Online Reputation Management

Companies spend massive amounts of time and resources perfecting their brand and the companies that include mobile in the equation are typically leaders in their industry. What do these two companies have in common? Their investment in mobile brand reputation management.

To understand how mobile impacts brand image, consumers were surveyed to learn the role mobile plays in consumers' perceptions of brands as a whole. The findings are revealed in the report, How to Manage Your Brand's Reputation on Mobile, which provides insights into how mobile can boost your brand image in the eyes of consumers.

Here's a quick preview of what you'll learn:

Mobile Apps: An Extension of Your Brand

Mobile apps—and content in the app stores—are an extension of your brand, but all too often, they get left out of the marketing brand strategy discussion. Content in the app stores can have a negative impact on your brand if it's not being monitored and kept. Sharing thoughts on a brand is not the intended purpose of app store reviews, but still have an effect on potential customers. Ratings and reviews are a massive driver not only of app downloads, but connecting potential customers with a brand. If people are considering your brand and looking at the app store to decide, they'll be influenced either in a positive way or see it as a barrier to entry.

A Name Brand Won't Save You

Many companies fall prey to the misconception that relying on their brand name is a justifiable strategy. Ratings and reviews have heavy implications no matter how widely recognized your brand name is. Not only do they impact consumer perception of your brand as a whole, they determine the likelihood that someone will download your app. People are 8x more likely to download a highly rated app of an unknown brand than a poorly rated app of a known brand.

Tips for Selecting a Mobile App Development Company

It is very easy to find a third party mobile application development company, but finding the right one to work with can be immensely tricky. It is definitely not an easy decision to decide who to partner with for your designing and developing your mobile app. Which company should you choose? How can you evaluate your potential partners? What is necessary for you? What process is used? These are all important considerations. Choosing the wrong partner can lead to bad and bug-loaded code, months of delay and an app that offers a poorly designed experience, which means that tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars end up being wasted.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to choose the right mobile application development company. How can you do that? These 4 tips will help you:

Tip 1: Timeliness: This one is pretty easy; the mobile app development company should be able to meet deadlines. Not delivering on time is probably the hardest thing for you in terms of a wasted opportunity and cost. You need to ensure that the company that's asking for hundreds of thousands of dollars of your money is able to make good on its promises.

Tip 2: Client References: The portfolio of the mobile app development company is the first thing you will look at. You should check the brands they have worked with, the problems they have solved, the work they have done as this gives you a good idea of their expertise. At this stage, getting client references is essential. You need to verify everything that the agency is pitching at you and the only way to do that is to get references of clients they have serviced and contact them for getting their opinion.

Tip 3: Cost: The next thing you need to know is who will be working on your app. There are plenty of mobile application development companies that outsource their work to workers overseas. While this is definitely going to cost you less, you should also bear in mind that you may end up with a cheap finished product as there may be compromises in quality for justifying the lower cost. Therefore, you should always double check to see who will be doing the work rather than letting your decision be made solely in terms of cost.

Tip 4: Experience: Experience is also an important factor to consider when selecting a mobile application development company. Newbies may not be able to provide you the fully customized app you are looking for as opposed to those who have developed apps before. Decide the platform for which you need an app and check the company's experience for that one. Experienced companies will be aware of the ins and outs of app development and will have perfected their development process as compared to novices who have just begun their work.

These tips will help you in making the right decision when selecting a mobile application development company and save your time, money and resources.

Using apps for Remote client Interactions

We live in an age where communication takes place primarily on digital platforms. Between the newest social media apps to old school desktop computers, you're probably more likely to send an e-mail than attend an in-person meeting in today's culture. That also extends to business, which is why you have to take into account how this type of popular communication can help your company improve interaction with clients. Although doing things differently may be intimidating at first, it's essential to get on board with current trends in the realm of business communication.

1. Creating Dynamic Conversations

It's time to re-evaluate how you conduct conversations. Traditional meetings usually adopt a consistent format that's used for years, and although there are always revisions to be made, video conferences are far more flexible in terms of how you decide to structure a meeting. 

