The best articles, videos and links about App Ecosystem, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Commerce/Payments, Blockchain/Cryptocurrencies, Artificial Intelligence, Retail Media,..that help me in my daily work.
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Greg brings a great overview of the tools he used at Cabela’s in order to understand their customer flow – from interest to purchase – and what influenced their buy decisions. Knowing how far people travel to get to a store or the influence of discounts on certain products or having the right offer that brings them from the food court to your store are essential today. The tools and tactics we talk about in this episode helps to demystify this process.
It isn’t rocket science but it may feel like it sometimes. Our goal is to set you on a path that will help you more effectively convert the customers and potential customers you are already paying to reach. Close the loop with some of these suggestions.
As always, if you have questions about mobile marketing, leave them below, email me or leave avoice mail. We will answer them on the show!
What got the most buzz at electronics shows in 2014? As you might have guessed, wearable devices beat even smartphones and tablets, suggesting that this tech sector is just getting rolling.
It also, according to a recent eMarketer report, “is signaling another advance in consumer electronics is under way: The technology around us is becoming part of who we are physically.”
Brands that make use of these devices, we’re told, are destined to succeed.
“Wearable device shipments are expected to grow by triple-digit percentages this year; International Data Corporation projected the number of wearable device units shipped worldwide in 2014 would total 19.2 billion units—a more than 200 percent increase,” according to the report. “Yet enthusiasm is tempered by two factors. First, significant growth is not surprising in a new tech category, especially one that encompasses a large swath of device types. Essentially, there is a wearable for every major body part. Second, the “magic” product—one that attracts a majority of consumers—has yet to come to market.”
eMarketer analysts are thinking that perhaps the Apple Watch will be the “it” product when it launches in 2015.
However, penetration among U.S. consumers is low across all subcategories of wearables.
But don’t count them out, warns eMarketer.
“Ignoring wearables is a mistake, however,” says the report. “The early-adopter set is gravitating toward these devices, signaling the U.S. market is ripe for the next tech innovation. And forward-looking businesses are already active in the space.”
“Interaction on these devices will not be through two-thumb typing,” said Atul Satija, vice president of global revenue and operations at mobile advertising network InMobi. “Interaction has to be a single-finger touch that is more of a ‘yes/no’ command.”
Ultimately, the import of any message sent to a wearable should “give just enough information for the user to make a decision whether or not they want to take that next action—getting out their phone,” said Kira Wampler, CMO of real estate search site Trulia.
Bottom line? The smart guys in the room know that wearables are getting the buzz. And that the consumer buys will inevitably follow.
Mobile applications or "apps" are everywhere. Mobile devices are outselling personal computers, and an increasing percentage of internet access is made through mobile devices. These developments have driven the rapidly growing usage of apps. It has therefore become increasingly important for companies to invest in and develop mobile apps. Because mobile apps are essentially just a specific type of software, app development presents many of the same challenges involved in a traditional software development project. However, there are some pronounced or unique intellectual property, ownership, privacy, data security, and advertising considerations that a company should keep in mind when developing a mobile app.
Intellectual Property Considerations
Intellectual property considerations encompass a large and extremely important aspect of building an app. Generally, apps may contain trademark rights for the app, related services, or the company; copyrightable content, including the code used to build the app; trade secret rights with respect to the functionality and development of the app; and in some circumstances, an app may even contain patentable subject matter. Retaining these rights in an app may require further action to ensure that the various parts of the app are properly protected.
Work-for-Hire Arrangements
In order to assert any intellectual property rights in an app in the first place, a company should ensure that any contractors or third parties who assist in the development of the app sign a work-for-hire agreement or that their contracts contain a work-for-hire provision. A "work made for hire" is a work specially ordered or commissioned [if it fits into one of nine enumerated categories]... if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a "work made for hire." While a company may obtain intellectual property rights in an app if it is created by an employee within the scope of their employment, for greater certainty, companies should consider a signed agreement by which the employee-developer assigns all intellectual property rights in the app to the employer. Generally, without a work-for-hire agreement, the developer who writes the app may have a claim of copyright (or patent) in the app.
