There are over 1.5 million apps available across iOS, Android, and Windows platforms, yet the vast majority get lost in the shuffle. As more developers and brands tap into the $25 billion per year market, breaking into the top 10 requires 4,000 downloads a day. 80% of Millennials in the U.S. own a smartphone, so their opinion can have considerable influence on an app’s success.

How do mobile entrepreneurs and marketers gain traction with this influential generation? Companies need to answer the question every Millennial is asking themselves as they tap the “install” button in the app store: What’s in it for me? What can companies do with their mobile products that will attract these coveted consumers and keep them connected? For Millennials, it’s all about being offered something new, information or experiences they cannot get anywhere else.

Stand Out

40% of Millennials in the U.S. have over 21 apps on their phones – that’s over two screens worth of apps! This means brands and e-commerce companies have an opportunity to connect with their consumers beyond building a typical shopping app. For example, Gilt Groupe offers flash sales, which has millions of shoppers looking at their phones every day just before noon to ensure they get the best deals. To sweeten the pot, Gilt even offers mobile-only deals and notifies users of new sales through push notifications. Since the company launched its mobile app on iOS and Android, more than 30% of its overall revenue and half of Gilt.com’s daily traffic has come from the app and mobile site.

Clothing brands should take advantage of Millennials’ mobile dependence and build apps that can provide useful and relevant tips. For example, J. Crew could add laundry instructions for its clothing, and let’s be honest, a silk shirt at J. Crew is expensive enough to warrant special care instructions. By taking advantage of Millennial’s constant mobile contact and providing information they find useful, Millennials develop brand loyalty, something brands can benefit from.

Gilt is successful because it’s not asking users to create new behaviors: shopping for deals isn’t a new habit. Instead, Gilt is disrupting existing routines by providing the same service they offer online conveniently at Millennials’ fingertips. When done right, mobile can open new doors for brands.

With hundreds of thousands of competitors on the market, it’s more important than ever to capture Millennial users by offering a unique mobile experience that enhances their routines. Gilt Groupe is successful because they’re not asking users to create new behaviors: online shopping is not a new habit for users. Instead, they’re disrupting existing routines by providing the same services conveniently at Millennials’ fingertips. By offering mobile-only flash sales, Gilt Groupe is convincing users to shop through the app as opposed to online. When done right, mobile can open new doors for brands. With hundreds of thousands of competitors on the market, it’s more important than ever to capture Millennial users by offering a unique mobile experience that enhances their routines.

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