Applications on phones are becoming increasingly used and loved, which got me thinking, is there an app in which “EVERYONE” loves? With currently 2.9 million available apps on both the apple store and google store (Statista, 2015), odds would suggest that there would be an app which is ‘perfect’ for everyone and anyone. The more that people use apps, the more feedback companies would receive to further better their apps. While not every app is suitable for everyone, Metcalfe Law (Metcalfe, B 1980) states that the value is proportional to the square of the number of users. Which in app terms suggests that the more people who use the app, the more recognised the app.

While i agree  with many of my friends about the enjoyment of apps that they rant and rave about, there will always be an app that will suit them, but not myself. This got me researching what sort of things companies would need to introduce/include into their branding of an app which could possibly suit everyone.

So here are 3 suggestions to all of you who are thinking about making an app:

Do something different: Yes, you’ve probably heard this before, but it is probably the best way in which would entice people to download your app. If they can do something that they’ve never done before on their snazzy new smartphone, they will want to see it. This is representative of apps such as one of the very first apps, Carlsbergs ‘iPint’. The concept was simple. Fill up your viral pint, then drink your virtual pint by tipping the glass towards you. It was fun because no one has seen the iphone do that before. It was a great bit of brand engagement, because the only reason you would download the app was to show off to your mates.

Make it useful: While this might sound simple, it is extremely effective. What people want the most is to use their smartphone as much as possible. Creating an app which can help them in everyday life will let these users live this dream and utilise their smartphones even more. This can be related to the AA app which has been heavily downloaded, it gives all traffic information on the road, fuel prices nearby and parking information. While this is not suited to everyone, this gives a small idea on what a good branded app can be like.

Well Targeted: Finally, developing the perfect branded app means not just meeting the brand and campaign objectives, but also being where your users are, which is not necessarily on an iPhone. One great advantage of mobile is that one can target specific demographics through the mobile handset itself  something that could not be done through other digital channels. A typical iPhone user represents one of those groups.

These suggestions wont create the perfect app, but it will make you 1 step closer to creating the app that could be branded to everyones tastes.

References:

Statista. (2013). Statistics and Facts about Apps. Available: http://www.statista.com/topics/1729/app-stores/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2015.

endler, J. Golbeck, J. (2011). Metcalfe’s Law, Web 2.0, and the Semantic Web. Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute. (1), 3.