Distribution Considerations
Once an app is built, companies should consider how to disseminate the app to the target audience and to inform others that the app is available for downloading and use. Consider whether the app will be available for free or for a fee, which could create additional obligations to facilitate the payment process. Consider further which app stores and mobile platforms will provide the opportunity and the right to distribute an app. Some platform providers are more prescriptive than others, and the agreements required by app stores and platforms vary in complexity. The agreements offered by app stores and platform providers (e.g., Apple's iOS Developer Program License Agreement or Google's Google Play Developer Program Policies for Android devices) often seek to incorporate various additional usage or compliance policies that may have consequences to the development and distribution of the app. For example, many platforms and app stores specify the minimum terms necessary for inclusion in an end user agreement with users of an app. Additionally, platforms and app stores often require certain amounts of insurance for liability coverage. Platforms and app stores will also likely reserve their right to change or alter their terms at any time and are therefore free to introduce additional requirements. The app must comply with such conditions at all times, as failing to do so has the potential to give rise to legal action and/or the removal of the app from the platform.
Privacy and Data Security
Privacy laws and compliance have become a primary area of concern in mobile app development and implementation. Privacy issues and regulations generally revolve around the following issues:
The kind of personal information being collected;
The type of collection;
The subject of the collection, and whether such subject is under the age of 13;
The need for and ability to comply with an opt-in or opt-out mechanism;
The country of origin or residency of end users;
The freedoms or restrictions on use of the collected data; and
The requirement to provide notice and a summary of data collection and use practices.
While all personal information must be protected to some degree, the collection of protected health information (PHI) and financial and credit card information (PCI) is uniquely regulated, as is collecting information from children under the age of 13 or even under the age of 18 (or other legal age of majority). Additionally, unlike traditional software applications, mobile apps may collect technical information, such as IP addresses, geo-location, and other transaction data that may be considered personal information and subject to privacy regulations. The foregoing collection and/or use can create regulatory issues, which may further vary by state and country and are constantly evolving. Some state laws specifically require the posting of a privacy policy within the mobile app if any type of personal or credit card information is collected via download or operation of the app. Privacy policies can be monitored by governmental agencies and third parties for accuracy. Non-compliance or inaccuracy can be considered a deceptive trade practice that can lead to fines and other consequences from the FTC.
Advertising Considerations
Marketing or selling an app subjects a company to additional laws and regulations governing advertising. Certain solicitation efforts may require additional compliance with laws governing outreach or communication with end users. Contests and sweepstakes offered through an app likewise require additional compliance. Potential advertising issues require particular consideration when building the functionality of a mobile app.
For example, all communications sent through or in connection with a mobile app can require additional compliance actions with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and related Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules. The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM) rules regulate certain commercial e-mail and text message communications to consumers. Additionally, many state laws exist that regulate commercial text messages. The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Truth-in-Advertising laws additionally require that all information about the app be truthful and complete, and that any objective statements about that app must be backed with evidence. Other state specific laws can apply.
Overall, app development can bring great opportunity, visibility, and income to a company. Companies, however, should consider the significant issues associated with development, marketing, licensing, and distribution of an app in order to avoid potential legal liability.
Fast fact: Practicing inbound marketing results in 54% more leads than outbound marketing, according to HubSpot. But what exactly is inbound marketing, and how does it differ from the way most small businesses market themselves?
If you’ve ever been to one of those networking events where small business owners mingle and make contacts, you’ll probably know this guy: the “pusher.” The pusher shoves his business card in your hand, makes idle small talk that somehow revolves entirely about him, and disappears only when he detects a new victim he can push his card to.
Luckily, this type of event also happens to be the natural habitat of the “puller,” the one who earns your attention by taking an actual interest in your business. She offers tips and advice to overcome your challenges, and volunteers to send you some useful info if you give her your email address.
Those two characters, ladies and gentlemen, are the best examples of outbound marketing and inbound marketing. The first refers to traditional marketing that’s based on pushing and “interrupting” consumers via cold calling, flyers, and emails (as well as billboards and TV/radio spots for big companies). Problem is, studies show that consumers are becoming more and more resilient to that type of marketing: They throw away flyers, ignore mails, and even worse, don’t even see banners anymore, let alone click them.
So what does affect consumers these days? Well, according to a study published last year, 81% of customers go online and read before they make purchases. That’s where inbound marketing comes into play.
