Device Targeting & Its Affect on Online App User Engagement
Device targeting is a method of content delivery that tailors delivery according to the device the Internet is being accessed from. Content appearing on a laptop, mobile phone, or tablet for the same user may be quite different according to which device he or she is using or which apps are being accessed. The goal is to improve online app user engagement and all signs, so far, are indicating that device targeting is a highly effective means of doing so.
How Does Device Targeting Work for Online App User Engagement?
With device targeting, businesses can create apps that are specific to each device being targeted. In other words, you now have the ability not only to target content delivery to users who generally access particular platforms (mobile phones, tablets, laptops, etc.), but also to specific devices, such as Kindle Fire, Amazon Fire Phone, or Amazon Fire TV.
But that’s not all device targeting has to offer content and app creators. When it comes to online app user engagement, you really can’t do better than the combination knockout punch of GEO and device targeting if you’re trying to attract more customers to your brick-and-mortar establishments.
Scratch that, you can go one better, by including a business category in the targeting process. That way you’re only sending your message to a smoking hot target audience rather than one that is merely warm, if not absolutely cold.
Alternatively, online retailers that aren’t set up to support mobile devices can choose to exclude mobile phones and tablets from their targeting completely.
As an example, Facebook advertisers today get the benefit of Atlas, which offers cross-device targeting as well as offline sales tracking, which is quite an impressive accomplishment in its own right.
Web Apps vs. Native Apps
Native apps are apps designed for use on specific mobile platforms. These are downloaded in app marketplaces such as Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Web apps, on the other hand, are not downloaded. Users access them via the web browsers on their devices of choice.
Years past, native apps had the advantage of faster page transitions, since the pages of the app are cached locally on the device. But web apps have caught up in user experience by leveraging the power of improved devices, browsers, and networks, as well as advanced delivery technology like Application Sequencing. Today, there is not necessarily any difference between the capabilities, functionality, or visual appearance of web and native apps. The only difference is the end user’s perception of the two apps.
Native apps require users to download and install constant updates in order to keep up with operating systems and security changes, while web apps update seamlessly without end users taking any action.
Some businesses offer both, like Amazon.com, and let the users decide for themselves whether they prefer web apps or native apps. This is perhaps one of the best ways to improve online app user engagement that businesses can adopt in today’s marketplace.
Device targeting will literally transform the way businesses present content on the World Wide Web. There’s no doubt about that. As a business, you will now be in the driver’s seat when it comes to who sees your content and how engaging that content is to the users who view it.
Key Takeaways
- Device targeting allows you to target who sees your content according to the particular devices end users utilize.
- Combining device targeting with GEO targeting and search terms helps narrow targets further for better engagement.
- Device targeting can be an effective tool for web apps and native apps alike.
- Advertisers can exclude certain platforms from receiving their advertisements altogether for improved targeting.
The ever-expanding mobile revolution means that consumers are accessing content from a variety of devices. Do you have a strategy in place to address end-user experience across multiple devices? Click the ebook image below to download a free guide of content delivery strategies.
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