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The way we consume media has changed enormously in recent years. Thanks to smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, consumer viewing behavior has been transformed. Digital transformation in the media sector has received a clear boost from streaming services, on-demand TV, and COVID-19. People with newspaper subscriptions are increasingly using digital subscriptions, and competition in the audio-on-demand market is growing. The growth in the use of these services creates opportunities, while it also contributes to a gradual decline in traditional and linear television viewing. The shift to online applies not only to consumers, but also to advertisers. That is why traditional media companies need to develop new business models to keep engaging their target audience.
Interaction with your target audience
The battle for the Dutch media consumer is, contrary to what you often hear, far from over. There are all kinds of opportunities to interact with your target audience. From second screen to first screen, to interaction with an app, for example to vote during a live TV broadcast, to connecting an audience with a fan app such as the popular Wie is de Mol? or the Eurovision Song Contest app.
Or what about more recent developments such as location-based apps that can be used to add an extra offline dimension to a program, as in NTR’s ‘The Story of the Netherlands’? A good example of the possibilities a mobile app offers, driven by the more intensive use of smartphones outside the home. But that interaction with your target audience does not happen by itself: it requires a strategic plan!
Develop your online strategy
The way we consume media has changed drastically over the past ten years. Smartphone use is growing, and that comes at the expense of other media channels. That is why it is important to develop an online strategy that better serves your target audience and aligns with their needs. Once you map out those needs, you can link the right resources to them.
The foundation of your online strategy is often the data from your website and application, combined with social media. Developing an online media strategy goes further than building an app and offering your existing content in it. Audience behavior has changed. They do not want a simple video-on-demand service on their mobile device.
To make your app successful, you need to go beyond the basics. To successfully implement your online strategy, you as a media company need to identify five elements:
- Enriching the offering
- Interaction with your target audience
- Gamification
- Optimization with data
- Expanding the target audience
Want to know more about this? Then download the Apps for media companies whitepaper!
The perfect media app
A great deal has already been said and written about what the ideal app looks like. Based on our experience with apps for media companies, we have listed the ingredients for the best-performing apps.
1. Multi-device and cross-platform
Consumers today look for high-quality content independently of device and platform. Not only in the living room, but also on the go. That is why content providers need to be present independently of platform in order to build a relationship with their target audience. At the moment and place they want.
2. Technical infrastructure
Availability and continuity are essential to the success of your app. Users will not come back if your app stutters. That is why it is important that your infrastructure has high scalability and flexibility. In addition, your data management also needs to be properly organized. By making your back end scalable and monitoring real-time statistics, you can continuously improve the performance of your application.
Of course, elements such as security and speed also play an important role within your app’s technical infrastructure: this is the foundation and it largely determines its success.
The setup of data flows is also important for your app’s performance. The way data requests and API calls are structured can affect the load of the application. If many users are active at the same time and send or request data (in the form of votes/voting, viewing content, sending messages, or other activities), this can affect performance.
Push notifications can also activate users of your app. Did you know that the click-through rate for a push notification is as much as 50% higher than for email? With push notifications, you can therefore ensure that users open your app or website at specific moments.
3. Continuous testing
Of course you test your app before launch. But to always achieve the best result, you also need to test your app in different ways after launch. Not only technically and for usability, but also for load and gamification.
The usability of the application is mainly about its ease of use and value. The app must be logically structured, both in terms of navigation and the components of the different screens. This allows a user to navigate easily and find what they are looking for. The user should never feel ‘lost’ in the app or not know where to navigate next.
If your application is used by many users at the same time, you want to be sure that the app can handle that user load. That is why load testing is an important part of testing your app. Does the app become slower, but still function? Then it is time to determine how many simultaneous users cause delays and how much delay you find acceptable.
Game elements in your app must, of course, work perfectly. For example, if you look at the Wie is de Mol? application, you see that different scenarios are possible: in the first episode, after all, you can choose from 10 different candidates. All scenarios must be tested in advance, so that the user always sees not only the correct screen, but also the correct number of points.
4. Feedback loop
A feedback loop is an essential part of developing your app. The feedback from your users and the improvements you make based on it are decisive for the success of your app. By having a small group of users provide feedback on early versions of the app during development, a feedback loop is created. They can then explain what they experience as good and less good about the app. Analyzing and processing this feedback improves the quality and relevance of your app.
5. Data-driven working
You cannot ignore data when developing your app. You collect data from your app by recording every user action in your app. By interpreting this data, it is possible to set up experiments and organize processes as efficiently as possible. As a result, decisions can be made faster, better, and more accurately. Connect all sources and channels to improve your products and optimize processes. This gives your app increasing value for your company.
Create your perfect media app!
Do you want to get started right away with creating the perfect app for your media company? We are ready to help you. Would you rather first get more information about creating the ideal application and how it can help you reach and retain your target audience? Download our whitepaper now!
Download whitepaper: Apps for Media
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