Inbound is all about pulling (instead of pushing) current and prospective customers with valuable online content they are already on the lookout for. This content could be text-based like a blog post, or visual like a video or infographic. The basic goals you’ll want to keep in mind are providing quality info to the consumer and finding the right way to connect to your product through that content.
For example, when you think about marketing ideas for restaurants, coupons and print ads usually come to mind. But why not use the best types of content these businesses can offer? For instance, recipes are some of the most popular online attractions, so it’s only natural for a restaurant owner to open a blog with unique recipes—and then use that blog to encourage readers to visit their restaurant. A beauty salon owner, on the other hand, can easily create helpful videos that teach viewers how to create certain hairstyles. That way, when a potential customer searches online for a specific look, they are more likely to discover the video star’s beauty salon—especially if the video is particularly popular.
Of course, if you have a mobile app, inbound marketing is a great way to get people to download it. When consumers read your useful content and then want to stay in touch, it can help to suggest that they download your app to access even more quality content. You can also add content channels like a newsfeed, Facebook, and Instagram to practice inbound marketing within your app.
Now that you understand the value and meaning of inbound marketing, here are eight simple steps you can take to start off on the right foot: DEFINE
As many successful entrepreneurs will tell you, the key to success in life starts with defining what you want to achieve. Answer the following questions:
“What is my goal? Do I want to raise sales, get more app downloads, or get more reviews?”
“Who is my target audience? What are their age, gender, and hobbies?”
“What types of content are they looking for online? What content will bring them actual value?”
“What sort of content can I provide to offer that information to them? Should I write a guide, shoot a short video, or publish a blog post?”
Have a pen handy? Go ahead and write your answers to all those questions now!
CREATE
Once you’ve defined your goals, your audience, and the topics they’ll be interested in, you can start producing valuable content! A great way to start is by creating your own blog, as blogs are often considered to be at the heart of inbound marketing. You may want to use WordPress, a free do-it-yourself tool that allows you to create a blog, embed it in your existing website, and even get stats and data about your blog readers. If you don’t feel you have the skills to pull off strong written content, consider alternatives that show your expertise, such as instructional videos and product reviews.
SHOW
If you choose blogging as a core part of your inbound strategy, keep in mind that too much text could become tiresome for the average consumer. Use interesting and relevant images to spice up your post and make it much more attractive. If you’re a good photographer, you can use images you took yourself, but you can also use free images from sites like Wikimedia Commons (just remember to give credit where needed).
CONNECT
One of the biggest challenges businesses face is not creating the inbound content itself, but figuring out how to convert readers into paying customers. The key is offering an effective call to action (CTA)—that short sentence that directs your readers to click, sign up, purchase, or otherwise act on the content they’ve just read. To make your CTA successful, keep these two factors in mind:
Style: Your CTA should be actionable and answer the consumer’s eternal question: “What’s in it for me?” For instance, if you’re writing a product review and your goal is to increase your app downloads, you could end with a message like, “For more professional product reviews that save you time and money, click and download our app,” followed by a hyperlink.
Position:Your CTA should be placed in a logical place within your content.
For example, let’s take a health food shop owner who set out to increase orders through his website. He decides to write a post about the best types of food for energy throughout the day, including relevant products from his shop. At the end of the post, after reviewing the products, it’s only natural for him to close with,
“For all the products listed here and many more that’ll give you an energy boost, click here.”
SPREAD Now that you’ve created your content, your major mission is to spread it to your customers. Remember your social media channels? Now is the perfect time to post your content on Facebook and Twitter. Not only will you reach your fans directly, but you’ll also supply them with valuable information they long for, the stuff social media marketing gold is made off. Make sure to ask your fans to share the content posted in your updates and tweets.
Got a newsletter or a mailing list?
Take this opportunity to grab your customers’ interest by offering them useful content in their inboxes!
NURTURE
Inbound marketing is a lot like parenting: It takes time, care, and learning from mistakes to make the best of it. Just like a parent wouldn’t expect their child to start running in their first month, you shouldn’t expect to see significant results immediately. Sure, some of the customers will click your CTA, but most customers will come, read, and go—and that’s OK. Inbound marketing is about creating long-term relationships. Even if they haven’t bought your product on their first visit, if they now know you supply quality content, ultimately they will be more inclined to read your next piece.
