Apps Archives - Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/category/apps/ News, tips, and insights from the global cloud leader Thu, 11 Jan 2024 02:25:21 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/10/salesforce-icon.webp?w=32 Apps Archives - Salesforce https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/category/apps/ 32 32 220683404 So You Want To Build An App. Here’s What You Need To Do https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/so-you-want-to-build-an-app-here-s-what-you-need-to-do/ https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/so-you-want-to-build-an-app-here-s-what-you-need-to-do/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:46:35 +0000 https://www.salesforce.com/so-you-want-to-build-an-app-here-s-what-you-need-to-do/ Building an app isn’t the only way to pursue digital transformation. It’s just the one that may lead to the most direct and immediate business results.
Sure, you can revamp your website, launch a new email newsletter or experiment with a new social media platform. All of those kinds of tactics can

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Building an app isn’t the only way to pursue digital transformation. It’s just the one that may lead to the most direct and immediate business results.

Sure, you can revamp your website, launch a new email newsletter or experiment with a new social media platform. All of those kinds of tactics can help enhance your customer experience.

The difference with a mobile app is that it can create value both externally (if you’re creating a mobile app that will be used by your customers) or behind the scenes if the app is intended for employees.

An app is also powerful because it tends to bring people closer to making decisions, conducting transactions or other forms of action. They can act from wherever they are, accessing data they need from anywhere. A good app makes this quick, easy and sometimes even more fun compared with traditional approaches.

That said, the demand to create a mobile app doesn’t necessarily start with the CIO or their team. It can often come from other parts of the business, or even the senior leadership team — sometimes with great urgency.

Given that most IT departments have more than enough on their hands already, building an app initially can look like one more unwelcome chore. It can also be a project that threatens to get in the way of upgrading others systems or checking for cybersecurity holes.

This is all assuming you have the resources in-house to take on a mobile app. Some CIOs have entire teams of developers ready to take on a new assignment. Others run an IT department that’s much more lean.

Whichever situation you’re in — and whether you’re being tasked with creating a customer-facing or employee-facing mobile app — there are some standard considerations you should keep in mind as you get the project underway:

1. Treat the line-of-business leader as a partner, not a customer

There has been a long history in IT of “serving” employees as a sort of internal customer — people who essentially make requests or give orders. That attitude may work when you’re provisioning laptops and software that runs major parts of the business, but an app should be born from a partnership.

This is a great way for CIOs to get to know other parts of the business better. Instead of simply doing an interview for requirements gathering purposes, look for opportunities to job shadow or conduct other primary research.

If you’re asked to create an internal app for the sales team, for instance, spend a day with an actual rep to see how the app might positively change their day-to-day work. Developing an app customers will use to place orders for curbside pickup? Do a little role play with your associates where you take turns walking in the customer’s shoes.

2. Map the flow of data across people, systems and back again

A well-designed mobile app becomes almost like the missing link that connects customers or employees to an experience in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. You only achieve that kind of design, however, if you understand what it means in terms of information management.

While an app may store some data locally, many times they will need to draw upon a diverse mix of applications that are tied to various areas of the business. You’ll need to think about whether the sources of data are already cohesive or will require some kind of integration. You’ll need to ensure strong security and to set access privileges.

This may be more straightforward depending on your existing tech stack. The best IT platforms will be able to make the exchange of data across a CRM, marketing automation and service tools seamless, for example. This is another good reason to invest in cloud-based solutions that can be extended via mobile apps.

3. Abstract, automate and acquire whenever possible

Some mobile apps will require creating absolutely everything from scratch — but not in the majority of cases.

Much in the way website designs eventually became relatively standardized as businesses recognized common needs in navigation and functionality, mobile apps differ more in details than in overall approach.

Before you ask your team to do any serious coding (or before you hire developer talent), look to third-party marketplaces such as AppExchange, where there is a treasure trove of existing business apps that have already been created and proven successful.

Low-code development, via tools such as Salesforce Lightning, is another way to quickly move from an idea to an actual app. It’s also a way to get the line of business users involved in a more hands-on way.

