2015 was such an exciting, transformational year for every aspect of mobile, you’d be forgiven for asking “how much more can it rise?” Well, read on as we share our thoughts on the drivers and trends that will make this year, the official Year of Mobile.

(NB: Look out for links to case studies and support content, throughout!)

>1 Growth flows where the eye goes

According to eMarketer, mobile marketing reached its tipping point in July 2015. With 51% of the average adult’s total time spent on digital devices devoted to mobile screen time. Similarly, 2015 also saw mobile search overtake desktop search. Add the rollout of Google’s Mobilegeddon Algorithm and yes, this year is most certainly set to be the Year of Mobile Marketing.

2> The Lens has finally changed

The change over has happened, as brands and marketeers begin to stop viewing the world through the lens of technology, and start viewing technology through the lens of contemporary human needs and wants.

Sharing, on-demand, hyper-personaliztion, immediacy and video-as-standard will all continue to drive mobile forward as the default channel/platform/vehicle for human engagement.

 >3 Here, Now, Me!

Customers are now so empowered and sophisticated in their usage of mobile that they unconsciously expect to get anything they want, immediately, and in context on their mobile devices.

Google’s drive into micro-moments, the explosion of marketing automation, the proliferation of wearable tech and the shift from customer data to customer obsession are all tangible and extremely dynamic reflections of this. Expect sophistication and urgency to increase this year.

4> Mobile Shopping to Mobile Buying

It’s safe to say (now) that M-Commerce will start to move down the sales funnel. During 2015, mobile was more of an influencer in the buying funnel. In fact mobile transactions only accounted for (eMarketer estimates) 1.6% of total retail sales in the US.

But thanks to major plays by giants such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon, this year will see a seamless and simple transition from mobile shopping to mobile buying.

 5> Less Utility, More Lifestyle

With continued forced restrictions on how much people can download, app developers will play a pivotal role in creating new Apps that act more as lifestyle attachments rather than just useable “things”.

Travel brands, concierge services and most of the social power players are already ‘utility-mashing’ to provide their users with broader lifestyle support experiences through one App.

 6> More Beacons

As customer obsession increases, and retailers continue to fight back against online competition, Beacons are rapidly growing in relevance. Both as an excellent means of gathering customer data, but also of delivering hyper-personalisation, value and experiences.

Google’s summer launch of its open-source beacon technology (Eddystone) not only adds competition to Apple’s iBeacon, but also demonstrates its commitment to bringing hyper-everthing capability to a wider audience.

Beacons can also connect with Wearables (see next page), alerting apps when users are approaching or leaving specific, activated locations. Making them an integral and indispensable part of the ever-expanding personalisation eco-system.

Look for mass integration of Beacons and Locational-based marketing solutions this year, especially within museums and art galleries, retailers, event facilities, travel hubs, and hotels & resorts

7> Mass Wearable Adoption

The Apple Watch did a marvellous job of stoking the fires of consumer fascination with Wearable technology in 2015.  And as less expensive, luxury alternatives  and non-watch based devices continue to roll into the market, this year will see Wearable tech go Mass.

Similarly, as marketers continue to mine and leverage the data generated from the interactivity between Wearables, Beacons and Smartphones (to deliver new levels personalisation and user relevance) our value and need-ranking of Wearables will increase.

8> Branded Virtual Reality Will Grow Up

As a trend and topic, VR needs its own presentation! Such was (and is) the current virtual zeitgeist sweeping the world of gaming, film and with increasing enthusiasm, brands. And as we accelerate into 2016, prepare for the latter of these to explode.

Why…?

1// Facebook360 and 360Youtube is making interacting and experiencing 360 degree video content familiar, preferred and expected.

2// Mobile VR viewers like our own Glance and Google’s Cardboard supported by brave and pioneering content providers such as Netflix and New York Times brought the real VR experience to the masses, in preparation for the arrival of large format VR hardware (Samsung Gear VR, Oculus etc…)

3// Early adopter brands such as Mariott, Volvo, Tommy Hilfiger, Atlantis The Palm and Infiniti have demonstrated how and where branded VR can be used to bridge the gap between emotion and fact to deliver stratospheric levels of brand immersion.

Consumers are buying into VR en masse (just see Gear sales on Amazon), given how powerfully it feeds their demand to ‘feel’ new Experiences from brands. And brands are responding.

So as the Gaming, Film and Entertainment industries continue to drive up its capability (better quality,  technology and more efficient production), the opportunities and NEED for marketers to on-board VR into its consumer engagement strategy will become paramount.

9> Augmented Reality 2.0

After enjoying 3 to 4 years in the limelight, 2015 was a relatively quiet year for AR1.0. Overshadowed perhaps, by the VR hyperbole, and often (and wrongly) confused as being one and the same thing.

