My co-founder and VP of Product Josh and I were meeting with a senior person at Google last week, discussing ways to can work together to add value to Google users (i.e. just about everyone in the world!)
The 3-hour meeting covered a lot of topics and potential opportunities. It’s really more of a matter of WHERE do you focus – Chrome Store, Google Play, Add-on Gallery, Apps Marketplace, Android for Work, you get it.
So when we were on the topic of Android for Work, Google’s new initiative to build a huge marketplace for mobile apps for the enterprise, one question he asked was obvious: “At Dasheroo, what’s your take on your goals for mobile? If you had to choose one, is it a growth or engagement play?”
Josh and I simultaneously replied: “Engagement. Folks start on the desktop, build their dashboard and then check on their KPIs when they’re on the go.”
And that is currently true. But it also uncovered an opportunity in our approach to developing a sound mobile strategy. Mr. Google shared some stats with us on the growth of mobile search that is resulting in an action, an install, you name it, right from a mobile device. And it’s impressive growth (sorry, held to secrecy on the exact number).
Android for Work isn’t going to be our #1 focus, it’s a very enterprise-focused offering right now and we’re not ready yet. But on the drive back to San Francisco, Josh and I got to talking more about how to engage non-users when they access us via mobile.
Currently, we serve up a responsive view of our website. Sure, you can sign up for an account by filling in a couple fields, but the mobile and mobile app experience is read-only. That’s a start and satisfies most current users, but with the number of mobile searches approaching (% here) we’re soon going to be leaving money on the table!
By the time we got from San Mateo to ‘Frisco, we had a new plan roughed out: any new user (i.e. not current Dasheroo users) who hits our website from a mobile device should get a unique experience that makes it easy to add one KPI: “Add your #1 KPI now!” At least in the near term, it’d be a mountain to climb to expect a new user to build an entire dashboard with 10-12 Insights, so why not tap into the sense of immediate gratification and simplify more by offering social signup.
If our user uses their Google account, pop the Google Analytics Total Sessions Insight; a nice, single metric report that is the most popular Insight we offer. Or if they select to signup with Facebook, immediately return the one of the most popular Facebook analytics insights, Facebook Engagement? It’s informative and easy to view on a smaller screen. And if they want to add more right then? Go to town! But at least this quick win helps both sides of the coin – growth of accounts via mobile and immediate engagement.
Hey, at Dasheroo we have a lot of priorities in the hopper right now, so we need to execute on those before jumping onto this one, but it is a priority.
What’s your approach to using mobile as mainly a growth (acquisition) or engagement play? Let me know!
