Why relationships matter on mobile
In a previous piece I suggested that it was time to accept that mobile is here and now rather than ‘the future’. And it takes only a moment’s reflection to realise just how interwoven our lives have become with the mobile phone. It is always on, always close at hand, and our first port of call whenever we have a question to ask - or perhaps more importantly (and certainly more importantly for marketers) when we are researching, or making, a purchase.
That’s why it should come as no surprise to discover that mobile commerce is set to pass through the $100 billion mark some time in 2017. And of course, in many verticals mobile already accounts for the majority of digital revenues - and that’s not even considering the large number of businesses that exist solely on mobile.
Given that all this is the case, it remains a curious fact that so many mobile experiences are so poor. Take the recent horrified (in some circles at least) reaction to Google’s decision to downgrade search rankings for non-mobile optimized sites. It was interesting to note that such sites were a) still out there and b) some of their owners seemed more exercised about the fact that Google was punishing them, than by the abysmal experience they were offering their mobile users.
And let’s stay with that thought. Because even responsive mobile internet isn’t really what users want. Sure, it’s easy for most organistions to slap a little native mobile wrapping around a mobile-optimised site. But there appears little doubt that the smoother and more immersive experience afforded by the native app is the real deal when it comes to really delighting the man or woman in the street. Given that this is the case, any business on mobile would do well to migrate to native now - before their competitors do...
A failure to grasp the need to deliver outstanding mobile experience is probably at the heart of why so many well-meaning organizations fail on mobile, and see too many users leave early never to come back, or fail to truly engage. They are prioritising building an app and acquiring users over the experience that awaits those users when they get there. Which is a mistake.
Fortunately, it’s possible to change! At Swrve we recently hosted a really interesting webinar in which mobile expert Julie Ask of Forrester talked about how success on mobile is delivered.
Thinking in terms of ‘mobile moments’ Julie explained how we’re now moving into an interactive world in which the app resembles more an ‘always on service’. In this world, the app prompts us when it believes it can help, rather than waiting for the user to take action.
The benefit for the organization should be obvious, it means more helpful apps, that are more likely to become a part of the user’s life. And it also means we no longer have to rely on the user to actively make a decision to launch the app - we can second-guess their desires and be there when needed.
But it is also obvious that to ensure this is a win-win relationship will mean working off sophisticated user and third-party data to deliver these prompts only when it is absolutely the right time. Can you imagine anything more irritating than a mobile app that keeps attempting to ‘help’ you when you have no need for it?
The gains, however, are significant. By delivering mobile moments, marketing becomes more personal and relevant than ever before, and smart organizations take advantage of the power of mobile (its omnipresence) whilst avoiding those dangers (being an omnipresent irritation!) The result is greater retention, engagement and revenue from mobile - all built on the back of true mobile relationships that deliver that long-term value.
A really interesting session, that I hope you will enjoy.
Tom Farrell, Senior Director of Marketing, Swrve
Tel: +353 (1) 697-5901
Email: marketing@swrve.com
Web: www.swrve.com
Twitter: @Swrve_Inc
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