Mobile Apps In 2015: Not Just Social Media Anymore
Your 2015 marketing must be mobile first.
Yeah, we said this before. But maybe you weren’t paying attention or you thought we were a lone marketing voice. (Don’t worry—you didn’t hurt our feelings.)
But you should focus on what Facebook is doing because your marketing in 2015 and beyond will depend on it!!!
Facebook is investing in mobile including Facebook lightweight, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. As a result, Facebook will force you to ante up to market across their platforms. It’s what Facebook told their investors.
2015 Mobile data
Before we dive into how you should change your marketing, let’s examine the 2015 mobile data to understand the landscape and context.
178 million people in the US owned smartphones, 73.6% mobile market penetration according to comScore based on November 2014 data. Smartphones are a mature market in the US. (Need more mobile data? Here are 55 mobile facts for 2015.)
Trends: Mobile apps are where the mobile action is.
- Overall mobile app usage grew by 76% in 2014 according to Flurry Analytics.
- US consumers downloaded on average 8.8 iOS and Android apps per month in 2014, flat with 2013 according to Flurry.
- Mobile app store revenues worldwide are projected to grow to US $76.5 billion in 2017 according to Statista.
This data points to a move from the mobile web to mobile apps. To put mobile app usage in perspective, Target’s mobile usage shows customers go directly to their app. Specifically, 32% of Target customers access the company via the mobile web and 68% access the company via their mobile app based on comScore data.
2015 Marketing Implications:
- Have a mobile first strategy integrated into every element of your marketing. Prospects and customers must be able to find you when and where they are. At a minimum, they need your address, phone number and email contact!!! Social media and search are also important.
Mobile app trends 2015
Mobile app usage soared in 2014. Mobile apps generated the most revenue in Japan, South Korea and the US.
Note that Google Play yielded about 60% more downloads worldwide according to AppAnnie but iOS mobile apps generated about 70% more revenue worldwide.
Facebook and Google owned the top 5 apps in the US according to comScore.
2015 Marketing Implications:
- Include a mobile app strategy where appropriate for your business. To this end, make sure that your content can be consumed via your mobile app or a social media app.
4 Key marketing factors based on mobile app trends 2015
Here are 4 key factors based on mobile app trends that should be incorporated into your 2015 marketing and beyond.
Mobile app usage grew a stunning 76% in 2014. The biggest mobile app use growth was in the categories of Lifestyle/Shopping (174%), Utilities/Productivity (121%) and Messaging/Social Media (103%) according to Flurry Analytics.
1. Give your mobile shopper an app.
Customers start researching both B2C and B2B product purchases way before marketers realize that they’re in market. They seek information and reduce purchase options on their own.
What’s changed in 2014 is that customers are using mobile apps to shop on their timetable.
Important point: Mobile app shopping happens at home and away – it’s not just showrooming! 39% of mobile app shoppers purchase iva the app.
Shopping app use spikes during morning commute time and lunchtime and later during the evenings or “my time” at home.
Actionable Mobile Marketing Tip:
- Assess whether you need a shopping app. Not sure? Ask your customers. This information should be integrated into your marketing persona.
2. Consider social media mobile app usage.
Appreciate that social media is how consumers navigate and find online information and that social media activity is happening on apps.
The reason: Social media is short, snackable information. It’s often squeeze between other activities or a dual activity.
Facebook remains the heavy weight but don’t underestimate Google. It has YouTube, a search engine and a social media platform, Google+. (Note: Global results are different.) Take the time to understand your market’s social media behavior.
The Pinterest app is where the action is on this social media platform!!!
Actionable Mobile Marketing Tip:
- Understand how and where your target audience consumes your social media content. Craft a social media buyer persona.
- Make your social media content an entryway to your brand. Incorporate easy-to-recognize branding as relevant calls-to-action.
3. Understand your mobile app install addict segment.
20% of US consumers are “App Install Addicts” downloading 17+ apps per month, about 32 million people, according to Flurry. They’re 53% female, over-indexing by 10% for app installs. By age, they over-index in the 13-17, 18-24 and 35-54 age groups.
Actionable Mobile Marketing Tip:
- Determine the size of your mobile app install addicts segment. If it’s large enough relative to your other segments, then find out what type of content they want to receive from you via an app. Note: This doesn’t apply to everyone.
4. Encourage your mobile app download.
Mobile app downloads and use don’t always happen by themselves. You may need to add some incentives.
93% of all US app downloads in 2014 were organic, down slightly from 95% in 2011 according to Flurry. Actionable Mobile Marketing Implication: Use marketing including advertising to increase app installs.
What should you bother to support your mobile app with marketing?
According to angel investor, Jason Calacanis’s projections: Facebook App install network generates about $1 to $10 per install (based on data from Calacanis’s portfolio companies).
Actionable Mobile Marketing Tip:
- Assess the incremental revenue you can earn via a mobile app. Calculate your opportunity loss if you don’t have an app or your prospect isn’t near a computer or store. Calacansis’s formula: “Justify spending X dollar per App if Y Apps installed equals a sale or subscription.”
- Leverage the power of your owned media to support your mobile app. Make sure that your app’s target audience knows where to find it, is incented to download it and encouraged to use it. For example, Target tailors deals to its mobile app customers.
BTW, here are 21 ways to promote your mobile app.
The bottom line is you need to think mobile first when it comes to your marketing. If you don’t you’re probably missing prospects who are mobile only. (Remember over a third of Facebook users are mobile only! Chances are your audience is too!!!)
To ensure that your products enter the consideration set and the purchase process, you most likely need a mobile app.
What has your experience with mobile apps been?
Happy Marketing,
Heidi Cohen
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