Category: B2B Apps

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App Everywhere B2B Apps Mobile Apps Push Notifications

Push Messaging: How they work and how to use them

Push messaging, also known as push notifications are one of the strongest tools to engage listeners.
Before we get into the “hows” of push messages, let’s cover what a push message is exactly. Push messages are messages from an app publisher that are “pushed” directly to the user’s notification tray on their mobile device. Therefore, the notification pushes them to open up your app and engage.
But, before you just start sending out a million messages to your listeners, it is important to know how they work and exactly how to use them.

How Push Messages Work:

When a listener clicks on your push notification message they’ll land directly in your app or web page. You can set up your notification to either take your listeners to your home page or send them to a specific page that relates to the push message.
Push messaging works for three reasons:

  1. Urgency
  2. Timeliness
  3. Call to action

All three of these elements create engagement with your app and your listeners. Check out our webinar Push Notifications 101 to learn more.

How to Use Push Messages:

It is important to know your listeners and to know what they would like to receive from you through push notifications. Some ways to use push messages include:

  • Breaking News Alerts
  • Event Reminders
  • Program Alerts
  • Weather Updates
  • Contests
  • Coupons and Discounts

These are just a few of the common push messages that have seen successful open rates. These types of messages will pull in your listeners to your app and keep them engaged and excited for future events and reminders. Check out our webinar Push Notifications 101 to learn more.
Push messages are the tools that will help take your mobile app to the next level and we’d love to help you do it with our push notification solution. Contact our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin sari@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

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Alexa Amazon Echo App Everywhere B2B Apps Mobile Apps Push Notifications Smart Home Voice Commands

3 Reasons Why Radio Stations Should Have an Alexa Skill

voice controlled smart speaker

Smart speakers give radio the chance to bring back in-home listening. Listeners can now engage with their favorite radio stations by just using their voice to ask Alexa to play their favorite radio station in their bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, etc.

Here are 3 reasons why radio stations should have an Alexa skill:

 
1. Engage your listeners by bringing back listening to your home
Alexa skills are giving your listeners the opportunity to listen to their favorite radio stations in their home! One key trend to keep in mind is that consumers are forming new habits and radio broadcasters have an opportunity to benefit from the changes in technology, voice, and interactive audio devices. Consumers today ask their Alexa device what the weather is like, to set a timer, or make a grocery list. They also want to listen to music while cleaning their house, cooking, relaxing, hanging out with friends… and now they have the chance to  just ask Alexa!
2. Control the Listener Experience 
Many radio streams are available today on Alexa through TuneIn. So, one may ask, “Why do I need an Alexa skill if I’m already on Alexa?” There are so many stations on TuneIn that many have the same name and you cannot be sure listeners will find your stream. Additionally, with TuneIn there is no opportunity to offer on-demand listening to your shows or your podcasts.
Having your own Alexa skill allows you to showcase your station’s personality right up front. It allows you to truly connect with your listeners and control their experience by making sure they are tuning in to your radio station.
3. Claim your name
When dealing with Amazon Alexa, you will ask for the radio station by name and Alexa needs to know the right phrase or “invocation”. Searching for content by voice doesn’t let you show the top ten search results, instead if offers only the top search result. So you have to get it right!
When you are thinking about getting an Alexa skill for your radio station, keep in mind the invocation names of the voice web are assigned on a first come first serve basis.
UX
 
Here’s a little fun fact to wrap it up…Some stations are finding that as much as 25% of their streaming is on smart speakers!
Smart speakers are truly taking over. They help build your audience, engage your audience, and connect with your listeners now more than ever.
We would love to talk mobile strategy and Alexa skills with you to help engage your audience. Contact our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin. sari@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

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B2B Apps

How to Know It’s Time to Build a Company App

Apps are ubiquitous in today’s world. But as a small business that’s mindful of its budget and goals, how can you know when to invest in creating your own company app? While it’s different for each company, here are four indicators that day has come.

You Have a Clear Purpose

Don’t create a mobile app just because everyone else is doing it. To have a successful app experience, your business needs to know exactly what it wants from the app. Many small businesses assume that apps will generate new customers, but this isn’t often the case. This should be more about making your best customers better.

Decide on your company’s priorities. Do you want the app to handle direct sales? To teach customers about your business? To facilitate service calls? To make data easier to transmit between both sides? To provide self-service tools? To increase brand awareness? To provide a substantially different experience than other platforms?