2. New Client Acquisition

Widen your scope and set up a video conference with someone you're trying to connect with for a business venture or for their expertise. Business 2 Community points out that consistent people are the ones who find success, since you need to keep persisting on a daily basis to reach out and make connections. Video conferencing is only one of the latest communication tools at your fingertips, in addition to other modes of more standard communication, like e-mail or social media accounts. Requesting a video conference meeting to pitch an idea or ask for assistance also makes you stand out, which is another essential quality of business professional who reaches their goals. Here are some tips about how to network with your desired contacts using video conferencing:

• Send an e-mail and follow up with a business proposal via video conference

• Make your face known before inviting your colleague on camera by allowing social media pictures to be public and putting a person behind the Internet profile

• Be prepared once you win the attention you're seeking to back it up with samples of your work and track record

• Double check that your video conferencing system is widely compatible with other systems and devices

These are just a few ideas of how you can effectively acquire a new client with diligence and good old fashioned face to face communication.

3. Connecting Your People with Clients

Communication problems happen, and it's often attributable to information being unclear relayed in the first place. This can also stem from the fact that sometimes, two groups of people can have problems stating what they mean. When you run into a snag with an unequal exchange of information on both sides of the table, whether with colleagues or your clients, Business 2 Community suggests establishing smaller goals and individual expectations. For example, instead of fielding a client request as a team, assign an individual to handle it and really get to the heart of what's being asked. This also solves problems when information becomes vague because it was never conveyed clearly or understood in the first place.

The difference between failing to effectively use information to give a client what they want, versus exceeding their expectations, is to win or lose them in the long run. You always want to make your clients feel valued, and the number one way to achieve that result is to actively listen. When you're working with a team, though, this also hinges on the expectation that everyone present listening as carefully as you. Video conferencing makes it easier for everyone to be on the same page, since you're also all in the same digital conference room. You can skip misunderstandings that happen with e-mails or delayed communication. This is the secret of how to excel at client interaction and stand out from your competitors.

4. Keep Your Head in the Cloud

Whether you're using a mobile device to connect to a video conference or a laptop computer, due to the fact that most data is processed from the cloud these days, there's no need to deal with hefty data processing. Using this type of video conferencing assures that you'll not only be able to maintain a reliable connection to interact with clients, but you'll also be able to enjoy perks like high definition video and collaborative tools.

Whether you're nervous about today's most cutting-edge video conferencing technology or eager to hop on board, the fact remains that it's one of the most effective and smoothest ways to interact with clients. Removing the mystery from who you are as a company and what kind of services you offer is a sure-fire way to guarantee future business.

Designing Mobile Apps, Where to Start?

Every year mobile consumers are more and more demanding. The possibilities of mobile devices are constantly growing: for example, 3G was replaced by 4G that provides higher connection speeds and lower energy consumption.

The use of applications without interrupting daily affairs became a commonplace. According to the statistics, an average user spends 2.5 hours per day viewing his mobile gadgets, and about 75% of this time he spends in mobile applications. At the same time, a new generation of devices with large screen sizes and resolutions is a challenge for developers.

A company which has no high-quality mobile application will likely to lose the competition. Thus, as a business owner, you have to keep the attention of the consumer for as long as possible and lead him to purchase or order.

Design Contest professionals have recently discussed the problem of mobile apps design. We found that to design the best mobile application, you need to watch out for future trends and, of course, take into account the general rules and the needs of the particular audience: that is, the design of a mobile app. for students is likely to be completely different from apps. made for housewives. Read more details and tips below.

#1 Focus on UX

8 out of 10 users have a Smartphone; 1 out of 10 has a wearable device. Mobile devices will push the desktop ones out of the game in the next few years. UX is very important for all businesses, marketers and designers to highlight their products on the market.

There is also a tendency to create narrowly-focused applications instead of ones with frequent but minor updates. Simple navigation and advertising in applications are trends for the nearest future. Analytical data will play an important role as well since intuitiveness is a powerful advantage for any application.

Security remains one of the most difficult aspects for mobile designers and developers. That is why you have to pay a lot of attention to authorization algorithm in order to prevent damage from intruders.

