‘Appnostic’ consumers want better content discovery experiences

May 27, 2019 by Aimee
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Brands capable of delivering engaging content experiences on mobile could drive substantial returns and “make billions”, according to a new study released this week by Mobile Posse.

The tech innovator published The Appnostic Journey: How Changing Behaviour is Creating New Opportunities on Tuesday, and the findings suggest brands have a “massive” opportunity to tap into the fervent demand from audiences to consume content regularly on smartphones.

Mobile Posse noted that behaviours are evolving quickly. This is largely due to the central role smartphones are playing in day-to-day life. The data found that consumers are unlocking their mobiles a staggering 70 times each day on average, but just one in ten say they have a specific app, web page or destination in mind when they do so.

The vacuum in smartphone usage and stated intentions represents an excellent opportunity for content creators to serve up experiences to educate and entertain end users when they swipe up and begin using their smartphones. Mobile Posse said that the frequent unlocking of phones without a known destination is more commonly known as “appnostic” behaviour.

This behaviour is grounded in the belief that every unlock of a phone is actually the start of a single journey, which offers brands and advertisers a chance to interact and engage with offers, app benefits, videos and other forms of content. However, the study also found that push notifications are the least popular content discovery experience, so there is a need to be more creative.

About 88% of people who use smartphones on a regular basis now show some form of appnostic behaviour, but just 11% have a predetermined destination most of the time when they open their mobiles. This trend has strengthened in recent years, with the study showing a 32% increase in unlocking without an experience in mind since 2016.

There is also a desire for better experiences. Two-thirds of consumers say that they want better content discovery on mobiles, and this sentiment is even stronger among those aged 18 to 24, who are very eager for better solutions to their content-discovery needs.

“Mobile behavior is changing quickly and the result is a massive opportunity to make smartphones that better serve the needs of today’s on-the-go consumer,” Mobile Posse CEO, Jon Jackson, said in a statement. “The companies that solve for this opportunity can make billions by delivering mobile content discovery experiences that users want.”

Security and privacy have been in the spotlight during the last 12 months, but 68% say that they prefer to get personalised content based on articles, blogs and videos they have consumed previously and on their own search histories.

Content relevance is important, as are more bite-sized experiences. Four in ten say they crave more snackable content with a maximum run time of 30 seconds. Around a quarter prefer content experiences of 30 to 90 seconds. Better content and discovery are now considered more important for carrier subscribers in the US than other benefits, such as personalised ads or bundles, and those able to meet their needs can reap the dividends.

Aimee