If there is one main marketing lesson to remember from 2015, it's that content is king. And if there is a second lesson to remember and apply for 2016, it's that content is accessed via the mobile platform. A recent survey showed that 85% of consumers would rather use a native app on their Smartphone rather than a regular website!
This survey shows that your mobile website is simply not cutting it anymore. If you don't have an app yet, it is time to take the plunge and create one.
Why do consumers want apps? Mobile apps allow for a more interactive, personalized and stream-lined experience. Apps are about getting rid of the middle-man (the mobile browser) to get straight to the point and provide users with an efficient and enjoyable way to complete an action.
Apps allow for a unique user experience
Are you familiar with Uber? This company took a stagnant taxi industry by storm by re-inventing the way people take cabs. The app provides users with a tool they can use to locate a nearby cab, hail it, pay for the ride and rate their driver. This app is incredibly successful because it provides users with a unique, stream-lined and enjoyable experience.
Uber is not the only example. Apps like Snapchat have changed the way young people communicate and apps like Spotify or the newly-released YouTube Red are changing the way people listen to music.
Apps allow you to collect data
Consumers want apps because they are convenient and deliver a unique experience. But why should you want an app for your brand? The answer is simple. Apps allow you to collect data on your audience. You can then learn from this data and use it to identify your shortcomings and deliver something even better the next time.
Consumers' online behaviors are very complex and there are some unique challenges such as tracking these behaviors across the desktop and mobile platforms. Using app analytics allow you to get a much better understanding of what people do on the mobile platform, why they connect with your brand and what kind of decision process they go through before making a purchase or completing another action.
You can for instance use app analytics to track retention and use the data you collect to develop personalized marketing campaigns and keep users engaged by delivering the content they want.
Apps are what consumers expect
Remember the old saying, 'the customer is always right'? Not only is the 21st century customer always right, they also expect to have access to everything they want without waiting. And they will walk away if you do not deliver what they want since other brands are offering it. You need to treat your customers like the unique individuals they are and the best way to do this is to develop an app that will deliver personalized content.
A mobile app provide you with a platform where you can address your customers' need to be treated as unique individuals by providing them with tailored content relevant to their habits and interests. You can for instance show articles related to other content they have read, show products that could be interesting based on what they purchased in the past or share deals with users in a specific location.
Developing a quality app that provides users with a unique and personalized experience should be one of your goals for 2016. You should contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve this goal, catch up with the mobile platform and meet consumers' expectations.
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