Nevertheless, the the mystical Magic Leap narrative continues to attract it $million’s in funding without (yet) revealing the augmented promised land it teases to be creating.

Facebook, Snapchat, Google Glass and Microsoft Hololense also made significant strides in AR.  With Googles recent agreement with Luxottica, to collaborate on the design and manufacturing of its next Glass generation a potential game changer, with possible integration it LUX’s leading brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley.

AR company Metaio was bought by Apple, whilst Qualcomm’s leading AR engine Vuforia was bought up by 2D and 3D software company PTC.

All very significant developments implying the technology remains very much front and centre. Set to reestablish its positioning, and position, next to VR this year, as a major engagement tool for brands and marketeers looking to deliver new levels of interactive experiences.

 10> B2B

Expect the B2B and B2C sectors begin to look increasingly similar. Particularly on mobile.

Content marketing, marketing automation, paid amplification and mobile optimization will all continue to grow during this year. So will enterprise apps, that support sales and business development teams at trade-shows, events and networking, as Sales Enablement through mobile evolves from nice to have, to imperative.

Similarly, VR and AR will become increasingly commonplace as solutions to product demonstration, immediate customisation and virtual trial.

So, as 2016 gets started, the most powerful developments in mobile marketing and innovation will serve to build and enhance the two-way consumer relationships. Make the process of discovery and outreach far more immediate, relevant and personalised. And provide customers with branded experiences that genuinely enhance their lives.

Companies that  continue to embrace mobile as a means to transform customer experiences will not only accelerate the business benefits, but also see new revenue opportunities, cost savings and consumer loyalty derived from the higher satisfaction and delight of having their Here, Now, Me needs suitably anticipated. And met.

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 By Christian Burne

Managing Partner,  ARworks Middle East

ARworks Middle East is a leading developer of innovative mobile applications. Specialising in creative technology such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Beacons to develop innovative mobile app solutions. The company focuses on strategic and campaign app development across mainstream and wearable mobile devices, and in the commercial and experiential application of creative mobile technology. Recently ARworks was awarded with the Bronze Medal at Creative Festival in Cannes (2015), Silver for IAB MIXX Awards (2015), European Excellence Award (2014) for Mobile Communication and Social apps

For such a fiercely competitive industry, constantly forced to find new and innovative ways to protect its business against eroding forces such as the falling cost of travel, accommodation alternatives like Air B&B, and the ever-increasing army of travel bargain websites, Beacons represent a significant opportunity to carve out a genuine point of difference. Especially if the Hotel operation has a loyalty programme and existing pool of guest preference information to leverage.

 So in no particular order, here are 5 very good reasons why Hotels should be considering investment in Beacon technology.

1. Enhance Loyalty: not all guests are created equal. To hotels, the loyal guests; the one’s that repeatedly choose them over other options in town are gold dust, and need to be protected. By creating a Perks based app (aka Marriott) and inviting guests to download it onto their phone, the hotel can offer different levels of perks and special offers to different guests based on their value to the operation. And not in

 an ugly, death-by-push-notification way, but discretely and tastefully.  A free massage as they pass the Spa or sent out at 5pm when the hustle bustle of the day is over. Or a free cocktail as they walk into the bar at sun set. It’s a simple process of matching the hotels assets with a straightforward, human understanding of what your guests want and need whilst staying with you.

2. Generate Loyalty: In the same spirit as above, by exercising some basic data modelling, the hotel can identifying guests that have a high potential to become repeat, loyal customers. And put together a series of perks and offers that will assist in helping get there.

3. Convenience: Particularly for large properties and resorts, Beacons are an ideal way to provide interactive way-finding and maps, so guests can find their way quickly and easily to the amenities they are looking for. Similarly, provide information on specific parts of the properties such as renovations, opening hours or activities due that day.

4. Networking & socialising: A service that is already being deployed with the use of Beacons at conferences and events is people connectivity and networking. Opting in to a professional or social match making service that permits your device to let you know if there is anyone that fits a profile you are looking for, in the vicinity. A service larger resorts and Business hotels should consider to help their guests use their stay more productively.

5. Destination itinerary and perks: This is where the ‘concierge in your pocket’ idea really comes to life. Guests can pre-select their preferences of things to see, do, and eat in the hotels destination. The hotel can then provide them with a suggested itinerary. Complete with interactive maps, venue details and even special offers and ticket discounts the hotel has negotiated on their guests’ behalf.

6. Just make it personal: Or create a simple, straightforward personalised relationship between the hotel and its guests. Welcome them personally when they arrive. Offer them a free welcome drink. Bid them good morning and suggest a list if things they might like to do at the hotel/resort/in the city, based on their preferences. Remind them of free wifi if they’re sat in one of the lounges or business centre. Or suggest a particular type of massage as they enter the spa or fitness centre.

