The Numbers Behind Social Checkins and Branded Mobile Apps

May 12, 2011

Creating branded mobile apps is the hot topic for companies of all sizes, and incorporating social aspects into mobile marketing campaigns is just as hot. It seems like every brand is trying to find out how to engage with consumers who are on the move using social, location-based apps like foursquare and Facebook Places as well as their own private label mobile apps.

A study conducted by digital agency Beyond offers some great insight into what location-based mobile apps people are using, what motivates them to use those apps, and what motivates them to check into locations. The infographic below provides some of the details from the study (click on the image to enlarge it).

According to these results, both social mobile app early adopters and mass consumers who would consider using social mobile apps agree that Facebook Places, Twitter and Groupon are the most interesting options. However, the more interesting part of this study relates to respondent motivations.

There is no doubt that the biggest motivation to using a social mobile app is to get a discount or coupons. Large segments of the early adopter and mass audience populations are also interested in learning about specific places and connecting with friends, but getting discounts or coupons is a top motivational factor for twice as many people as any other factor.

Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t other opportunities for social, location-based mobile apps to engage with consumers but based on what’s currently available, coupons and discounts are the only real motivator to use the apps. It’s up to businesses to learn what type of content, conversations, and experiences their target audiences want from mobile apps and brands in the mobile space. This is still a very new medium and no one knows the recipe for success. The key is to follow the primary steps of brand-building — consistency, persistence, and restraint. Those steps apply to your mobile marketing strategy, too.

Does your brand have a mobile app? Are you using social, location-based mobile apps to market your brand? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

You can learn more about the report on the Beyond blog.

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Susan Gunelius

President & CEO at KeySplash Creative, Inc.

Susan Gunelius is the author of multiple marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and blogging books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, a leading blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com, a featured writer for Forbes.com, and the Guide to Blogging for About.com. Additionally, her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, FoxBusiness.com, WashingtonPost.com, TheStreet.com, SmartMoney.com, TodayShow.com, BusinessWeek.com, Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo! Small Business, and more. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Susan also appears at in-person and virtual events where she speaks about marketing, branding, social media, and more (visit www.SusanGunelius.com for more information). You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.