4. Answer the critical adoption questions

If you build it, they might come . . . or they might not.

Often mobile apps are conceived with assumptions that users will gravitate to them almost without any prompting. A quick survey of any consumer app store will prove otherwise. Getting the adoption you want can take almost as much, if not more work, than developing an app in the first place.

Will you need to create a specific marketing campaign for a consumer-facing app? Could you somehow introduce it naturally as part of an existing experience? Are there other digital channels, like your web site or newsletter, that would encourage people to try the app? If it’s an employee app, can you create incentives or find champions that will encourage the majority of the team to make using the app a new habit?

If you want to build an app, that means you (or someone else within the business) wants it to become more than a nice-to-have. A great app becomes a tool customers and employees eventually feel like they couldn’t live without.

In that sense, the “development” of an app doesn’t end with the launch. You’ll continue to iterate, improve and reimagine what your app will do. And as that happens, your business will keep on benefiting from the results.

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How To Get Started When You Want To Build An App https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/how-to-get-started-when-you-want-to-build-an-app/ https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/how-to-get-started-when-you-want-to-build-an-app/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:47:19 +0000 https://www.salesforce.com/how-to-get-started-when-you-want-to-build-an-app/ Having an app in 2020 is kind of like having a website in 2010: the majority of customers expect businesses to offer one, and for the experience of using it to give them significant value.
While smartphones have changed considerably over the past few years, the one constant has been the use of

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Having an app in 2020 is kind of like having a website in 2010: the majority of customers expect businesses to offer one, and for the experience of using it to give them significant value.

While smartphones have changed considerably over the past few years, the one constant has been the use of apps as a primary mechanism to facilitate all kinds of processes. This not only includes playing games and checking up on your social media feeds, but the way we interact with companies of every kind.

This is true not only for consumer-facing firms that offer apps to book a service or shop for products, but also business-to-business (B2B) brands that want to ease procurement or offer software-as-a-service (SaaS) functionality to their corporate clients.

Even though they are seemingly everywhere, however, the path to creating an app from idea to app store can sometimes seem shrouded in mystery.

Unless they have a programming background, for instance, many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may not be sure what kind of resources they’ll need to deliver on the promise of a particular app.

SMBs are already busy enough with their day-to-day operations, so an app that requires them to divert resources or make sizable investments may make the whole project seem unfeasible.

At the same time, entrepreneurs may worry that not offering an app will put them at a competitive disadvantage. They might also have done research at the outset that indicates their idea is viable and that the app would be popular among their customers.

If you’ve reached this point, use these steps as a guide to map out the remainder of the journey, so you can execute on a mobile app strategy and begin enjoying the payoff.

1. Repurpose your approach to creating a business plan

When you first launched your company, you probably created a business plan that included sections on the target market, marketing strategies, a financial forecast and more.

Your mobile app plan should have something similar, where you think carefully about your go-to-market tactics, your expected return on investment and how you’ll measure it.

You may also want to look at all the potential features and functions you’ll want your app to have over time and, if necessary, segment them into what will be available at launch versus what you’ll add on afterwards.

2. Test drive apps from competitors and best-in-class businesses

You may be the first in your industry or sector to launch a mobile app, but the odds are against it.

In fact, your motivation to create your own app might be in part a response to what you’ve already seen or heard from competitors. While the design and approach of your app might be quite different, you should become as expert as possible in what’s already out there for your target customers. Download your rivals’ apps and note both the good and the bad as you define your own app requirements.

Don’t limit yourself there, though. You may be working in the retail sector but there could be apps in hospitality, finance or other markets that offer ideas you could apply.

Are you a B2B company? Look at the apps of B2C companies too, because your corporate clients are consumers in the other half of their lives, and personal apps may inform their preferences.

3. Explore the possibilities of low-code development

There are all kinds of freelance app developers and studios that can help create an app for you, but that’s not the only option.

Low-code development frameworks and tools recognize that the best apps often come from those outside of IT. That’s why they have components that are more drag-and-drop to let those business professionals create an app on their own. Salesforce Lightning is a great example of this, and has already spawned countless apps for myriad businesses.

