences.

The CBS report also provides data from a study which identified the breakdown of time smartphone users spent each month on average. Apps came in second to texting while talking on the phone came in third. If findings such as this aren’t enough to make companies take notice, what will?

Female consumers want to connect. If an app offers them this opportunity, they are more likely to use it. Kelli Gizi of Adobe advises app developers trying to reach a female audience to offer "streamlined" apps "for easy use" and "cater to women's interests...with a strong element of fun." The whole point of social media is to engage and communicate with audiences. Gizi goes on to mention examples of apps that include: "an app for sharing movie or book reviews; a quick guide to yoga poses or health topics; an app for planning menus and tending an herb garden; or any kind of apps that help keep busy women including moms organized." Apps provide seemingly unlimited opportunities for brands to reach consumers, but as with all marketing, it must be strategic to be effective!