This is going to be a rather audacious post. The reason? I hope to introduce a new term into the marketing lexicon and prompt some discussion about our app-driven future. Here goes:
If you're currently a smartphone user, I suspect that this new term will be met with some head-nodding and smiles. Loading up your first smartphone with tons of useful (Shazam), social (Facebook), entertaining (Angry Birds, anyone?), and humorous (hello, iFart) apps is a rite of digital passage these days. However, there is a dark side to apps that all smartphone users face at some point.
There are way too many apps competing for our attention.
February 2011 estimates place the total number of apps in Apple's App Store at well over 350,000. According to a Nielsen Research report released last September, iPhone users average around 40 installed apps while Android users average 25 and Blackberry users 14. I suspect that most marketers--at least in this instance--are above average. Personally, I counted over 100 apps on my iPhone before I the room started spinning and I had to take a break.
The reality, of course, is that very few of those 100+ apps on my iPhone get used in a given week--and that's where the term "apptrophy" took root. I've downloaded tons of apps on a whim, to entertain one of my kids or to test at a marketing conference--only to never open them again. Slowly, over time, they get pushed further and further back into the dark recesses of my iPhone where, eventually, they die of disuse apptrophy.
Of course, this isn't a problem for some apps that exist only get get your $0.99 and run. But what of those companies whose entire business model is based upon mobile app engagement? Think Foursquare, Gowalla, GroupMe, Hashable, etc. For them, apptrophy isn't an amusing word, it's a potentially terminal condition. The million dollar question for them is how do they continue to drive app use after initial download and interest.
Let's look at the possible answers:
As a result, if you're developing an app, you need to think through how you're going to acquire your user's permission to email them--how you're going to get them to opt-in to your email communications. Facebook and Twitter do it through default settings that push helpful friend and follower notifications. Foursquare does it by emailing you each time you acquire a new badge. Bizzy--a new player in the LBS recommendations space--wisely also goes that extra step with an email newsletter to keep you informed about their service. Heck, even Angry Birds includes a clear call-to-action to sign up for their email newsletter.
The days of "launch it and they will come" app success are long gone. We need only look at our own smartphones to recognize that apptrophy is a real condition that effects tens of thousands of well-intentioned--perhaps even amazing--apps. If you're an app developer and you don't want to fall prey to apptrophy, the time is now to build an email acquisition strategy into your game plan.
Need more convincing? I leave you with one of our "bonus" infographics from last month's SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS webinar. The number of smartphone users who check email, Facebook & Twitter "constantly throughout the day" is double that of feature-phone using consumers--with email far and away the most used & checked of the channels. Yet another reason email will be key for developers/companies keen on fighting apptrophy.
apptrophy (app-trō-phee): a wasting away of a smartphone, tablet or other mobile application due to disuse or abandonment. Most commonly experienced by those apps pushed beyond the fourth screen on my iPhone.
If you're currently a smartphone user, I suspect that this new term will be met with some head-nodding and smiles. Loading up your first smartphone with tons of useful (Shazam), social (Facebook), entertaining (Angry Birds, anyone?), and humorous (hello, iFart) apps is a rite of digital passage these days. However, there is a dark side to apps that all smartphone users face at some point.There are way too many apps competing for our attention.
February 2011 estimates place the total number of apps in Apple's App Store at well over 350,000. According to a Nielsen Research report released last September, iPhone users average around 40 installed apps while Android users average 25 and Blackberry users 14. I suspect that most marketers--at least in this instance--are above average. Personally, I counted over 100 apps on my iPhone before I the room started spinning and I had to take a break.
The reality, of course, is that very few of those 100+ apps on my iPhone get used in a given week--and that's where the term "apptrophy" took root. I've downloaded tons of apps on a whim, to entertain one of my kids or to test at a marketing conference--only to never open them again. Slowly, over time, they get pushed further and further back into the dark recesses of my iPhone where, eventually, they die of disuse apptrophy.
Of course, this isn't a problem for some apps that exist only get get your $0.99 and run. But what of those companies whose entire business model is based upon mobile app engagement? Think Foursquare, Gowalla, GroupMe, Hashable, etc. For them, apptrophy isn't an amusing word, it's a potentially terminal condition. The million dollar question for them is how do they continue to drive app use after initial download and interest.
Let's look at the possible answers:
- Branding. A great brand can make your app/business memorable, but it takes sustained awareness and usefulness to keep people coming back. It also takes great WOM or advertising dollars to keep your brand front of mind. Case in point--Shazam. I was perplexed at first why Old Navy was putting a "Shazam Now" call to action on the front of their new ads (like this one). However, even a great app like Shazam--which "listens" to music and then links you to the song--needs to cut through the smartphone clutter to increase usage. Of course, not all apps can cut awareness/coupon deals with Old Navy. So, branding only fights apptrophy for a few, well-heeled apps.
- Push Notifications. Each smartphone manufacturer gives app developers the ability to "push" notifications to their users via the device itself. If you use a smartphone, you're familiar with these interruptions as they effectively take over the screen until some action (ignore/view) is taken. The problem is when every app wants to push you information--your phone is basically rendered useless while the barrage of SMS, email, phone, Facebook, Twitter, LBS (location-based services), group texting, and other notifications overwhelm your screen. That's why experienced smartphone users enable notifications from only their most trusted apps--and inexperienced smartphone users sometimes turn off apps altogether. For that reason, my gut is that push notifications will drive reengagement for a select set of apps only--and only when the notifications don't overwhelm the user.
- Text Messaging. There are some services (group texting company GroupMe comes to mind), that are actually built to drive interactions through either their proprietary app or SMS (text messaging). For others, text messaging may hold some promise provided they can get the users permission to text them reminders. Upon request, Facebook will push notifications to SMS. If more consumers adopt unlimited texting plans, we may see SMS reengagement campaigns grow in stature--especially since you know the recipient will be on their smartphone, just one-click from launching your app.
- Email. According to our SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS research, email remains the channel with the broadest reach--in fact, over 95% of US online users have an email address and over 53% begin their digital day by checking email. in light of these figures, it stuns me how many app developers don't make any effort to engage their users outside of their apps. Need prime examples of apps that use email effective? Just look at Facebook and Twitter. How many of us reengage with their apps and/or websites because we receive an email about a new friend, follower, comment or event? Email may not be new. It may not be buzz-worthy. It is, however, the communication workhorse that smart app developers are using to fight the effects of apptrophy most effectively.
As a result, if you're developing an app, you need to think through how you're going to acquire your user's permission to email them--how you're going to get them to opt-in to your email communications. Facebook and Twitter do it through default settings that push helpful friend and follower notifications. Foursquare does it by emailing you each time you acquire a new badge. Bizzy--a new player in the LBS recommendations space--wisely also goes that extra step with an email newsletter to keep you informed about their service. Heck, even Angry Birds includes a clear call-to-action to sign up for their email newsletter.
The days of "launch it and they will come" app success are long gone. We need only look at our own smartphones to recognize that apptrophy is a real condition that effects tens of thousands of well-intentioned--perhaps even amazing--apps. If you're an app developer and you don't want to fall prey to apptrophy, the time is now to build an email acquisition strategy into your game plan.
Need more convincing? I leave you with one of our "bonus" infographics from last month's SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS webinar. The number of smartphone users who check email, Facebook & Twitter "constantly throughout the day" is double that of feature-phone using consumers--with email far and away the most used & checked of the channels. Yet another reason email will be key for developers/companies keen on fighting apptrophy.
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