An app needs focus in order to do one or two things well. Having too many competing priorities will likely water down its effectiveness in key areas.

Both Sides Will Benefit

Any business relationship is built upon both sides benefiting from the arrangement. An app is just the same. Identifying how your company benefits from the app is usually fairly easy. You get more data on your customers and their interests or needs. Your brand is more accessible and publicized. You get a boost in sales or attract a younger crowd of digital natives.

But make sure you never lose touch with the benefits to your customers. If you ask them to download an app for your business relationship, they’ll need a strong motivation and reward to do so.

Will they experience faster, easier orders? Will they get loyalty benefits, such as free returns or discounts? Are there dedicated team members to help app customers? Can you offer special deals only available on the app? And how will these benefits be made long-lasting enough to make downloading worth the effort? Consider how your business will answer these questions.

You Can Track the Benefits

How will you determine if your app is being successful in meeting its goals? This is an investment in time and money, so there should be concrete measurements that you can track and learn from. Will that metric be in direct sales? In referrals? In customer satisfaction as defined by surveys or more retained customers? How will you measure things like brand awareness or self-sufficiency among customers?

Generally, a business should start on the simpler end of things to see how the app functions and achieves its specific requirements. This allows you to focus on the core elements and measure the more easily. As you know what’s working and what isn’t, add to its functionality or experience with new features.

Your Budget Can Handle It

An app may appear deceptively simple, but it takes an investment to get it up and running — and then to keep it that way. You’ll have to maintain the apps and integrate them all into your existing techology.

Most small businesses outsource this work, so work with a quality app developer to find out what ongoing investment will be required to make the app what you want. Define what concrete financial goals will make that investment worthwhile.

Do you think that an app would enhance your company’s interactions with customers? Whether you’re just investigating the options or have a thorough idea of what you need, start your app journey by visiting jācapps today. Our app professionals will help you create the right app to fit your business’s needs and budget. Call today to learn more.

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B2B Apps

How to Know It's Time to Build a Company App

Apps are ubiquitous in today’s world. But as a small business that’s mindful of its budget and goals, how can you know when to invest in creating your own company app? While it’s different for each company, here are four indicators that day has come.
You Have a Clear Purpose
Don’t create a mobile app just because everyone else is doing it. To have a successful app experience, your business needs to know exactly what it wants from the app. Many small businesses assume that apps will generate new customers, but this isn’t often the case. This should be more about making your best customers better.
Decide on your company’s priorities. Do you want the app to handle direct sales? To teach customers about your business? To facilitate service calls? To make data easier to transmit between both sides? To provide self-service tools? To increase brand awareness? To provide a substantially different experience than other platforms?
An app needs focus in order to do one or two things well. Having too many competing priorities will likely water down its effectiveness in key areas.
Both Sides Will Benefit
Any business relationship is built upon both sides benefiting from the arrangement. An app is just the same. Identifying how your company benefits from the app is usually fairly easy. You get more data on your customers and their interests or needs. Your brand is more accessible and publicized. You get a boost in sales or attract a younger crowd of digital natives.
But make sure you never lose touch with the benefits to your customers. If you ask them to download an app for your business relationship, they’ll need a strong motivation and reward to do so.
Will they experience faster, easier orders? Will they get loyalty benefits, such as free returns or discounts? Are there dedicated team members to help app customers? Can you offer special deals only available on the app? And how will these benefits be made long-lasting enough to make downloading worth the effort? Consider how your business will answer these questions.
You Can Track the Benefits
How will you determine if your app is being successful in meeting its goals? This is an investment in time and money, so there should be concrete measurements that you can track and learn from. Will that metric be in direct sales? In referrals? In customer satisfaction as defined by surveys or more retained customers? How will you measure things like brand awareness or self-sufficiency among customers?
Generally, a business should start on the simpler end of things to see how the app functions and achieves its specific requirements. This allows you to focus on the core elements and measure the more easily. As you know what’s working and what isn’t, add to its functionality or experience with new features.
Your Budget Can Handle It
An app may appear deceptively simple, but it takes an investment to get it up and running — and then to keep it that way. You’ll have to maintain the apps and integrate them all into your existing techology.
Most small businesses outsource this work, so work with a quality app developer to find out what ongoing investment will be required to make the app what you want. Define what concrete financial goals will make that investment worthwhile.
Do you think that an app would enhance your company’s interactions with customers? Whether you’re just investigating the options or have a thorough idea of what you need, start your app journey by visiting jācapps today. Our app professionals will help you create the right app to fit your business’s needs and budget. Call today to learn more.

