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I don't want to download your app

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Re: I don't want to download your app

#91

Post by dpe82 »

arn wrote: post #76
dpe82 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You spend the time and money developing an app, and you want your visitors to know about the app These popovers/nags/redirects are typically annoying because the apps do little to nothing to add to the content or user experience. Just because the company spent time and money developing them doesn't make them useful. Why burden users with the company's poor decision?

There is no scenario where a mobile app could be superior to the web app?

Not if the content is standard text/images/video and the app gets in the way of consuming the content - which is what a user wants to do when they click on a link to an article.

Can an app be superior because it allows other types of content that can't be done well via web technologies? Perhaps. Can an app help with content discovery? Perhaps. But when a user clicks on a link to standard text/images/video they're not looking for either of those.

If you want to advertise your app because it provides other features that a user may find valuable, that's fine. Advertise it like any other product that runs against your content. If nobody uses it there's likely a good reason. Don't force it on them.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#92

Post by rhizome »

nicksergeant wrote: post #31
alpb wrote: post #15

I find this an unnecessary flame. That’s why Apple introduced Smart App Banners for iOS and they work just fine. The problem is just with those redirect you to a separate app download page. http://david-smith.org/blog/2012/09/20/implementing-smart-ap...

I hate those things. They drastically reduce the viewable height of the actual content I'm trying to look at.

The tell is the word "smart" in any branding term.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#93

Post by rhizome »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #5

Sadly this is probably a business decision and not a user experience decision. If I know I'm going to have my website there every time you tap to your homescreen or do a search on your phone I know that I'm probably more likely to convert you.

For as long as interstitial and modal app-begging has been going on, I've wondered if they're measuring their bounce rates. Something tells me maybe the people in charge of the business decision are the same people reporting the technique's efficacy, and they're hiding the numbers that would get the plug pulled on this garbage.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#94

Post by rhizome »

olefoo wrote: post #64

My theory is that organizational politics are what's driving many media companies to push their 'app' over their website. Building native apps means that new people with new training need to be hired, a new team with a new manager needs to be formed. And once the budget is there for the new shiny; it must be spent, to do otherwise would be wasteful! Never underestimate the power of a bureaucracy to make things more c…

Building native apps means that new people with new training need to be hired, a new team with a new manager needs to be formed.

I think it's more that existing employees want to amp up their resumes, and/or Mortgage-Driven Development. That the apps (and their CTAs) routinely suck tells me it's Mr. Learned-Rails-In-24hrs doing tech-lead.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#95

Post by rhizome »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #3

Just an example of people thinking profit-first and value-to-users-second. Unfortunately very common, and while in many cases it could be justified, I still think many products would improve if their authors thought a little bit more about maximizing user value before their own profit.

Does it really result in profit, though?

Re: I don't want to download your app

#96

Post by rhizome »

twistedpair wrote: post #79
cryptoz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh definitely. The mobile app is almost always a better experience than using the site. But that's not the point. The point is that I'm on my phone with limited time on a slow internet connection, I have requested content from a site and that site has chosen to not show me the content that was expected, but instead display an advertisement. This is unacceptable to me, and rather than deal with it I usually just leave…

Let's say you're walking along and you want to find an XYZ franchise (and don't use Google/X Maps)? You could visit XYZ's site and get a simplified mobile interface, tap in your zip and go. Or, like the aforementioned sites, you could find their app in the app store/market. Wait for it to download and install (hope you're on 3G). Launch the app. Wait while it gets a GPS fix and shows you banners, and then finally fin…

They both suck like Citysearch in their own ways, but the Yelp app is marginally worse than just going straight to the browser site.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#97

Post by arn »

dpe82 wrote: post #91
arn wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no scenario where a mobile app could be superior to the web app?

Not if the content is standard text/images/video and the app gets in the way of consuming the content - which is what a user wants to do when they click on a link to an article. Can an app be superior because it allows other types of content that can't be done well via web technologies? Perhaps. Can an app help with content discovery? Perhaps. But when a user clicks on a link to standard text/images/video they're not…

My point being is that your original opinion seems entirely predicated on the fact that Apps are worse experiences than mobile web. I think this is clearly wrong. For web-apps, I think native-apps can function much better. I guess we'll never ever see a Vidmaker app?

But that's all beside the point... you are so quick to argue against me, you don't even see that we agree. Re-read my original post. As I said, the execution sucks. You want to inform your audience that there's an app option, but most of the implementations suck and are too intrusive.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#98

Post by trentmb »

photorized wrote: post #16

Worst part is, most of these apps are essentially browsers. There is no additional content or interesting extra functionality being offered... just same old content, only formatted differently. So, this concept of installing a new browser every time I visit an unfamiliar site, really is ridiculous. This is almost as bad as "here's a mobile version of our site, opened automatically for your convenience". If your site…

That's basically any app that has data outside of the device.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#99

Post by alexqgb »

arn wrote: post #76
dpe82 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You spend the time and money developing an app, and you want your visitors to know about the app These popovers/nags/redirects are typically annoying because the apps do little to nothing to add to the content or user experience. Just because the company spent time and money developing them doesn't make them useful. Why burden users with the company's poor decision?

There is no scenario where a mobile app could be superior to the web app?

Of course there are scenarios where the app could be better. That's not the point. The point is that nag screens suck, people strongly dislike them, and if you actually do have a mobile app that's much better than the web app, there are better ways of promoting it.

Because here's the thing: when people see a pop up of any kind, they reflexively think "fuck you". And it doesn't take a marketing genius to realize that priming people in this fashion isn't the best opening move. It's like stroking a cat backwards; the simple rule is "Don't do this."

The correct approach is to start by provide people with what they want, the the form they request, without interruptions, redirects, etc. Make them happy before you try to sell them anything. Not until they're satisfied should you insert a plug for your mobile app. Knowing that you'll be taking up valuable screen space, make sure the app really is much better than the web app. Then tell people that it's much better, and that you think they'll really like it for this reason. And that's it.

Give people what they want, don't be a dick, and you're golden.

Re: I don't want to download your app

#100

Post by zalew »

eertami wrote: post #72
zalew wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> just because of your incessant, annoying spam on every god damn sent from my iphone. sent from my ipad. yeah, because I care what device you sent me an email from. sent from my desktop computer using firefox.

For the longest time I honestly thought many iPhone users were just complete tools until I found out it was actually a default.

I got a few situations where I responded with the above line, and I noticed they ignored it and future emails also contained the oem's shameless plug.
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