#2 Blurred Backgrounds

It was one of the main web design trends in 2015, and it has some changes to grow in mobile applications. Such background allows designers to abandon complex lurid designs and highlight the call to action button that generates conversions for your business. The blurred background is perfectly suited to visually highlight the text and beautify the overall picture. Soft and unobtrusive shades are the best.

#3 the Simpler – the Better

Users adore websites with easy navigation. Visually pleasing mobile applications with clear fonts and intuitive interface are very popular among users as well. Pull-down menus are much more convenient than bright or flashy elements.

Your task is to make sure users can easily find the content, information or service they are looking for. Simple navigation provides smooth, trouble-free, relaxing, and user-friendly experience. Menus and navigation should have a professional appearance, being as simple and understandable as possible.

#4 Innovative Scrolling

Given the increase in the frequency of use of bright colors, large images, and large bright fonts, you may stand out in another way, namely by using a convenient scrolling. Users get annoyed when they have to spend too much time on clicks; convenient scroll simplifies navigation and increases the visual appeal of your mobile app.

#5 Large and Bold Fonts

First mobile applications consisted primarily of text due to the slow connection speed. Many things got changed, but not the trend of large and not overloaded texts that are very convenient for perception: a user can gather the necessary information at a glance.

Although thin fonts look impressive on high-resolution screens, large, bold and colourful fonts can make your application memorable and unique. A well-thought set of fonts can bring to life even the most mediocre application.  Also, designers actively use monochrome background combined with white font and contrasting elements.

#6 Simple Color Gamuts

Modern users prefer a mixture of gentle and simple colors. However, it makes sense to use the colors of your brand to convey its value. Red, neon and bright green popular a few years ago are now out of date – now designers choose soft color schemes and calm warm colors.

#7 User Interface Based on Context

An application depending on the context is able to determine the location of the user, his activity, and time and how these factors may affect the user's actions. For example, such applications can identify nearest shops, gas stations, etc.

#8 3D Design and Design for Large Screens

In previous years, major brands such as Apple and Microsoft used flat design. However, 3D is not dead – it may come back and become even stronger than before. It gives feelings of life and energy.

Smart phones are becoming bigger and bigger, and there's even a new type of gadget – phablets – a hybrid of a smart phone and a tablet. As a designer of the mobile app, you have to account the way users hold their devices: 10% of users are left-handed, so interactive elements should be available from any side of the screen. Besides, it is necessary to choose the optimum size of these elements.

#9 Social Buttons

50% of consumers follow the recommendations given in social networks. Your application must be integrated social networks to allow the user to log in by using his favorite platform.

#10 Don't Reinvent the Wheel

Instagram is in its heyday at the moment. This application has broken several records of popularity, so that many other applications started to copy it features. I don't call you for blind copying but learning from the best is worth it.

#11 Swipe Navigation

Smart phones are evolving, representing both new opportunities and new challenges for developers. For example, users of mobile devices can "pull" the screen to zoom the content and use "swipe" to navigate. Such control is more natural and comfortable for the fingers than push. Perhaps the most striking example of this type of interaction is Tinder in which users swipe to the right to if they like the profile, and to the left – if they do not.

#12 Considering Wearable Devices

As said, mobile devices become bigger and bigger, and some of them no longer fit the pocket. This fact encouraged companies to create portable always-at-hand devices with small screens. Apple Watch is the greatest confirmation of the trend. In this case, color, contrast, and typography are particularly important and should adapt to the user's current location and requirements.

#13 Multilayered Layouts

Multi layer layouts combine flat design, geometric forms, and laws of the physical world. The design simulates the way objects move and interact in reality by means of light and shade. Objects moved by the user on the screen cast shadows and seem volumetric / moveable. As for Flat, it makes pictures even more stylish.

Well, hope the listed tips will make things a little bit easier for you. Feel free to share your experience in app design in comments.

What IT needs to know about mobile app development tools

The mobile application development market is flooded with tools, so picking the right one is daunting.

From plug-ins for integrated development environments to cloud-based platforms that handle every phase of the application lifecycle there are a number of considerations to take into account before companies make a decision.

Explore eight such considerations to keep in mind when evaluating mobile application development tools. The importance of each consideration varies based on company size, existing tool set, budget, in-house talent and more.