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B2B Apps

5 Key Customer Service Ingredients for Your Company App

Your company’s app can be a source of great cooperation and communication between your business and its customers. By focusing on how to provide customer service directly through the app itself, you can save time, money, and frustration for everyone.
What customer services should you include when designing an interactive app? Here are five key ingredients.

  1. Ticket Tracking

If you provide services or repairs, your app should help customers understand the progress and outcomes of those services. Give them the ability to request a service within the app and then follow its progress on their own — right through the app and without a call to your staff.
Help ticket tracking might include confirmations of the order, regular updates by team members working on the service or repairs, shipping confirmations, and package or location tracking information. You may also want to use tracking to communicate directly with customers so that they feel more personally attended to.

  1. Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions, or FAQs, are self-help aids where people can find answers to common concerns and directions for doing common activities. FAQ sections in apps reduce the need for customers to call or email your staff, saving time and money. They also save the customer frustration from not knowing how to answer a simple question that should take a minute or two to learn.
Work with staff, customer service representatives, and actual customers to determine what to include in your FAQ list. Generally, it would include directions for using the app or portal, company policies, product specifics, and return or replacement information.
Avoid making it too long, but tweak it regularly as new issues arise and others become less important. And if possible, make it easily searchable to serve as a knowledge base.

  1. Direct Messaging

Help customers direct inquiries to your company easily and quickly with some kind of in-app messaging capability. When they have questions, requiring customers to log into their email or pick up a phone to call you will increase stress and annoyance — setting up your company for failure.
A great answer is to add one, two, or three methods to contact company personnel right then and there. Along with phone numbers and email addresses prominently displayed, include live chat that prompts users to simply reach out with their questions. And empower your staff manning these chats to do what they can to resolve customer concerns quickly and seamlessly.

  1. Log-In Accounts

Having customers log in as early in their app experience as possible helps boost customer service. Their own order or account information will come up right away, leaving them less stranded in finding what they want to see. And if they contact your staff through built-in methods, you’ll have more information about them and their needs, which will lead to less guesswork and less repetition of information.
Customers should also be able to initiate changes or returns through their own accounts.

  1. Community Connections

Direct customers to your larger community. Place social media links prominently and repeatedly, directing them to places they can learn more about your services and find others to talk to about your products.
Social media is a powerful tool to help avoid larger customer grievances, so pay attention to it and be responsive. By freely directing customers to your own social networks, you are proactive about their customer experience.
Make your app a great customer service tool by focusing on how you can help them to help themselves as well as connect them with your live customer service avenues. At jācapps, we specialize in designing the best app experience for you and your customers. Call today to make an appointment to learn more.

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B2B Apps Mobile Apps Push Notifications

Push Notifications 101: Webinar Recap

Recently, jācapps COO Bob Kernen presented a webinar about push notification and how  they create powerful engagement with radio listeners.  Like any aspect of a mobile app, function needs to support a larger strategy.  Push notifications are exactly that – they empower a radio station to connect directly with the audience to drive engagement as well as listening.  They are simple and effective, and every mobile app should include them in their app.
Throughout this webinar Kernen talks about the basics of push notifications, best practices, common mistakes and our effective push notifications solution.

Here are some of the key findings you’ll hear on the webinar:

 
Why push:

  • They increase engagement
  • They increase ratings
  • They increase revenue

Great uses of  push notifications:

  • Breaking news
  • Event reminders
  • Program alerts
  • Weather updates
  • Contests
  • Coupons and discounts

How push notifications work:

  • When a listener clicks on your push notification message they’ll be sent directly to your app or web page for more information, to register for a contest, or to engage with some content, like a podcast or video.
  • Push messages are also effective alerting the audience to something coming up on the air (a special guest, a contest, or even a special song) or an event or concert that is about to start.