Provide useful content, and you are bound to see the results on your platform’s statistics page.
PERSIST
Instead of getting discouraged if the statistics say certain types of content do not click with your customers, take it as a learning experience and continue to experiment. Choose a different topic, place the images in another location, or make subtle changes in the CTA. In the end, you’ll find the perfect formula that suits your clients.
COMBINE
Inbound marketing is an amazing tool, but that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on it.Instead, combine outbound and inbound techniques to create a killer strategy that customers won’t be able to resist. For instance, send an email with a free how-to blog post and a promotional discount to help drive sales. The key is to always offer actual value and then top it off with a tempting promotion.
If the past couple of years are any indication (and I think they are), inbound is only going to become a more powerful force in online marketing—increasing profits, boosting app downloads, and creating customer relationships. For those businesses still living in the outbound-dominated past, now is the time to start using inbound techniques to better reach customers.
NEW YORK, NY, Oct 7, 2014 - (ACN Newswire) - Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) today have the opportunity to really impact their business and engage customers with mobile applications, according to Jonathan Tarud, Chief Executive Officer, and Nicolas Costa, Director of Sales, Latin America, at Koombea. However, it is critical that CMOs adopt a long-term view. "People download an app and look at it for two minutes. If it does not provide enough value to them, they just discard it. For a company's brand and reputation, having a poorly designed mobile app can do more harm than good," Tarud believes.
Koombea is a digital design and development agency at the marcus evans Latin CMO Summit 2014, taking place in Panama City, Panama, October 30-31.
- Why do you consider mobile apps as "not just codes but the business and brand wrapped together"? What do CMOs need to do?
Tarud - Many companies approach apps as something they just need to have. They design and create really simple micro apps that do not add value to the end customer. Mobile affects core businesses in ways that most people cannot even imagine. There is a huge opportunity for disruption in this space. If large companies are not willing to invest in better serving their customers, in ways that take advantage of location and always-on for example, they will be disrupted by new start-ups. They have to think about their business as a whole regardless of the product or service they offer. There is always a way to use the mobile space to add value. In the long-term, a good mobile solution can be a competitive advantage.
- What real ROI can good apps bring to the table? How can companies monetize apps?
Tarud - The standards on usability, design and experience are continuously being raised, as a result of the evolution of app design on modern OS like iOS and Android, and consumer facing apps like Facebook, Twitter, and so on. People now know good apps are possible and they can tell the difference between good and bad ones. Many times apps are just the watered down version of a company's service, lacking certain features and tools. CMOs must keep in mind that this is where most customers will be in five years, as all phones become smartphones, and as a result the primary channel for direct engagement with customers.
Costa - An airline company cannot do with a mobile app where customers can just buy a ticket, but not change a flight. The way companies can monetize the mobile space is not just by getting more dollars, but by reducing the cost of existing processes and operations. All the services and capabilities need to be available to this text message generation of users who do not want to call in. The app must be the front and center operation, where people can interact with the brand in ways that have not been done before, because they are more personal. This will make a big impact on how people perceive brands. Also, companies that sell products through retailers can now interact with their customers directly.
- How should CMOs approach app development and incorporate it into the marketing mix?
Tarud - They should not think of this as just another marketing campaign. Releasing a mobile app is only the beginning! It is not a one-month marketing initiative. CMOs need to discover what customers need and there are hundreds of things to consider. Working with an agency that has experience rolling out apps will be key to driving success. What are people trying to achieve with the app? What drives them to even download it?
Costa - If the app does not add value, people will see through it. There must be buy-in from the entire company to do this right. The company's credibility is at stake, so management must think beyond the next quarter numbers.
A common skill required by today’s marketing managers is the ability to understand how to advertise across large online advertising platforms. Top advertising networks from major companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Facebook all boast massive reach, but is bigger always better? There are hundreds of mobile ad networks to choose from and each specific network has both benefits and drawbacks.
It is vitally important then that marketers understand when to focus on smaller niche advertising networks as opposed to the big ones, as the smaller niche networks hold specific unique advantages over their larger counterparts and can play an important role in an overall marketing strategy.
