Mobile devices are smaller, more convenient, and easier to carry around. This may be why the mobile economy has grown in strides over the past few decades. In 2020, mobile apps netted $51 billion in revenue from in-app advertising and paid downloads. In light of this, more online businesses are discovering that mobile phones bring in more traffic than websites and are creating mobile apps to tap into this market. But why exactly are mobile apps so successful at driving user engagement and how can you and your company tap into this power? Here is a closer look.
Why Use Mobile Apps for User Engagement?
Mobile apps are so effective at engaging consumers, that they are no longer duplicates of their respective websites. Developers now incorporate perks, bonuses, and features unavailable elsewhere. Essentially, the goal is to drive more people to mobile apps because they allow for maximum consumer-company connections. This is because of the following key reasons:
More “Screen” Time
Ecommerce companies reported mobile sales revenues of over $3 trillion in 2021. This figure represents 67 percent of all the revenue earned by the sector; numbers that suggest that about 2 in every 3 dollars that consumers spend online reach companies through a mobile device.
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According to experts, the high earning power of mobile apps is due to the fact that people generally spend more time on their phones than on other screens. In fact, consumers are on their phones for more than three hours a day, with some going up to eight hours. 80 percent of this time is spent on apps, making them the perfect platform through which to engage consumers.
Big Data Analytics Hotbed
Because consumers spend so much time on them, mobile apps are packed with valuable user data. Every keystroke a consumer makes on their phone can be used to collect data about their social media activity, purchasing behavior, geolocation, demographic profile, and more. Through big data, this information can be analyzed to help you understand your audience better. Big data analysis can tell you who the people using your apps are, what they need, and how you can best meet their needs. This allows for a targeted approach that 80 percent of consumers have described as more satisfying.
Less Comparison Avenues
When a consumer is on your mobile app, you have their complete attention. The functioning and size of mobile phones discourages running multiple tabs, which in turn discourages a user from moving from site to site. As long as your user interface is easy to navigate, intuitive, and immersive, you can keep a consumer on your mobile app for hours. The key is to direct them to other related pages based on what they are looking at. For instance, if a poker player lands on your app because they were looking for advice on where to play poker online, you can meet their need by listing some reputable sites.
Automated App Notifications
Mobile apps can also be programmed to send automated app notifications to your consumers so you are always on their minds. These push notifications need to be well-timed, relevant, and non-excessive. For instance, you can notify a consumer when a product they had checked out is on offer or there is a sale. This will draw them back to the app, where they might make a purchase.
How Can You Improve Your Mobile App Experience?
Mobile apps are designed to keep consumers engaged but there is a reason some ecommerce companies flourish in this sector and others do not. Your mobile app should be optimized to not only capture the attention of your consumers, but to keep it and convert it to sales. Here is how:
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Streamline the User Experience
Users are unlikely to spend time on your site if they have to jump through hoops to move across different pages. As such, an easy-to-use UI can increase consumer engagement. Try using simple click-to-order icons, links to prominent pages, functional checkout buttons, and more.
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Gamify
Human beings are naturally curious and competitive and nothing draws these traits out more than games. But unless you are a video game publisher, you cannot turn your ecommerce app into a game. You can, however, gamify some of its features. This will excite your users and encourage them to stay on the app.
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Market on Social Media
When they are not on ecommerce apps, mobile phone users are on social media. Numbers show that 98.71 percent of the 3.81 billion social media users access their accounts through their mobile devices. Therefore, the best way to drive traffic to your app is to promote your company on social media.
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Use Promotions and Offers
Buyers love to be rewarded and mobile app incentives should be designed to keep them on the app. A good promotion or offer for mobile platforms would be free unlimited data bundles. In giving this reward, buyers will be less concerned about the time they spend online and more inclined to keep engaging with your app and even pay for a service or product.
Wrapping Up
The world grows increasingly connected by the day. And while there are many devices through which people communicate, shop, and entertain themselves, mobile devices remain king. The mobility they offer is unmatched and very crucial to millennials, who like to stay connected everywhere, every time. As discussed above, there are many reasons mobile apps are the best place to engage with your customers. You can optimize your consumer engagement by leveraging this tool and making your apps as attractive as possible to your online consumers through offers, social media, and more.