Even if you think your app will require more sophisticated developers later on, a low-code approach might be a good way to test the waters with the first version of your app so you can learn and optimize later on.

4. Recruit some beta customers (and turn them into advocates!)

Naturally you’ll want to plan enough time for testing and quality assurance as your app comes to completion, but you’ll do an even better job if you seek feedback outside your own company.

Look to customers who have been with you from the beginning, or those who might have suggested or inspired the mobile app you’re developing. Give them early access and position it as a sort of VIP perk. Make it easy for them to evaluate the functionality and to point out any problems. Track all the feedback and assign action items.

Then, before announcing the final app, let those beta customers see that you made improvements based on what they said. They might be willing to offer testimonials that encourage others to install it.

5. Consider the nuances of your distribution channels.

A consumer app may get published on the App Store or Google Play, but in each case there may be specific guidelines or rules you have to follow to get it approved. Look into this early on and fold the requirements into your planning process. If you’re creating a B2B app, on the other hand, you might want to explore marketplaces such as the Salesforce AppExchange.

App stores and marketplaces aren’t the only areas where your audience might learn about your app, however. Think about the landing pages you might need to create on your website, a blog post you could write to talk about the rationale behind it, an announcement in your newsletter and posts for your social media channels. Even your email signature might be a good place to include a download link.

Launching a mobile app is a lot like launching a business. There may be only baby steps at first, but with the right planning you might be surprised at how quickly you’ll be off and running with an app all your customers will want on their smartphones.

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Deploy a Crisis Response App to Support Your Workforce and Business Continuity https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/crisis-response-app/ https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/crisis-response-app/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:50:26 +0000 https://www.salesforce.com/crisis-response-app/ Our employees have created a free AppExchange app to help with business continuity. The Salesforce Labs Crisis Response app gives customers a central hub to manage crisis situations. Learn more.

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Over the last month, business practices have changed around the world. Routines are no longer the same, and we’re figuring out where to focus and how to pivot based on changing data and operational considerations.

Yet, it’s awe-inspiring to see individuals and teams, all across the world, finding and building solutions to common challenges. Many are taking their business offerings and turning them into solutions for social good. For example, companies like Unilever announced they’d be giving away free sanitizer, soap, bleach, and food. AstraZeneca donated 9 million face masks to support healthcare workers worldwide. Audible announced they’d make hundreds of audiobooks available for free.

Businesses are finding ways to help everyone make it through this situation posed by COVID-19. We’re doing the same, with our focus on Salesforce Care. Salesforce Care gives teams the resources to create solutions that can be deployed quickly and at no charge for at least 90 days. As part of that effort, our employees have also created a free AppExchange app to help with business continuity.

The Salesforce Labs Crisis Response app gives customers a central hub to manage crisis situations. It helps companies ensure employees are healthy and taken care of, while reducing workplace anxiety by mitigating workforce and business impact during times of crisis. A cross-functional team of Salesforce employees — from solution engineering, emerging tech, customer success, product marketing, Salesforce Labs, and creative — recognized the importance of a centralized crisis hub and took the challenge head-on to create a solution that can be deployed to do the following:

  • Address the workforce impact. Track employees’ health and safety status and monitoring locations, all in one centralized hub

crisis response screen one

  • Respond quickly to employees’ needs. Institute outreach and assistance programs to address the well-being of the workforce and provide the best possible care

crisis response screen two

  • Keep employees in the loop effectively. Deploy a crisis-centric employee portal to disseminate news and information and collect updated employee status.

crisis response screen three

  • Ensure business continuity. Activate continuity plans and measure overall business impact to manage future business operations

crisis response screen four

  • Optional: For those in healthcare, shorten patient wait time by implementing an intelligent solution that transforms images of state-issued IDs into text within Salesforce. This reduces manual data entry and provides an accurate data trail, especially for services working with drive-up care. Additionally, use artificial intelligence to understand how employees are feeling based on communication channels to respond with empathy and direct them to the appropriate resources.