Usability

The mobile app development tool's interface should be intuitive, easy-to-use and work the way developers expect it to. If collaboration is a factor, for example, the tool should enhance it or, at the very least, not encumber it.

How the tool actually functions should be at the forefront of developer's minds when they evaluate a product. Developers should thoroughly test potential products before committing to them.

Costs

Licensing development tools, building the necessary infrastructures, and developing and deploying applications can be expensive. By comparison, the low start-up fees offered by cloud-based services, such as codeless mobile application development platforms can seem enticing, especially when the services promise to do most of the work.

When evaluating any mobile app development tools, make sure to consider total cost of ownership, not just immediate up-front expenses. Remember the long-term costs when evaluating mobile application development tools to understand their full effect. Services that cost less in the short term might actually cost more in the end, especially if the services don't integrate well with other systems or cannot handle all the functionality a company needs.

The short-term gains might make open source tools attractive too, but if developers and administrators spend hours supporting and integrating them, the advantages quickly disappear.

Lifecycle management

Remember the long-term costs when evaluating development tools to understand their full effect.

Once developers build an app their job is not done. They must test, host, deploy, maintain and analyze its usage throughout its lifecycle. They must also figure out how to handle and store data, secure the data and integrate it with other systems. In addition, they must consider all the device types they have to deploy the app on and the different delivery mechanisms and upgrade strategies on each device type.

If developers plan to do the work in house, they must be sure their mobile app development tools work together to support the app's lifecycle. The same is true if companies rely on external services in conjunction with internal tools.

If a company picks a full-platform service, it must be just as diligent. These platforms, usually cloud-based services, often promise a comprehensive suite of tools to take care of all the pain points. Not all services are created equal, so developers must determine exactly what they need and whether the service can deliver it, taking into account extensibility and integration with other systems.

Security

Mobile application development tools should allow Admins to use a device's built-in security controls.

Governance and audibility are also important, regardless of what tools developers use. For example, if developers choose a cloud service, they must be certain it complies with any government restrictions or regulations that apply to their data. A service might make development easier, particularly across multiple platforms, but that doesn't necessarily ensure the highest level of security.

Integration

Developers should look at how well the mobile app development tool integrates with the systems and services that touch the application throughout its lifecycle. Not only should the tool itself provide seamless integration with other systems, but it should also let them build an application with the necessary integration.

For example, developers might need to build apps that support mobile application management (MAM). If they're considering a MADP, they should ensure it is possible to build MAM into their apps.

The concept of integration also extends to such issues as whether the tools let admins build apps that integrate with existing back-end systems or whether the tools themselves can integrate with their continuous-delivery infrastructure and other key systems.

Expertise

Some services promise a codeless experience, while others drill in the "write once, run anywhere" mantra, which might simplify the overall process, but still requires developers. On the other hand, a cross-platform service might rely heavily on JavaScript and HTML, as opposed to languages such as Java or C#, making it easier to use in-house development resources.

Developers must look at what skills they'll need as well as what expertise the product or service offers as part of the package.

They also want to consider how quickly they need to get their apps out the door. Some services provide templates or code samples, and make reusing code possible. Other services offer the ability to customize specific components, if they have the expertise.

Applications

Each type of app has advantages and disadvantages. Native apps generally offer the best performance and user experience, but they usually cost the most and take the longest to build, especially across multiple platforms. Web apps are quick and easy to deploy, but usually are not as robust as native apps. Hybrid apps fall somewhere in between.

Some organizations must implement different types of apps. For example, a simple HTML5 app might suit internal users, but customers need native apps.

Developers must know what they're going to build before they choose the tools to build it. For instance, if they decide to go with a MADP service and build hybrid or HTML5 apps, then they'll want to ensure they can deliver an interface their users like.

Delivery

Developers should account for availability, scalability and performance. They also must know how to perform maintenance and implement upgrades, which require resources and affect availability.

When developers build apps in-house, they control everything. With third-party services, particularly complete platforms, companies often purchase the entire package. The service might build in mechanisms for adjusting scalability and performance, but overall developers have little control beyond the basic adjustments.

Before committing to any service, developers should fully understand the service-level agreement and what the vendor can actually deliver.