Why an App isn’t always the answer

A closer look at the over saturated App market.

Smart phones have enabled users to search the Internet, connect with friends and keep up to date with the latest news effortlessly. News and news feeds are personalised with the user getting notifications on topics that matter to them. Blumilk’s Projects Manager Scott McBride believes that if, “companies are looking to capitalise on this market they need to have everything ready immediately and become the source of personalised information users choose. “Scott adds, ” this is becoming increasingly difficult in the current saturated marketplace.”

So how can organisations make their digital marketing stand out and get consumers to commit to their brand? Here’s what the Blumilk Digital Team advise…

1) Unless you’re Facebook, don’t rely on an app. 

Forrester Research finds that the average UK smartphone owner spends 89% of their app time on just five apps: Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Stocksand Maps. It makes more sense to try and grow your digital offering by using these apps for exposure. There has been a massive increase in Facebook advertising over the last 3 years. Some subtle – a suggested post because your friend likes the company or band, others more blatant – adverts on your newsfeed. Facebook’s recent addition of Canvas gives companies a space to develop Facebook optimised sites to reduce load time and increase engagement. Use these tools to reach your short term goals, then build from there.

2) Make sure your content is optimised for the device it is being viewed on.

There is nothing worse than trying to find information on a website and coming to a page which is not responsive to the device. Google forced people to seriously consider building websites with responsive frameworks last April by penalising non-responsive sites. If your site is not responsive, you immediately give the impression that your organisation hasn’t even begun to consider how to make your website user-friendly.

3) Ease of getting in touch.

You need to consider why you have a website in the first place. Is it a selling tool? Is it an information resource? Or is it to back-up your offline marketing? In all of these cases, it needs to have a clear and easily accessible call to action. This can be to call immediately, submit an enquiry, or download an information pack.

One example of making use of digital technologies to maximise the ways a customer can get in touch is on the Sintons Law Personal Injury website (www.sintons.co.uk/personal-injury). Simple contact forms and telephone numbers are clearly visible, Live Chat allows instant messaging with a Sintons representative and there is even Skype for face-to-face conversations. All of these are incorporated into mobile and tablet versions of the site for a seamless transition into the mobile world.

James George Dunn, Senior Developer in Blumilk’s Digital Team says: “As we research user behaviour and the technological possibilities of mobile digital marketing, we need to make sure we don’t lose site of the strategic objectives being aimed at and become distracted by what a website looks like.”

James’ advice to clients is straightforward: “Whether it’s to increase sales or achieve a social objective, you need to make sure visitors can engage with your site when and how they need to. If you don’t there’s a high chance they’ll turn to a competitor who will.”