Here I will compare and contrast the various benefits of niche advertising networks and offer important insights to online marketing managers into how they can best leverage those benefits as part of their specific campaigns.
Benefits of Large Networks
Giant networks like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook offer several benefits for those advertising with them. These include:
Massive Reach: Large companies have large user bases. For example, Google’s AdMob network boasts hundreds of thousands of apps reaching millions of users around the planet.
Cross-Platform Abilities: Your ads can appear in apps, search results, and elsewhere. The Audience Network, Facebook’s new ad network, appears on all types of devices, platforms, and operating systems.
User Targeting: Facebook’s ad network draws from a massive trove of social media data to help target and optimize ads for users. Google’s ubiquitous tracking and data gathering also helps advertisers tailor and target campaigns towards specific types of users.
Multiple Types of Ads: The big networks offer advertising solutions for everyone - from interstitial ads to display ads and contextual ads. Developers can easily integrate code into their app to monetize, and advertisers can create specific types of ads for their campaigns.
A major downside of many giant ad networks is that the larger the size of the network, the less specialized it is, limiting one’s ability to target monetization and development efforts. There are some things that the big networks just don’t do.
Niche Advertising Solutions
Many developers want a big hit that shakes up the market by storm and instantly generates thousands of dollars. Marketing to the masses is difficult however, and a clear practical strategy is needed.
Using a niche advertising market, developers can maintain a far more focused monetization and promotion strategy than possible on the larger networks, while still benefiting from large user bases. By targeting an app and ads, developers are far more likely to reach the right users and generate high conversion rates. Some other benefits of niche solutions include:
Specialized Advertising Methods: From marketing texts to recommendation engines and video ads, niche solutions handle the types of ads that the giants are too big to deal with. If generating a specialized app for a particular audience, a specific type of ad may work better than a generic display ad from Google.
Niche Audiences: If you’re trying to reach a specific crowd, such as software users on a certain platform, then it may be better to concentrate on advertisers that reach that platform. For example, pay-per-install programs are ideal for developers trying to reach users already downloading and installing software. Additionally, ad-powered recommendation engines deliver relevant ads to users who are searching for something specific.
Innovation: Niche networks are more nimble than the giants, and often devote resources to newer, more creative approaches to monetization and advertising. Search boxes allow app developers to monetize their apps with search. Most users tend to block out banners and loud ads, so newer advertising approaches are discovering new ways to integrate ads into apps and software.
How to Determine the Ideal Monetization Strategy
Advertising through multiple channels and split-testing a variety of monetization methods may often be the best answer to an app developer’s needs, though niche apps generally monetize more effectively.
With hundreds of advertising networks available around the world, and more becoming available regularly, it’s important to focus on what’s right for each specific app.
Questions developers should ask themselves include:
- How specific is your audience?
- Can you reach that audience more effectively through a niche advertising solution?
- Do the benefits of niche solutions outweigh the benefits of one of the giant networks?
- Do you want to use the same platform to monetize and promote?
A bit of preparation and background research can help weed out many networks that aren’t the right fit, and discover new possibilities. By going through this process, developers are very likely to discover new technologies and advertising possibilities that can significantly boost revenue.
Mobile isn’t just one of the most important channels for marketers to utilize, it is becoming THE most important channel.
Blogs are read, emails are consumed and purchases are made via mobile devices. And that is just the tip of the iceberg of the mobile moments in our everyday lives.
The impact is extending even deeper into health and fitness sector with the latest iPhone with iOS8 providing a “health app” with an easy to read dashboard of your health and fitness data. One new app even helps heart attack survivors avoid a fatal second event.
Mobile apps are a big contributor to this growth. Since there’s basically an app for everything these days and new ones are developed daily, it’s no wonder predictions are made for there to be more than 4 billion app users worldwide in 2017.
With mobile and mobile apps playing such a significant role in the successfulness of a business, let’s take a look at some of this year’s top mobile marketing trends and what they mean for mobile apps and the businesses utilizing them.
1. Better targeted marketing
Because location technology has improved so much this year, companies can better target their audiences. And it’s not just targeting a large group of their audience, but the capability of targeting individuals. When targeting an individual, businesses must use a more personal approach.
