jācapps’ COO, Bob Kernen, and I share a lot in common – a love for radio and a fascination with the mobile space. Actually, his passions
are reversed, but you get the idea. We love to work on projects together, helping radio clients succeed and thrive in the mobile space.
In today’s post, Bob talks about new research on apps that captured both of our attention spans. It’s about the ways in which consumers select and use mobile apps. And as you’ll see, it sounds an awful lot like As always, your comments are appreciated. – FJ
We hear a lot around our offices about the proliferation of apps. There are literally millions of them in the various app stores, an average of over thirty on most mobile devices, 90% of smartphone time is spent on apps – the numbers just seem to go up and up. Until now.
A new report from web metrics firm, comScore, reveals that the time consumers spend on apps is being concentrated more and more on just their few favorite apps. In fact, almost half their time is spent with just their favorite app.
If this sounds a lot like the way most consumers use their core radio stations – in both major and smaller markets – you can see where I’m headed.
For nearly half of mobile users, their P1 app is Facebook. That’s not a surprise, so for many of those toting iPhones and Samsung smartphones, nearly 80% of their device time is spent with just their top three apps.
Here’s Business Insider’s depiction of app dominance:
So in much the same way in which radio programmers vie to become s listener’s P1, P2, or P3 station, that same challenge describes the mobile space. The question, then, becomes how do you get your app into that coveted Top 3 spot with a significant number of your listeners or users?
Or to put it another way, how do you become their apP1, apP2, or apP3?
Here are some thoughts on how you can pull it off:
Clear expectations: Make sure your app’s mission is well-focused. That means a specific understanding of what benefit(s) your app brings to your audience. If it’s all about garnering more listening, then make sure your app reflects usage and where it takes place.
And be specific – “Listen to us at the gym,” “Get more information on the music you hear,” etc. It’s important to be clear.
If it’s about social connections, make sure they know your app is the place where they can interact with your talent on their preferred channels.
Set clear expectations for everyone – listeners, of course, but staff, too – and then meet them.
Utility: Usability studies show the most used apps enable consumers to accomplish a task. So whether that’s listening to their favorite station at work, or getting the latest local news, the more tasks you can help your audience get accomplished, the more likely you are to make their Top 3. So don’t just stop at streaming. Look at the other things you can offer that they desire – news, sports scores, podcasts, local info.
Freshness: The reason people turn to Facebook multiple times a day is because there’s always something new to keep them interested. If your app always looks the same, the message is “Move along, there’s nothing to see here.” Configure your app so there’s always something new, fresh, and different. It could be a new promotion, a new song or album, or even the latest from your station’s social feed.
Findability: In the same way that radio listeners need to know how to find a station (frequency, slogan), the app process presents similar challenges. Examine your app icon. Does it stand out the desktop of a smartph0ne or tablet? Is it different and attention-getting enough to earn a spot on that first “page” of apps (not unlike that first group of presets on a car radio).
Has anyone checked your app’s search terms to ensure that the ways in which consumers might go trawling around an app store will produce a high probability they’ll actually find your app. You’d be surprised how many perfectly wonderful apps are simply fail the “findability test.”
The team approach: In many stations, there isn’t a feeling of unanimity about the mobile program. In fact, there’s a good chance that many people on the team may not even understand why your station has an app, much less your goals in the mobile space. In the same way it’s critical the staff understands a station’s programming, marketing, or sales strategy, it’s just as important that everyone shares in the mobile effort. Sometimes just walking them through the process, re-introducing them to the app, and getting their feedback can generate a stronger buy-in.
Remind them about your app! Radio’s ace-in-the-hole in this world of fragmentation is the fact you have a 24/7 marketing channel. Use on-air promotion to give your audience a constant stream of entertaining reminders, and more importantly, reasons to open your app.
That means going beyond the “Be sure to download our app” promos. Give them specifics that are both immediate and in context: “Check out the picture we just posted…” “Find out more about this new artist…” “Tell us what you think…”
The killer app: In the same way that great radio stations have that special something that keeps listeners coming back day after day, what feature in your app has that same level of buzz and magnetism? If it’s not there in the current version of your app, work with your team (or ours) to come up with that “secret sauce” ingredient that makes your app stand out in a memorable way. Maybe it’s about your morning show, your crazy videos, your community efforts, or a geo-location feature to find the best burgers in town. At jacapps, we have loads of ideas and some great examples, but it’s all about your brand essence in the mobile space.
With the amount of listening being done on mobile these days, there’s no reason your station app can’t make the new Top 3 list with your best listeners.
Set the goal to be your audience’s apP1.
And then do what it takes with your mobile effort to reach it.
Bob is a seasoned entrepreneur and startup specialist, but has also worked for major media brands including Martha Stewart, A&E Television, Hearst and Microsoft. Throughout these experiences Bob’s focus has been on new product development around emerging platforms with an emphasis on user experience and monetization.
At jācapps Bob oversees strategy and operations for the company that has produced over 1200 apps, which have been downloaded over 25 million times.
Bob is also an Emmy Award-winning writer and published author.He has a BA (Cinema-Television) from the University of Southern California.
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A great insight into the importance of apps in the radio space. The partnership between app and radio show/station is something that is foreign to a lot of us, myself included, so this read was helpful to me.
On the end of promotion of an app, letting the listener tell the a story of how the app fits in their lives could be valuable as a tool to both promote and as R&D.
Thanks for a peak through the jacapps window!
Good one, Sean. Thanks for continuing to be a contributor to our blog.