MOBILE FOR RECREATION ORGANIZATIONS: WHY IT S TIME FOR A STRATEGY

Transcription

1 MOBILE FOR RECREATION ORGANIZATIONS: WHY IT S TIME FOR A STRATEGY

2 Introduction In 2011, the number of smartphones sold exceeded the number of PCs sold. It s time for organizations to pay attention. People are looking at your website on their phones. How does it look? Are you losing customers? Also, smartphone users have tons of apps to carry out functions that their favorite organizations provide and they re spending money right from the palms of their hands. Today, we ll talk about how and why it s time for a mobile strategy. You ll read about mobile stats, learn the difference mobile sites and apps, find out which could work better for you, and see examples of well-built mobile apps. Let s mobilize: 1. Mobile Statistics: Industry-Wide 2. Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Websites a. Apps: Pros and Cons b. Websites: Pros and Cons c. What Works for You 3. Mobile Application Examples 4. Mobile Statistics: ACTIVE Network 5. Conclusion

3 100M+ AMERICAN SMARTPHONE USERS IN JANUARY 2012 Mobile Statistics: Industry-Wide 1. In 2011, the number of smartphones sold exceeded the number of PCs. By 2014, it is estimated that 1 billion smartphones will be sold twice as many as PCs. (Source: Pew Research Center) 2. The number of Americans using smartphones exceeded 100 million in January That marks a growth rate of 13% between October 2011 and January (Source: ComScore) 3. Over 90% of the U.S. population aged 13 and over uses mobile devices (Source: CodeGeek.com) 4. 91% of all U.S. citizens have their mobile device within reach 24/7. (Source: Morgan Stanley, HubSpot) % of smartphone owners are aged between 25 and 44 (Source: comscore, MobiLens, MarketingProfs) 91% OF ALL U.S. CITIZENS HAVE THEIR MOBILE DEVICE WITHIN REACH 24/ % of U.S. smartphones owners have used their device to make a purchase (Source: comscore) 7. 73% of Americans use their mobile devices to text and take pictures, 44% to access the internet, and 38% to send/receive . (Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project) 8. 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. (Source: Mobile Marketer, HubSpot 9. It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet. It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone. (Source: Unisys, HubSpot) 10. Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons. (Source: Borrell Associates, HubSpot)

4 Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Websites When you get into serious talks about a mobile strategy for your organization, one of the first places to start is the decision to create a mobile application, a mobile version of your website, or both. Mobile applications Mobile applications are downloaded and installed by users from distribution portals like Apple s App Store. Unlike mobile websites, apps are not accessed through a mobile browser and are designed to carry out a specific set of functions. Information can be pulled in from the internet or downloaded and run without the internet. PROS User experience: Apps can use the full screen and have more control over how text and images are displayed Loyalty: If someone downloads the app, they are more likely to reuse it unlike a web visitor Time spent: Time spent on mobile apps far surpasses time spent on the mobile web Hardware usage: Apps can tap into GPS, shake functionality, and camera capabilities Performance: Apps run very quickly versus mobile websites that take longer to load CONS Cost: Building a mobile app is more expensive than building a mobile site Accessibility: Apps can only be accessed by those who download it as opposed to mobile websites that can be accessed by anyone over the internet Custom development: Apps must be custom built for each smart phone operating device Shared revenue: Potential revenues are shared with the app hosting company Approval: The app hosting company requires people makers to abide by certain rules Mobile websites A mobile website is made up of HTML pages that are linked together and accessed through an internet browser, just like a regular website. The difference is that a mobile site is built to fit handheld devices and touch-screen devices. When people access your site from a mobile device, they will be redirected to the appropriate mobile version from a small chunk of script in your website s code. PROS Cost: It is typically less expensive than developing a mobile app Quicker implementation: Less development is required to create a website than an app Accessibility: People with internet access on their phones can access mobile sites Visibility: Mobile websites can be found in search engines, through links, and more Revenue: There is no revenue sharing as is the case with mobile apps CONS Functionality: Mobile sites are limited within the browsers and cannot be built with Flash Loyalty: People need to return to your mobile site over the internet unlike apps that sit on their home screens Performance: Mobile sites depend on site design, connection speed, and device capabilities to perform Layout: Mobile sites are typically laid out differently than their desktop counterparts this could cause confusion

5 How to determine what works for your organization GOALS What are your goals with mobile? Do you simply want to reach people who are visiting your site from their phones or do you want to offer something that you currently don t have? If you want to satisfy web visitors, then consider a mobile website. If you want to offer a better experience for customers and visitors, think about a mobile app with registration, maps, schedules, and more to promote your classes and facilities. BUDGET How much are you willing to invest in mobile technology? To create a barebones mobile app, your organization would have to be willing to minimally invest around $10,000. More likely, building an app could cost around $20,000. Make sure that you conduct a cost-benefit analysis to see if building an app is worth it for your organization. Will you charge for the app? Will mobile registrations make up for the cost of the app? A mobile version of your website will be cheaper. Simply taking your current website and rearranging it to fit onto the screen should not take a large chunk of your budget. USER PREFERENCE As is the case with any business, understanding your customers is crucial. When they interact with your organization, what are they looking to do? For example, if your customers are looking to shop, create a mobile website and if they re looking to connect, create a mobile app. See below:

6 Mobile Application Examples 1. Ottawa Parks and Recreation The City of Ottawa s mobile application offers information on all facilities and parks from child care centers to baseball fields and more. With an interactive map and one touch dialing to facilities, this app helps people find and search great activities from their fingertips. 2. Parks n Rec Users can search over 43,000 verified park locations around the United States with this free app. People can also search for pools, tennis courts, picnic areas, sports fields, and more. 3. YMCA of the Triangle This YMCA network in North Carolina manages a number of facilities around the Raleigh and Durham areas. The mobile app is free and allows people to search for exercise schedules, read program information, find locations, and get updates about closings, etc.

7 4. Winnetka Park District Winnetka, Illinois offers a way for citizens and guests to find details about parks, recreation opportunities, golf courses, beach, special events, and more. Users can view the seasonal brochure, register for a program, and stay connected through social media. 5. City of Calgary Pathways & Bikeways This app is designed to offer Calgarians people-powered alternatives of transportation. Users can search and find pathways and bikeways with an interactive map and plan their routes. 6. I Boulder This app is part of a grassroots initiative to celebrate and promote the unique culture of Boulder, Colorado. With the mobile app, users can tag photos from their phones with one of many colored I Boulder logos, and share them socially.

8 7. City of Arlington, TX Visitors and residents can find recreation, entertainment, shopping and more with this mobile application. With social integration, bookmarking options, and ratings, this app does a good job of personalizing the experience for each user. 8. Sparks, NV Sparks, Nevada launched this official city app to provide users a way to search for special events, restaurants, parks, and more (even city softball standings). Users can use augmented reality to explore venues through their camera lenses. 9. Recreation.gov Camping Search by location, date, and more to find campsites at National Parks, Forests and other recreation areas. You can view campground details and photos, pick the best spot, and reserve your selected on the Recreation.gov website or over the phone. 10. Ball State University Recreation Services Students, faculty, alumni, and guests can see all of the recreation facilities and how busy they are. The app is updated each hour so people do not have to waste time walking to the gym, pool, or wellness center if it s too crowded.

9 Mobile Statistics: ACTIVE Network ACTIVE Network has built a mobile website for our online community, ACTIVE.com, and mobile apps for, swimmers, campers, beginner runners and more. Mobile technology supports our mission to make the world a more active place. With active opportunities at their fingertips, people can easily pursue what they love, want, and need to do. For that reason, mobile is crucial for our business. These statistics reflect that and show how powerful they could be for your organization in your pursuit to make your community a more active place: 1. Of the 4+ million visits on ACTIVE.com each month, 24% of those are mobile visits. Couch-to-5K App (running/training app for beginners) ,000 participants have downloaded the app. 3. 3,000 5K registrations have taken place ,000 workouts have been completed and logged through the app. ACTIVE.com On-Site App (allows participants to register or check) races have downloaded the app. 6. $16,000 has been processed through on-site registrations. Meet Mobile App (swimmers and fans can view swim event information in real time) 7. 60,000 swimmers and fans have downloaded since its launch in June, Recreation.gov App (users can search by location, date, and more to find campsites at National Parks, Forest, etc.) 8. Over 22,000 people have downloaded the app since December, ACTIVE Network, Golf App (golfers can book tee times and receive special discounts or advanced tee times) 9. This app has been downloaded over 6,000 times with hundreds of rounds of golf booked. US Tennis Association App (tennis players, coaches and fans can search for tennis leagues or tournaments, register and pay for tournaments, and update match scores: 10. Over 100,000 tennis players, coaches and fans have downloaded the app.

10 Conclusion Your customers want to connect with you through their phones are you making it possible for them? Start the process by checking your website statistics to see what percentage of your visitors are coming from mobile devices. Also, check how your website looks on different mobile devices. These two tests will give you a good indication of where you stand from a mobile perspective. And with the mind blowing statistics about mobile in 2012, it s time to get your organization on board. Tomorrow is too late. About ACTIVE Network ACTIVE Network is on a mission to make the world a more active place. With deep expertise in activity and participant management, our ACTIVE Works cloud technology helps organizations transform and grow their businesses. We do this through technology solutions that power the world s activities and through online destinations such as ACTIVE.com that connect people with the things they love to do. Serving thousands of community organizations, we help organizations get more participants, manage their activities and build strong communities. To learn more about ACTIVE Network, go to 560_12