Why push notifications work:

  • They appear on the most important device a listener can have (and sleep with) – their smartphone
  • Urgency
  • Timeliness
  • Call to action


The four crucial elements to developing a good push messaging strategy:

  1. Relevance
  2. Brevity
  3. Timeliness
  4. Call to action

Having these four key ingredients will help stations create the most effective and successful push message to radio listeners. Download our webinar to see how each of the ingredients are broken down further to be sure the perfect message is created.
One thing to remember is that you still need to do a little maintenance with your push notifications after you hit “send!” This will help you track and create the best push notifications possible. This deals with the analytics of push notifications. As Kernen states “The objective is to continually improve your messages to improve your results…and it does take time”
One last thing to touch on…our team has built a push notifications solution that truly fits the radio and media industry, here’s why:

  • Affordability
  • Simple and easy-to-use
  • Use topics to target just the right listeners
  • Schedule messages in advance
  • Analytics package.

We’d love to help you take your mobile app to the next level with our push notification solution! Contact our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin sari@jacapps.com 248-353-9030
Don’t forget to check out Push Notifications 101 Webinar to get the full details on our affordable, easy-to-use push notifications solution!

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Android Auto App Everywhere Apple CarPlay B2B Apps Mobile Apps

Are Apples Best Days Behind Them?

Koszalin, Poland – November 29, 2017: Space gray iPhone X and black iPhone 7. The iPhone X and iPhone 7 is smart phone with multi touch screen produced by Apple Computer, Inc.

A question that keeps coming up… Are Apple’s best days behind them? The answer is “No, Apple’s best days are far from over!” Apple’s smartphone market share is increase!
According to eMarketer, iPhone’s market share in the US continues to grow, despite the challenges they have in oversea markets. Today there are 105.2 million people around the US that use Apple for smartphones or around 45.2% share of the country’s smartphone market. However, the growth doesn’t stop there, Apple’s market share will grow 0.1% each year through 2021.
“The variety of iPhones available at different price points has contributed to its continued success in the US,” said eMarketer forecasting director Shelleen Shum. “The Apple ecosystem along with the brand’s reputation for creativity and privacy, is still remarkably effective in maintaining user loyalty and attracting new users>” In fact, privacy was the hot topic a their recent press event.
Although Android will continue to take over the US smartphone market and growing 3/3% to 124.4 million people, Apple will still increase smartphone market share!
Additionally, the major players that carry the less-expensive smartphones overseas, will not have an immediate threat in the US because of the lack of availability from the local carriers. Overall, total smartphone usage will grow a huge 3.05 this year in the US market, reaching 232.8 million people! Smartphone usage will surpass 705 of the US population.
We offer both Apple and Android mobile app platforms and would love to talk to you about your mobile strategy!
Contact our Director of Business Development, Sari Zalesin sari@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030

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B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press Push Notifications

Why Do You Need Push Notifications?

Push notifications can make a huge impact on your company’s success. But first, before we get into why you need push notifications, you may ask, what exactly is a push notification?
Push notifications, also know as push messages are a brief message or alert that is sent to a user’s notification panel through a mobile app and allows you to reach a large audience at one time. Push notifications are a great marketing tool that enhances your mobile app because it allows you to engage with your users in real time.That said, there are many reasons why you need push notifications.
 

Here are the top 4 reasons:

1.Push notifications enhance the user experience
Aside from using push notifications as a marketing tool, push notifications can be used to improve your user experience. This can be as simple to sending messages to notify your users about news, sports and weather alerts, contests and programming events.
2. Push notifications increase engagement, acquisition, and retention
Push notifications as a marketing tool have one of the highest open rates. Since push notifications don’t happen as often people are more likely to opt-in. Sending out the right number and highly relevant messages increases your customer engagement.
3. Push notifications allow you to notify your users based on topics
Topic based messages help you decided when to send certain messages. Since you don’t want to slam your users with too many notifications, topics help decides when to send certain messages.
4. Push notifications allow you to create targeted messages to your users
To create successful push notifications, you have to make sure that each notification speaks to your audiences. It’s easy to send targeted push messages because with permission your app will have access to your user’s profile.
We offer push notifications that are affordable, easy to use, and give you what you need without having to pay for a lot of features you don’t need. In the past year, other push messaging providers have really cranked up their prices, making this important function unaffordable for many.  We can provide you with a great system that’s not only affordable but designed with broadcasters in mind.
If you want more information about jācapps’ push messaging system, contact Sari Zalesin at Sari@jacapps.com

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App Everywhere B2B Apps Mobile Apps Push Notifications

Join us at NAB!

