As digital marketing continues to involve alongside the rapid development of communication technology, new platforms and styles of advertising are being created all the time. One of the most recent is in app marketing, which essentially relates to adverts that are placed within an existing application. This style of advertising content needs to be approached in a unique way as people interact it with in a different way than they would when faced with unskippable streaming service ads or old-fashioned TV breaks between shows. Here are Probella’s dos and don’t for in app marketing in 2020.
Don’t
Make Ads Unskippable
Unskippable ads feel like punishment to most consumers. Even if you try to make them funny, light-hearted and genuinely entertaining, they are essentially delaying people from accessing the content they were looking for. Though this kind of technique is standard practice for free versions of streaming services and old fashioned, broadcast/network TV, it is a little too aggressive for in app marketing. Your customers have already shown an interest in your services by downloading your app. Throwing up a 30 second video advert, mandatory survey or a page full of calls to action will grate on people eventually and it can also make you seem a little too desperate. Apps are designed to feel organic and intuitive, putting the user firmly in control of the experience. Unskippable content removes this sense of control and seems jarring and unnecessary in 2020s online world.
Use too many pop ups
Similarly, pop ups, though very useful in certain scenarios, can be extremely irritating to people who have downloaded an app with the intention of finding out more about your company. Things like basic data capture on sign in or essential information about repairs and maintenance are perfectly acceptable, but forced, hard sell style pop ups can drive users away very quickly.
Bombard Customers with Notifications
Notifications can be a great way marketing tool in themselves, providing you use them correctly. Always give your users the ability to turn off or limit notifications as too many will simply lead to your app being deleted. Functional notifications about account security, balances or other essential information are absolutely fine, but having your phone or iPad chirp every time a new item goes on sale will inevitably become way too much for most people.
Skip Quality Checks
Just like your website, your office and your staff, your app reflects who you are as a business. Poor quality spelling, grammar, functionality, design work or user experience is not something you want to get a reputation for. Any advertising content should be checked rigorously for spelling errors, grammar issues, factuality and overall quality multiple times before it goes live.
Include Links to 3rd Party Sites (Unless You Trust Them)
If your app links to sites that can be potentially harmful, due to unsafe or poorly maintained URLs, this instantly reflects on your company. Though linking to 3rd party sites can be fine, you must always check that you aren’t sending your customers to broken links or worse, pages that have been hijacked by cybercriminals.
Do
Make Sure Video or Animated Content is Brief
In app content needs to be snappy, easy to understand and most importantly, brief. 30 seconds should be the absolute maximum for ads that display when the app is first opens and anything longer should be hidden behind clearly marked icons or easy to understand placeholder images. Attention spans are getting shorter and when using apps, people are generally at their least focussed, skipping between banking, shopping, maps and gaming in a matter of minutes. This means they’re unlikely to be especially receptive to a 10-minute Ted Talk style lecture about why they should use your products or services.
Keep Text Short and Succinct
People also read a little differently when they use apps. Usually scanning for key words and phrases quickly, rather than digesting every word as they would when reading fiction or a magazine article. Though there is certainly a place for full paragraphs of well written text in applications, like video or animation content, this shouldn’t be forced on the user or displayed in a way that makes it seem like too much to take in at once. If you want to keep your customer’s attention, keep it short, to the point and simple.
Ensure Functionality is Tested Regularly
When technology doesn’t work properly, it creates a particular kind of frustration within users. It reflects very badly on you and your company if the source of frustration is coming from an app that keep crashing, taking way too long to load or essentially not doing what it is supposed to. Adverts that don’t display properly are worse than useless, they are damaging. In 2020, there is no excuse for hosting content that stops the user in their tracks or leads them to a blank screen.
Create a Direct Link to Real People
Having a direct link to live customer service operators is one of the best strategies you can employ when creating in app marketing content. A simple link to a live chat service can allow you to process orders as soon as their made and even a simple email or phone number can help conversion rates. Having human beings on hand to provide virtual assistance will create a sense of security and confidence for your app users. Without this, the whole experience can seem a little too mechanical and faceless.
Show Off Your Design Skills
Apps are a place to show off slick animations, seamless transitions between screens and any other clever innovations you’re proud of. The battle for space on devices can be fierce, so your app needs to look the part and the perform in a way that is enjoyable for the user. Details matter and things like swipable icons, resizable text and customised layouts will win you far more dedicated fans than throwing out an app that only does the absolute basics.