A great personalized way of doing this is incorporating native advertising into their mobile app marketing strategy. Businesses are using mobile app marketing techniques to create a more personalized experience for their users. Examples of such sites include USA Today, CNN and Facebook.
Going native provides a more personalized and meaningful experience for users. Through location technology and knowing a user’s mobile history, businesses can target each user with relative mobile apps and sites. Doing this means their users are more likely to download the apps and visit the sites shown, which also means those businesses will better monetize their mobile visitors.
2. Mobile app burnout
There are hundreds of thousands of mobile apps available. The average smartphone user downloads anywhere from 25-40 apps, but then only regularly uses half or a third of those. It’s common for people to download an app and only open it once or twice. More apps are out there than people can handle, causing a serious case of mobile app burnout. With this happening, a business needs to make sure if they create an app for their consumers that they create a useful app their users can really connect with.
One brand that did this is Starbucks. With the Starbucks app, customers pay for their coffee and track their purchases on their smartphones. It also has a loyalty program, My Starbucks Rewards, where customers earn rewards when they purchase with their phones and then can redeem their rewards for free Starbucks products. This app shows Starbucks understands its customers needs because it makes life easier for every on-the-go Starbucks customer by helping them more quickly get in and out with their coffee, not to mention a chance at free stuff which all customers love.
3. Increasing use of social media apps
Let’s be honest, our society is addicted to social media. Social media has penetrated nearly every society. According to one study, social penetration (how much of the population is using a social network on a monthly basis) is around 40% across the globe and growing.
And why shouldn’t we be? It’s a way to stay connected with friends and family, a way to get and share information, and a great way for businesses to reach their consumers. About two-thirds of smartphone and tablet users access their social network accounts from mobile devices, with Facebook being the top smartphone app accessed.
Mobile users engage with video content daily. Nearly 40% of YouTube video views are via mobile. Video is a fun way of sharing information, not to mention easier for users to digest that information. Because video is such a strong mobile traffic driver, businesses need to start producing awesome video content. Here are some best practices to remember when making videos:
Keep videos short
Create engaging videos
Make videos available on various mobile devices
Test the video on multiple devices before releasing
Check for good and clear audio quality on each device
Businesses are able to capitalize on mobile video platforms to connect with their audiences similar to Facebook. Businesses can capitalize on this by using tactics like YouTube’s true view ad channel.
5. Wearable technology is on the rise
The craze of 2014 is wearable technology, and we don’t see that craze ending in the near future. Wearable devices aren’t meant to replace people’s current mobile devices. Instead, they’re devices with apps that collect a user’s data and relay real-time notifications and feedback to them, and people are loving it.
Fitness trackers and smart watches are currently the top ones used. Businesses wanting to jump on this wearable craze don’t need to create a brand new app. All that’s required is making some tweaks to their existing mobile app to fit their own wearable design.
Misfit is one such company that had to make a strategic decision to stay ahead of the curve, and so far its choice has been a good one. Misfit’s app tracks a user’s fitness and sleep activity. Its CEO said he knew only making fitness trackers would put him out of business within the next year, so recently Misfit partnered with Pebble to make the Misfit app and its algorithm technology available on a Pebble smartwatch. Now instead of a sports band, users can wear a regular-looking watch and with one glance can see the time, their number of steps and other activity the Misfit app tracks.
Technology advances and people’s wants change every day, which also means mobile trends regularly change and businesses have to keep adapting to these trends. Adapting isn’t a new concept, and like the example above with Misfit, it’s very possible for a company to do. Partnering with other companies to give customers exactly what they need is one way of adapting. But the best way of being prepared and adapting to these changes is staying up to date with the mobile industry, taking the time to really understand mobile trends and making mobile a top priority.
These trends don’t necessarily negatively affect mobile apps. They just mean businesses need to continue evolving and improving with technology and the times, and businesses must fully understand the needs of their customers to make sure their mobile apps and mobile marketing strategies are meeting those needs.
What got the most buzz at electronics shows in 2014? As you might have guessed, wearable devices beat even smartphones and tablets, suggesting that this tech sector is just getting rolling.
DEFINE 
CREATE 
SHOW 
SPREAD
NURTURE
PERSIST
