Applications represent a true game changer, attracting numerous enterprises to the booming digital market. They are still gaining momentum and this trend is rooted in the fact that users spend more and more time on apps, around 30 hours per month on average. These solutions are the cornerstone of the strong mobile presence, and every company selling products and services over the internet can capitalize on their popularity.
On the go— on the roll
The encounter of apps and content marketing is by no means a random occurrence. Content is a favorite tool of 21st-century marketers, with the power to educate, drive loyalty, spread brand awareness and boost internet traffic. Users are used to consuming branded content on social channels and consider them to be excellent sources of information. Yet, even the corporate giants fail to integrate popular content into their apps, missing out great sales opportunities.
This is surprising since the desktop internet usage has fallen behind the mobile one, marking a dawn of the new digital age. However, not everything is rosy: Conversion rates tied to the mobile devices are lower, as smaller screens and poorly-optimized pages put off consumers. So, what you need is an SEO-friendly website with striking headlines, strategically deployed keywords, compelling imagery and of course, high-quality content.
What is more, apps serve as channels for engaging customers and delivery of the branded content. Bear in mind that people’s attention spans of today are shortened, and producing edible chunks of content seems like the best approach. However, experienced marketers argue that there is a place for both short and long-term content on mobile platforms. It is advisable to strike a fine balance between form and function, while assembling an appealing and intuitive user interface.
Content creation and delivery
To set up a solid content marketing strategy, you need to use social media accounts, blog and a website simultaneously. There are numerous ways to lay the foundations for this empowering framework. For example, a Facebook login option can be built into the app, which has a positive impact on user engagement. Furthermore, you should be able to approach blogs and ask them to review your app and include a link to your app page.
So, one of the first tasks is to identify the places where potential clients hang out and conduct a customer research. There is not much time to waste, as companies realize the content has a big role to play, and flock to the app frontier. The competition today is stiff, and the amount of noise you need to cut through huge. The good news is that content marketing is a perfect tool for this task.
As for the content assets, muse on videos, images, articles, infographics, press clippings and interactive media. Establish a profile of typical app users, and then make a game plan to cater content which appeals to them. Ideally, the app-related content that you craft should be planned months in advance, as this gives you sharp focus in your campaigns. You want to bring out the human side of an app, but also ensure that search engines stop by.
Channeling the power
A lot can be learned from the most prominent apps in the market, Facebook and Twitter. They are both vast oceans of content, with the strong social community. Word-of-mouth promotion induces higher app usage, but the only way to enjoy this benefit is to provide an impeccable user experience. It needs to be encompassed with the brand building process and it goes without saying that the benefits of using your app must be in the spotlight.
Crafting a killer app should be considered one of the primary content goals, due to the fact that they are a buzz-creating machines. The choice of platform is paramount, be it iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows, etc. Now, evaluating the pros and cons of each one can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. A seasoned app maker could be of great help in grasping the technical detail, reducing the time and resources needed to develop a product.
Web-based apps are not to be overlooked either. One can optimize them for mobile phones and target a specific market such as Chrome web store. Another possibility is to host the app on your corporate website and let users perform functions there. Take the example of an insurance company which builds an online tax calculator. It is usually when an everyday, practical problem is solved that the app achieves stellar success.
Quality matters
Smartphones are modern tools of choice for accessing the internet, while the apps generate the most hype and profit. You could say that content marketing and apps is a match made in heaven, although stairways to it may be steeper than most people would like. The only way to prosper in the crowded playing field is to provide a seamless mobile experience and add real value to the cyber realm. Marketers must always aspire to interact with customers on various channels and continuously treat them with the high-quality content.