Why add a native app to your digital channel offering?
20200706
Recent months have highlighted to all the importance and viability of the mobile channel and rewarded those that have had the early foresight to act on their digital strategy.
For those of our clients that have got this ‘first base’ of a responsive website in place, we are detailing the advantages of swiftly shoring up digital channel usage by offering native apps.
Why native apps? Why now?
All Digital Natives (‘millennials’ onwards) expect to be able to download an app related to the brands with which they engage.
In the post COVID world, this now also applies to a much broader range of generations who, through necessity, now realise that engaging with brands via digital products can be much more convenient.
There will, of course, be a ‘landgrab’ for space on the customers’ phones and tablets – there may be a limit to the amount of apps people are willing to download so getting in early with a good quality product is important.
Speed to market is also important from the perspective of acquiring and retaining players for your offering rather than the many other forms of digital entertainment available.
Having both a responsive website and native apps available for download will ensure you gain the broadest audience of those that wish to ‘play online’.
Looking at native apps in particular, they give you the following unique enhancements to your digital strategy:
|
Feature |
Why it matters? |
|
Discoverability in app stores and player expectation |
Players who want an app will expect to find it in app store. If they don’t find one, this has a negative impact on the brand. Those searching for gaming entertainment options in store will also find your offering. |
|
Biometrics (Face ID, Fingerprint ID) |
Login using biometrics makes the user experience so much easier and brings players the comfort that the product is secure and, therefore, trustworthy. |
|
Native Device location |
The accuracy of geo-location is particularly important in regulated markets where play can only take place within particular boundaries - additional location data available from the device assists this accuracy. |
|
App Push Notifications |
Push notifications are a superb player engagement tool, including ‘rich push’ where you can send customers pictures, links, videos etc. Use of notifications on apps is accepted practice by customers. |
|
Use of Camera |
Use of the native camera is essential for features such as ticket scanner/checker. The browser-based web technology for this is very limited. |
|
Native UX features / Enhanced UX/UI |
Swipe to dismiss, swipe as a Call To Action – customers are very ‘app-savy’ these days and expect their products to have this level of navigation. Apps are much more feature rich and allow for a greater level of navigation and animation. Web technology is more limited in this area. |
|
Offline usage and messaging |
Players can still access apps whilst offline (e.g. in a tunnel, on a plane etc.) which enables broader levels of engagement. |
|
Haptics |
Making use of nice features such as haptics renders the player experience more enjoyable and is useful for accessibility. |
|
Apple Pay/Google Pay |
Use of native pay features assists removes barrier to purchase |
|
Apple Wallet/Google Wallet |
Use of native wallet features assists with enhanced digital – retail integration. |
|
Increased performance |
Apps are quicker than web which is one reason a player may prefer to use an app. More data be cached in an app which means the speed of data load is quicker. |
|
Brand visibility and loyalty |
Having the app icon on the homescreen is a powerful retention and loyalty feature, particularly if badges are used for relevant notifications. |
|
Innovative technology |
There is constant innovation happening at the device companies – this, in turn, drives innovation with your products. |
|
Widgets (improved with iOS14) |
It is possible to put jackpot widgets, for example, on the players’ app homescreens, this presents a fantastic marketing opportunity. |
The following statistics, taken from a variety of sources*, further cement why having a native app is important in order to maximise contributions from the digital channel to good causes.
- 20% of shopping carts are abandoned on apps. Up to 90% of shopping carts are abandoned on browser.
- 50% greater chance that an app user will return to store within 30 days
- Customers shopping in apps spend twice as much as those who shop on desktop or mobile sites
- Customers spend 3 to 4 times longer in apps than on desktop or mobile sites
- 78% of users would rather access a store via mobile app instead of mobile site
- Total global app usage time increased by 50% [between 2016 and 2018] from around 900 billion to 1350 billion hours.
- 53% of smartphone users buy from company-specific apps
- 35% of US consumers use only their mobile device to buy online
Having worked with World Lottery Association members and regulated gaming companies since 2010 on their lottery, sportsbook and casino apps, mkodo is expert in the design, development and enhancement of native apps.
We would like to bring this expertise to support you with delivering a timely and excellent app experience to your audience. Please contact me via LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/sue-yoxall-31b6a7/ or hello@mkodo.com or +44207729 4545 to discuss.
*including https://www.businessofapps.com/ and https://buildfire.com/mobile-ecommerce-stattistics-data/
