A positive user experience is the primary force that’s going to keep your app viable over time.
Your catchy ad may impress enough for a download, but without a killer UX, your churn is going to be brutal. UX matters, and it’s important to consider how your users will interact with the app, as well as keep an eye on your churn to see if there are features in the app that aren’t thrilling your users.
Looking at a list of common app complaints will be a helpful exercise – what most people complain about in apps will help you avoid those complaints in your own app.
People are concerned with the speed at which an app runs, concerned that it has a well-organized operating system, and that the app has a lack of ads to muddle and slow down the experience. So putting effort into these areas can pay off in longer in-app time, less churn and more revenue. But once you’ve made sure the primary annoyances are avoided, there is still room for improvement in UX.
Full-screen ads and video ads are two things that app users are frequently frustrated by – note it’s high on the list of complaints above. It’s no secret that people aren’t fond of intrusive advertising, especially when you look at the huge number of people who have installed Ad Blocking extensions onto their web browsers (which isn’t necessarily the end of the world, by the way). The simple fact, though, is that developers still need to make money for the services they are providing. Many apps garner a substantial portion of their money through ad revenue, but in most cases, this is still done in an out-of-date fashion, by interrupting the user’s experience with huge ads or long video plays.
UX is a big deal to us. Mira doesn’t impact UX at all, triggering ads out of the mobile, onto OOH displays.
The Ad Delivery Experience
Our goal is to improve the user experience of an app by taking the advertisements off of smartphones and bringing them into the real world around the user. Mira works in conjunction with apps, and through our advanced behavioral genotypes, is able to trigger relevant ads without requiring sensitive user information.
Whenever a user’s mobile device is in close proximity to some form of digital signage, like Taxi TVs or Gas Pump displays, a relevant ad will appear right in front of them. Because the ad is appearing in front of them in a unique way, and in a setting that’s less saturated with more compelling activities, the customer will respond more positively to the advertising message shown to them. The advertisement will not be associated with a particular app – ads appear almost magically, relevant to them and in a way that isn’t intrusive (or creepy). Developers are paid on a CPM model.
Resource Impact
An elimination of ads in the app is not the only way Mira improves user experience. Ad delivery mechanisms can slow down an app. Mira has a small digital footprint and will not slow down any of the apps in which it is working, nor will it negatively impact the overall performance or battery life of the phone.
Privacy Impact
Finally, users want to maintain their privacy – or at least be aware when their personal information is being shared. Privacy is an important aspect of the user’s positive experience, and Mira is mindful of these concerns as well. No information about identity or a customer’s location is collected; Mira simply collects the phone ID.
In the end, privacy, resources, and UX work together to build the overall experience for the user. Users will jump ship if an app isn’t treating them well, and none of us wants to lose users. To learn more about how Mira works, download our Secret Sauce explainer.