Connect with us at the NAB Show, Where Content Comes to Life in Las Vegas, NV, April 6-11, 2019!
NAB is the ultimate event for media, entertainment, and technology professionals looking for new and innovative ways to create, manage, deliver and monetize content on any platform. The NAB Show is the best place to be to learn all the new ins and outs about media, entertainment, and technology.
Our jācapps and Jacobs Media teams attend every year, and one thing our teams have noticed is that one of the best things that NAB does is bring together the entire media world. This includes professionals from all different industries, including; advertising, app development, artificial intelligence, audio, augmented reality, broadcast, cable, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, digital video, digital signage, eLearning esports, film, game development, government and military, houses of worship, in-vehicle entertainment, IOT, IT, live events, mixed reality, mobile, online video, podcasting, post-production, radio, retail, social media, sports, streaming, system integration, television, virtual reality, 5G, and more! Six full days of the opportunity to get your hands on the latest technology, but thats not all…
We would love to meet one-on-one with you to discuss your companies mobile and digital strategy!
Contact us at sales@jacapps.com or call us at 248-353-9030 to schedule a meeting and take your business to the next level in the mobile and digital world!
We can’t wait to see you at NAB this year!!

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B2B Apps Mobile Apps news and press Podcasting Push Notifications Radio

New Comedy App Announcement: The Bob & Tom Show

Laugh Your App Off With New Comedy App for “The BOB & TOM Show”, Bringing the Funny to Your Fingertips
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, February 26, 2019 — The BOB & TOM Show , a favorite of millions and one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, announces the launch of its new comedy app, created by award-winning mobile strategy and development company jācapps. The BOB & TOM Show app offers BOB & TOM fans the ease of listening to the show on their local station, as well as one-touch access to the BOB & TOM Comedy Channel, called “BOB & TOM 24/7”.  “BOB & TOM 24/7” features The BOB & TOM Show live every weekday morning, plus classic highlights, bits, songs and segments from the show’s rich archive of digital audio content. “BOB & TOM 24/7” also lets listeners replay the latest BOB & TOM Show.
The new app is loaded with listener-driven features that bring the funny to listeners’ fingertips, enabling them to easily join and become a BOB & TOM VIP and giving them access to The BOB & TOM Show Podcast and to The BOB & TOM Show Comedy Archives, a treasure trove of laughs from the packed BOB & TOM Show vault. The BOB & TOM Show app also allows BOB & TOM fans to watch the program live each weekday morning via a multi-camera, live video simulcast that adds another dimension to The BOB & TOM Show experience.
John Kesler, Chief Operating Officer, The BOB & TOM Show, said: “jācapps created a custom app that is simple to use, elegant looking, and a way for our fans to interact with the show, while enjoying an affiliate’s stream.”
Fred Jacobs, President, jācapps and Jacobs Media Strategies, said: “It’s a rare brand like BOB & TOM that has so much deep, rich content – perfect for a premium mobile experience. Working with their outstanding digital team, we’re excited about this new app. Now their listeners can enjoy the show any time and anywhere, and never have to worry about missing anything.”
The BOB & TOM Show is exclusively distributed by Westwood One and airs live weekday mornings from 6am-10am Eastern on 103 stations across the U.S. and on the American Forces Network worldwide. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show features comedy, news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit, and also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music.
 
About The BOB & TOM Show
The BOB & TOM Show is a hilarious blend of comedy, talk, news, and sports and is one of the longest-running and highest-rated radio programs in America, airing live weekday mornings from 6am-10am ET. Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show is a favorite of millions and features news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. The show is also America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit. More than just a comedy show, The BOB & TOM Show also features live performances from musicians from all genres of music. The BOB & TOM Show is now heard on over 100 radio stations from coast to coast and the American Forces Network worldwide, in addition to The BOB & TOM Show podcast. Parodies, songs, bits, and more are produced by a large staff of writers, musicians, performers and misfits. In addition, The BOB & TOM Show has released more than 60 comedy albums, CDs and DVDs, and expanded its brand with popular live comedy show tours. For more information about The BOB & TOM Show, visit: www.bobandtominfo.com or contact Todd Alan at talan@westwoodone.com or at 212.735.1107.
 
Download the new The Bob & Tom Show app through iTunes or Google Play!

If you are interested in us, the apps we’ve built, or a product of your own, contact us at sales@jacapps.com or 248-353-9030