[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]More time is being spent on smartphone apps, but most of that time is concentrated in the highest engagement apps owned by a few of the largest internet companies. [/inlinetweet]The smartphone app now accounts for half of digital media time spent and is still growing strongly, but not at the rate it once was. And large internet companies command the majority of app time, so it can be a challenging market for lesser-known brands.
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]While we haven’t yet reached ‘Peak App’ the market is definitely tightening, and app publishers need to rethink how to break through to the consumer’s screen.[/inlinetweet]
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]People aren’t downloading as many apps anymore,[/inlinetweet] they increasingly put those apps into folders, and they are less likely to allow push notifications, making it harder than ever for apps to be seen. Breaking through means having the rare novel app idea or relying on traditional marketing and advertising for distribution.
Digital publishers must have a well-developed platform strategy for converting their large mobile web audiences into highly engaged, loyal app users.
Mobile web is the primary vehicle for expanding audience reach, but apps are where heavy engagement happens. Publishers must get better at onboarding mobile web visitors to the app, and get their apps promoted to the home screen if they want to maximize usage.
