7 mobile trends to guide your business strategies in 2016

Photo credit: Olu Eletu

The mobile ecosystem has evolved considerably.

Previously, the only way that businesses were promoted on mobile platforms were through SMS or calls. In recent times, the mobile platform virtually guides a business. Every company has to register an active mobile presence either through mobile apps or mobile sites in order to reach large numbers of users. Moreover, the evolving mobile ecosystem expects businesses to go all guns blazing while utilising mobile platforms for their promotion.

Apart from launching mobile apps across platforms to increase the visibility of the business, other aspects like mobile payment and email marketing also need to be handled. 34 percent of subscribers use only mobile and other handheld devices to read emails. It is also observed that many apps have been launched and nothing is done to follow up. According to Apptentive, if there is no interaction between the app and the user, the app retention nose dives by 10 percent.

With the year 2016 approaching, it is high time we look into strategically using current mobile trends to plan our business strategies.

7 trends that will dominate the mobile ecosystem in 2016

Increase in mobile wallet usage

In 2015, we saw the emergence of mobile wallets that have made payments much easier. People who were once wary of sharing their bank information online thought of mobile wallets as a great way to pay for products and services online. In India, many mobile wallets like Mobikwik, Paytm, PayUmoney, Oxigen grew in prominence. Globally, Google Wallet, Apple Passbook, and Paypal have revolutionised the way people shop online.

According to Verifone, mobile wallet users have increased by 4 percent in the US. The primary reason behind this increase is due to the amount of money that the customers are able to save by using these wallets. These wallets tie up with popular ecommerce companies and other service providers to simplify payment processes for the users.

There are the three main benefits of mobile wallets. Firstly, users are able to make hassle-free online payments. Secondly, the mobile wallets benefit from the commission they get from ecommerce sites and thirdly, revenue is generated by ecommerce companies due to increased sales.

Personalised push notifications

Mobile apps are not something that can just be launched and forgotten. In order to increase the chance of app retention by the user, the app must be able to offer a user experience exclusive to the user. For instance, if you book a flight ticket using a mobile app, the app should be able to provide you with the status of the flight or deals on the hotels in the city you are visiting.

Personalised push notifications change the perception users have of the app.