The importance of a Mobile App

AppAnnie recently posted an articule in their blog indicating that mobile is now the first screen.  In the report they share some insights about why Apps are an important channel to consider.  

I'd like to share the main takeaways and make some comments about the following topics:

• App usage keeps raising
• Mobile is replacing traditional platforms
• Mobile advertising is dominant
• Apps drive purchases

Time in Apps keeps raising

AppAnnie shows that the trend in time spent within Apps is raising.  Since 14Q1 it has more than doubled.  Also, the App session time is increasing due to the richer experience that users get from the features available within Apps. In Android phones for example, this has driven a 35% increase in session time approximately between 14Q1 and 16Q1.

Also, more than 90% of the time spent in mobile is spent in Apps in 16Q1 according to AppAnnie, while the rest was spent in the top 10 mobile browsers.  

It's important to note that as Mobile replaces Desktop as the main platform for user interaction with the internet, I believe we'll see these trends become stronger over time.

Full report here

Mobile is replacing traditional platforms

Mobile is now the preferred way to go online.  Users are accessing the internet through mobile more than they do through desktop/laptop devices.  More searches occur in mobile and users are consuming an increased amount of video through mobile, gaining market share against more traditional video platforms and industries such as the TV.

One of the points that resonated with me is also the following one: "In emerging markets traditional platforms aren't being replaced, these are fully mobile-first economies with mobile-centric consumers".  Mobile platforms are disrupting the way industries are developed in emerging markets.  This is similar to what happened with the land-line development when cell phones were introduced: Emerging markets skip an industrial step by going to the next best thing.

Mobile advertising is dominant

Engaging properly with customers and audiences in this mobile-first world will require a strong mobile marketing and advertising strategy.

Reaching your customers in their mobile devices provides a way to reach them at all times, wherever they are, and to provide them with a custom message and a rich and engaging experience tailored to what they are looking for at any given time and place.

As users become more familiar with their mobile devices, they will spend more time with them and engage through them further, increasing interactions between families, friends, partners, brands and businesses.  This is why for any business it will become increasingly more important to have a strong mobile marketing and advertising strategy moving forward: It will enable them to further engage with their customers and users in a more intimate and meaningful way.

Apps drive purchases

Users seem to prefer apps to the mobile web when it comes to making purchase decisions.  Beyond what App Annie states in its article, I believe this happens for two main reasons:

• First, because I believe users feel more comfortable providing their private payment and personal information through an App than through the open web (including the mobile web).  I believe an important part of this is that because the App itself is downloaded from an App Store from trusted companies such as Apple and Google, it gives the users some degree of additional security regarding the Apps' content and usage of their private information when compared to a website or mobile web site.
• Second, because the in-App user experience is usually better in terms of response time, UX, design, in-App communication, Push Notifications and other features available, this reduces friction in the purchase funnel and other fundamental retention funnels within the App.

Open conversation

I hope you found this post interesting.  Feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss your mobile advertising and marketing strategy and see how at AmberAds we can help you succeed in this mobile first world.

Amberads is a mobile-first marketing technology company designed to increase retention and sales across mobile channels.

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You can read App Annie's original post here.