Earlier this year, Apple announced new policies aimed at, among other things, banning apps that contribute to spam and clutter in the App Store. Specifically, one policy gave Apple the right to reject apps built using a “commercialized template or app generation service.”
Now, Apple appears to be prepping enforcement of this rule in a way that could hurt small businesses in a big way.
Although it is nearly seven years since Time Magazine observed that Facebook was ‘the site that ate the internet’, in the intervening years the social network has only increased its influence in the digital space and beyond.
Building a successful mobile app is difficult.
Companies spend significant amounts driving consumers to install their apps, and by some estimates, apps that aren’t opened for a second time within the first 12 hours after download can see churn exceeding 50% in some categories.
It’s as traditional (and as enjoyable) as Cliff Richard’s Mistletoe and Wine. Yes, we’re getting in there early with our annual trends roundups, beginning with SEO.
We’ll be featuring annual digests from many other digital channels over the coming weeks, as well as looking forward to 2016 with a few sage predictions.
So, what was most noteworthy about SEO in 2015?
My view on ad-blocking has always been pretty hostile.
I can’t understand why the same people who seem to value the web the most are the most likely to not want to make some kind of contribution to it.
Value this content, network or platform? Either pay for it directly or accept that you will have to make some other trade-off.
Ad blocking isn’t new, but thanks to grim statistics that make it clear consumers are only getting more aggressive in trying to thwart online ads, some in the industry are starting to worry.
Really worry.
Companies have invested significant sums in developing native mobile apps but the harsh reality is that many have little to show for it.
While many continue to maintain and invest in their apps despite the results, some are deciding that it’s better to pull the plug.
In June, it was revealed that Safari in iOS9 would support ad blocking. Last week, ad blocking on iOS became a reality.
This week, the iOS ad blocking apocalypse is in full swing and the victims aren’t just companies that rely on digital advertising to generate revenue.
The hits just keep coming for advertisers looking to reach consumers through digital ads.
The latest setback for online advertising: the version of Safari that will ship with iOS 9 will make it possible for developers to build ad blocking extensions.
You’ve probably heard about iBeacons. It’s the cool new technology that Apple put in the latest iOS that’s going to kill NFC, QR codes and every other mobile marketing technology.
At least that’s what people generally perceive to be the case due to consumer indifference to the other technologies I mentioned, as well as the fact that history proves that the safe bet is generally with Apple.
Though it’s worth noting that the technology is also available in the latest Android handsets.
At the time of writing iBeacons are still in the trial phase, but hopefully one of the global brands currently experimenting with them will prove that they can be used as a successful marketing or commerce tool.
To find out more about how the technology works, read my post investigating what iBeacons are and why marketers should care…
As a relative newcomer to the digital marketing world, I’ve decided to write a series of ‘beginner’s guides’ to uncover what is meant by certain terms, trends and technological advances in digital; being both a travel guide and a personal investigation.
Here I’ll be answering the following questions: What are iBeacons? What are their practical applications? Are iBeacons better than similar existing technology?
All this in a tone of voice that has been described as both ‘helpful’ and ‘not too rambling’.
Just a cursory glance around the internet and indeed our own blog, throws up a lot of phrases and acronyms surrounding the term iBeacons (NFC, BLE… iBeacons).
Let’s have a little wade through the jargon. Bear with me, I’ll try and do this as logically as possible.
While location based marketing is not a new strategy, iBeacon, Apple’s recently introduced Bluetooth LE-based technology that extends location-based services in iOS, offers exciting new opportunities to engage consumers in retail stores and other destinations.
iBeacon uses Bluetooth 4.0 to pick up signals from Bluetooth-enabled phones. With an advanced API software and transmitter hardware that reaches up to 150 feet, the technology allows businesses to precisely estimate a phone-owner’s location, and exchange data and information.
iBeacons are so efficient that even the largest of stores would only need handful of beacons per floor to enable a high degree of positioning accuracy.