digital marketing

Planet of the Apps: the appeal of walled gardens

image

In internet terms a walled garden is a safe, controlled publisher ecosystem, often within an app or ISP environment, that controls the user’s access to Web content and services. The benefits walled gardens offer to users could see online recruitment activities shifting more towards apps and social media.

This limited access approach of walled gardens is becoming increasingly significant with mobile app downloads set to double globally in the next four years as smart phone adoption increases. People are spending more time on their phones interacting with apps, especially when it comes to social media and shopping.

Why this has happened is very clear; users prefer the faster experience of moving between apps on a mobile over waiting for a PC to boot up then navigating sites. Another driver is many large providers want to keep users on their network for longer.

There are many examples of this; Snapchat’s Discover, Facebook Instant Articles, Twitter’s Moments and the YouTube for Kids app. Walled gardens also get round the threat of ad blocking with adverts and content native to the platform as opposed to banner adverts across multiple platforms.

The main appeal of walled gardens is that they put the user at the centre of the experience. For example Snapchat insists that the advertisers in its Discovery section use vertical video, as that is the format that works best for the platform. So having principles and refusing to bend on content execution for the right reasons ensures in the long term a steady economic model. There is no irony lost on the fact that we are behaving like we did back in the 2000s; quality over technology advancements will always shine through.

What this means for recruitment is that the employers quickest to adopt and adapt app opportunities will be able to get ahead of their competitors in the war for talent. The use of social media as the main platform for campaigns platforms as opposed to just supporting other activity will become increasingly important.

Could it be possible that an employer’s Facebook page becomes the centre of their recruitment communications strategy and the careers website simply where you apply for a job? It could even host the application process too. The future is uncertain, but what is sure is that employers who fully understand their target markets and behaviours and match it with their outputs will reap the rewards.

Jim Bloor

Micro-moments mould modern marketing

Have you ever picked up your smartphone while you’re in a queue, shopping, commuting or watching TV to check a fact, buy something or find a fix on the fly? These micro-moments offer a new opportunity to engage and an important step towards longer term goals such as recruitment.

In the early part of 2015 Google identified a new consumer behaviour type, called micro-moments. These micro-moments predominantly take place on smartphones and more than likely will involve watching a video.  And it’s not just Google who believe this is happening; Jeffrey Hammond from Forrester says “consumer engagement is shifting toward micro- moments”, whilst digital analyst and futurist Brian Solis of Altimeter Group has written that CMOs need to invest in micro-moments.

Consumers expect brands to address their needs with real-time relevance. People don’t rely on long sit-down sessions at keyboards to make purchases anymore. We reach for our devices to make informed decisions faster then ever before. Although mobile is the catalyst for this change, this phenomenon has implications far beyond mobile; it affects the entire journey across screens, devices and channels.

People making career changes or seeking jobs are no different, with 90% of smartphone users having used their phone to make progress towards a long-term goal or a multi-step process while out and about.

Google has defined micro-moments as instants of high intent and engagement, many of which happen in spare moments, such as waiting in a queue, commuting, preoccupied with something else, with the journey later continuing on either on a mobile, PC or tablet. These are not just distractions but real opportunities to engage.

Google have effectively broken it down into four key areas:

tumblr_inline_nz3h3vJKrD1tav647_1280.png

For 2016, employer brands that recognise and fully utilise the opportunity micro-moments present will get ahead of their competition in the war for talent.