The opportunities are endless. But as we always say, stay on the right side of smart personalised experience. The technology is one thing, but the value is chiselled in how it’s used to help your customers flourish. Carefully and tastefully encouraging them to behave, choose and spend in a way that works towards optimising their experience as an individual, and whilst assisting you in achieving commercial objectives.

Written by Christian Burne. Communications Director at ARworks Middle East.

 ARworks is a leading Mobile App development company. Specializing in mainstream, strategic App development across mobile and wearable devices, and the commercial application of creation technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and iBeacons.

As part of ARworks continued commitment to assisting brands and businesses deliver exceptional customer experience through strategic Mobile App solutions and creative technology, over the next few weeks we’re going to be sharing a series of posts that list some top-line reasons why Beacon technology (and Location Based Marketing) should become a regular addition to specific industries and venues.

For this first post we’re focussing on Museums and Art Galleries. Other than retail, arguably one the most verdant environments for the many benefits Beacons bring to the table.

What are Beacons?

In the simplest terms, Beacon is a technology that enhances location services for mobile devices.  Created to enable customers to receive hyper-relevant information on their mobiles, when they’re close to a (very) specific location. How relevant, and commercially aligned that information is, is dependent entirely on the level of data a company has about a customer, and how intelligently they use it according to where the customer is and what he’s doing.

Good example: as a member of a hotel loyalty club, I’d very much like the hotel to know when I am in the bar at one of their properties, and send me a personal message to my mobile offering me a free bottle of something fabulous, as a thank you for my continued business.

Bad example: I’d find it very frustrating, if I’d taken the time to share some of my shopping preference information with the Duty Free of my local airport, only to be pushed a message about a new make-offer for teenagers when perusing after shave, whilst shopping before my next flight.

The difference is smart personalised experiences vs. push notification nightmare.

So, here are 5 reasons why we believe Museums & Galleries should be strongly embracing Beacons:

1. Feeds Visitor passion: (Most) visitors that visit one these places are in a very high state of awareness. They are primed to be moved. Educated. Inspired. Challenged. By using Beacons to deliver extra-layers of context and multi-media, interactive content for different parts of different exhibits or artists, the experience of the visitors it taken to an entirely new level. Rendering it more profound, memorable and shareable with their friends and colleagues, and across social platforms.

2. Optimise layout and flow: By using Beacons to track visitor movement and flow around the venues, curators can make critical changes to how certain parts of exhibits are laid out. Optimising the flow and set up to match what their visitors’ behaviour is telling them.

3. Drive up Social distribution: Aside from the more highbrow, private exhibitions, having visitors share content across their social channels direct from their experience, is extremely valuable to a museum or gallery.  Adding social share buttons in a tasteful, clever and relevant way to the extra layers of multi-media content you’re gifting them via Beacons, suddenly makes that process a lot more simple and desirable for your visitors. Isn’t it very much in our human nature to seek validation and kudos by sharing genuinely exclusive things?

4. Up-selling in the souvenir shop: Usually positioned as the last port of call in such venues  (and for good reason), Beacons provide a powerful means to driving revenue from the souvenir shop. It can be as simple as drawing visitors attention to special offers. Or gifts pertaining to whatever they exhibit they have just seen. Better still, we can turn up the smarts a little and use the real-time visitor behavioural data gathered during his visit, to create custom offers based on the artists or pieces in front of which they spent the most time. The opportunities are endless.

5. Cultivating a long-term relationship: Beacons need an App to work. That can be an App created specifically for the Beacon initiative, or they can be integrated into exiting Apps Either way, the venue has real estate on their visitors phone. And that creates an opportunity to use their behavioural and preference data to cultivate a long-term relationship that has repeat-visits, peer recommendations and valuable social distribution as its end game.

From fanning the flames of curiosity and passion with exclusive layers of content, to triggering incremental spend by creating real-time offers that are unique to individual visitors. The agility and versatility embedded in Beacon technology is the main driving force behind their meteoric rise to fame in the word of direct and mobile marketing.

But it’s essential to keep in mind; there’s a fine line between smart personalised experiences, and push notification nightmare. Enhancing your customers experience by understanding their behaviour – as a human being as well as a consumer - anticipating their needs and serving them as hyper-relevant information and content as possible is Beacon-success-critical.

Written by Christian Burne. Communications Director at ARworks Middle East.

 ARworks is a leading Mobile App development company. Specializing in mainstream, strategic App development across mobile and wearable devices, and the commercial application of creation technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and iBeacons.