App Marketing – The New Paradigm

App Marketing – The New Paradigm

The app market keeps changing, and fast. There are rapid new developments in this highly evolving market and at times it’s hard catching up. So for all you proactive marketers out there, here’s a quick glance at the latest app marketing trends that can help you take on the market.

Personalization
Personalization is not new but it has gone to a whole different level when it comes to app marketing. The content has to relate to each user with their specific likings and preferences. Technology has a big role to play in this. Machine learning or intuitive feature of an app should be able to learn from historic usage pattern of the user. Based on this learning the app must be able to provide personalized content to the user. For instance, if a user shops through the app on on sale days, there’s a fair chance that the user will relate to discount and sale promotions.

Predictive Marketing
It is not just about likes and presences, but based on a user’s usage pattern, marketers must also be able to predict when and for what would the user be more likely to convert. Predictive marketing is about engaging the user to an extent where predicting her behavior becomes easy; your app knows your obvious choice! Campaigns, discounts and all offers can be crafted to the user’s exact same needs predicting that she will convert into a customer.

Social Media
Love it, hate it but you cannot ignore it. Social media has become a huge influence on people. A good campaign goes viral and so does a bad word. Brands need to tread that rope tightly. But if you get it right, social media marketing can change the fate of your brand overnight. Social media marketing can have an overwhelming experience for brands.

Retention
The good old-school rule of 80-20 is settling in. Marketers are settling in with the fact that it makes more business and strategic sense to retain active and enthusiastic users, further engage them, than to put in a whole lot of time and resources into acquiring new users.

That said, there are a lot of things that still remain the same for app marketing. App engagement still remains pre-dominantly the most important factor. Other than that push-notifications, in-app messages, emails, coupons, offers all still remain important ingredients that need to be measured right for a delicious strategy.

Weird Cool Apps

Weird Cool Apps

While a lot of apps may be helping you out with important stuff, making your life convenient or entertaining you, here’s something new. Here’s a list of the most unimaginable, funny weird apps that can totally surprise you (some even pleasantly!).

Cuddlr
Cuddlr is a social networking site that uses GPS to track other eager people in your vicinity you can cuddle with. There’s a social network for cuddlers? Really?

Pimple Popper
It’s more gross than weird. The name pretty much says it, pop that sick pimple out. If you press the head of the pimple it would bleed. Ewwwww!

Spirit Story Box: Ghost Hunting Tool
Your personal little version of Ghost Busters. Well, not really. The app translates ghost language and lets you know what ghosts around you are saying (if you believe there are ghost around you, that is).

RunPee
This is such a boon for movie buffs. Remember the times you are totally engrossed in a movie and your full bladder starts bothering you. Last thing you want to do is get up in an intense scene, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. This awesome app prompts you the best time to go to pee in the middle of a movie and also fills you in on what you’ve missed while you were gone.

GymShamer
How many times have you promised yourself of starting gym or exercise routine? Well, not anymore. GymShamer doesn’t motivate you to exercise, it actually humiliates you in public if you don’t.

iNap@Work
This noble app lets you take a nap at work without getting caught. The app will produce work sounds including mouse click, keypad sound, paper shuffling, throat clearing and more. You think you can fool your boss with this?

Melon Meter
Remember the disappointment you face when you get that melon home and after cutting it discover it’s unripe? Well, no more. Melon Meter asks you to put your smartphone next to the melon, thump on it until prompted to stop. Melon Meter will find the right melon for you.

App Can help Increase In-store Traffic

App Can help Increase In-store Traffic

Many retailers would see Apps or e-commerce websites as a threat to the in-store business. But the latest research by Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands for Google proves otherwise.

The research suggests that smart phones help people research and lookout for the products they like, connect with the brand and make wise buying choices ultimately resulting in increased in-store sales. People look out for choices available on line but still like to go to the store, look and feel the product before buying it.

According to the research over 68% of people responded that they were more comfortable purchasing in-store when they did research online before actually buying the product. 71% people said that they expect sales and customer service people to know accurate and give out product information more quickly because of smartphones. 46% people visit the retail website of shopping app before purchasing the merchandise.

So clearly different customer channels do not compete but actually complement each other. Customers now look for holistic experiences rather than fragmented encounters.

Here’s how local retailers can benefit from the omni-channel strategy:

1. Create an app and promote it in local inventory ads. Design localized offers, recommend products and find reasons to get in touch with the customer.
2. Instead of using a toll free number and email id, use a local phone number, store open hours and the local location. It generates more trust.
3. Along with the app have a website that promotes your app.

Instead of being intimidated by big retail chains and their shopping apps, local retailers and businesses can actually encash on the mobile and app market and increase their sales, both online and in-store. Omni-channel is the future, the earlier you accept it, the easier your transition will be.