What does it take to promote a mobile app successfully?

If you’re going to create an app for your brand, you can’t just depend on downloads to happen organically. They won’t. (Or at least not enough to justify your investment.) Further, you have to make sure your app is more than just a catalogue for your brand. The world is full of such apps, and the sad truth is that nobody cares about them.

To give our readers an idea of what it really takes for a brand to create a successful mobile application, we spoke to Stanley Toh, first vice-president of internet and digital marketing at UOB. UOB’s mobile application offerings were featured in its gold-winning entry for Best User Experience at Marketing magazine’s Mob-Ex awards 2014.

In a market crowded with banking apps with high utility value for its users, it takes flair to stand out. UOB distinguished its mobile application by providing features that complements its users’ lifestyle.

“The UOB mobile banking app delivers to our customers something new which will add value in their daily lives. Besides booking movie tickets, customers can also book event tickets under SISTIC. Coupled with unique banking features such as mobile cash, we aim to deliver a superior user experience to our customers,” Toh says.

“We wanted to give customers a ‘concierge in their hands’.”

To promote these features, the bank invested in an eight-month advertising campaign split into two phases. The first phase – 17 May to 14 July 2013 – promoted its mobile cash feature. The second phase – 1 October to 31 December 2013 – promoted its mobile ticketing app.

Mobile cash

UOB’s mobile cash person-to-person feature allows users to transfer cash securely via their mobile numbers instead of their bank accounts. The cash can be withdrawn from ATM machines without needing an ATM card, credited into a UOB account or used to top up a NETS FlashPay or NETS Cash Card. UOB’s mobile banking app was the first local app to include this service, well before the likes of DBS PayLah! were launched.

To promote the app, UOB invested in an integrated media campaign aimed at driving app downloads and usage.

“We were promoting a mobile feature, so a more mobile and online savvy customer base was the natural audience. However, even the most digital-savvy customer does consume conventional media too and would benefit from the service. Further, conventional media allowed us to reach customers who weren’t necessarily digitally savvy, but would be interested to look into using the app nonetheless,” Toh said.

“So a 360-degree marketing plan, including several creative executions both online and offline, was put in place.”

UOB’s mobile cash media campaign utilised a combination of internally owned channels and paid channels that complemented the lifestyle habits of its consumers. Owned channels used included electronic mailers, mobile messaging, ATMs and its own website, among others. Paid channels included advertisements in XinMSN, Google and The Straits Times website; OOH advertisements placed through Clear Channel; and mobile banners displayed through apps such as Facebook and Google.

Through the campaign, UOB achieved 102% of its mobile app download target. During the campaign period, UOB saw a year-on-year growth of 33% in mobile cash transactions, 35% in mobile cash transaction amounts and 14% in active mobile banking users.

Mobile ticketing

UOB’s mobile ticketing app allows users to browse and buy tickets to movies in Cathay Cineplexes’ outlets. Users can also use the feature to book event tickets through SISTIC. Further, UOB rewarded app users with chances to win red carpet gala premiere tickets to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in London and Los Angeles, and exclusive entry to Singapore’s premiere screening of the movie.

The bank used various high-reach, affinity driven paid channels and owned channels to promote these benefits, as well as utilising the channels of sponsorship partners to encourage app downloads. Its press and mobile advertisements directed users to the app download page on iTunes and Google Play.

Advertisements were placed through Cathay Cineleisure’s owned channels, including standees, life stickers and web banners among others; as well as MediaCorp’s channels, including electronic mail blasts to the 8 Days magazine and i-weekly magazine database. UOB purchased print ads in The Straits Times and TODAY newspaper; mobile ads on apps such as Facebook; and digital ads on AsiaOne.

Average app downloads during the campaign period were seven times higher than when there were no campaigns running; further, the bank saw a six times month-on-month increase in both the app downloads and transaction volume for mobile ticketing.