Get access to the free crisis response app here. For more resources, check out the AppExchange COVID-19 page, a dedicated resource center with solutions and content to help respond to the needs of your employees, customers, and community during this time.

For more tips on navigating change, read other articles in our Leading Through Change series.

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How To Pitch Your App Idea https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/how-to-pitch-your-app-idea/ https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/how-to-pitch-your-app-idea/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:51:33 +0000 https://www.salesforce.com/how-to-pitch-your-app-idea/ Sales reps are used to presenting their forecasts at least once a quarter.
Marketers often have to run through an upcoming campaign to the exec team.
Heads of HR know they have to provide overviews of training or changes to the company's benefits program in a way that’s easy to understand.
Even

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Sales reps are used to presenting their forecasts at least once a quarter.

Marketers often have to run through an upcoming campaign to the exec team.

Heads of HR know they have to provide overviews of training or changes to the company’s benefits program in a way that’s easy to understand.

Even with a wealth of experience speaking with leaders, however, pitching an app idea can be a whole different ball game.

Until recently, most businesses did not launch with a mobile app as part of their product portfolio or employee toolset. While startups often base their entire value proposition around an app, it’s still an area where many businesses, large and small, continue to play catch-up.

For senior managers or CEOs who have to sign off on an app project before it moves forward, meanwhile, the learning curve can feel steep.

Beyond cost considerations, some of the common questions might include:

  • How do we make sure this app is used, and doesn’t gather the digital equivalent of dust?
  • What kind of skill sets are we going to need (or hire for) to make a mobile app part of our everyday customer or employee experience?
  • What are the right metrics to determine return on investment — downloads/installs, time spent in the app, or something that leads directly to company revenue?

Those pitching an app, meanwhile, are no longer restricted to those in defined technology roles, extending to the line-of-business team members we described above. Sales, marketing, HR — even customer service, operations and facilities management professionals might have a great app idea inside them.

The good news is that low-code development platforms make it easier than ever to bring an app idea to life.

Before you get to that point, though, you’re going to have to get buy-in, especially if an app is tied to something that represents a critical part of your organization.

This calls for a specific kind of business case. Make sure you:

1. Paint a picture of a world where your app never exists

It may be tempting to jump right into a mockup of your app’s user interface (UI) and the key features and functions you want to include.

Don’t give into that temptation.

It will be more compelling for business leaders when they get a clearer sense of what the cost of doing nothing — ie, not building your app — will be.

  • If your app never exists, what kind of cost savings might the company miss out on?
  • How might competitors create an app instead, and differentiate themselves?
  • What kind of productivity barrier can erode employee engagement and hamper business results without the app?

Just like the best reps know when they’re pitching a customer or prospect, starting with the need or pain point lays the foundation for everything that comes next.

2. Provide a guided tour of the app stores

Mobile apps often come down to a build-vs.-buy decision.

Senior leaders might wonder, for instance, whether an app like the one you’re describing (or one that’s close enough) already exists that the company could acquire more quickly than making one of its own.

You’ll need to prove you’ve done your due diligence by showing research about any similar apps in the public app stores (if it’s a consumer-facing app). Do the same thing if it’s an internal app for employees by checking resources like Salesforce AppExchange.

If your competitors have already developed a similar app, obviously, you should highlight that fact, but also talk about how you might be able to deliver greater value than they are, given that execs may be less interested in a “me too” app idea.

3. Put the IT department concerns to rest right away

In most companies, those in IT are already busy enough patching together legacy technologies, keeping out hackers and answering all the help desk calls they get from employees. In small to medium-sized companies, the IT team may be small.

Executives will be understandably wary of adding to the IT department’s plate. Even though a low-code platform might allow you to create much of the app on your own, they’ll need to know things like testing and quality assurance will be covered off, and what will be involved in moving the app from idea into production.

Don’t leave this as a to-do item in your pitch. Have the conversation with IT ahead of time. If you have their buy-in, getting it from the leadership team may become a lot easier.

4. Position the use case from a specific person’s perspective

Let’s say you have an idea for an employee-facing app. Rather than leave the CEO or leaders to wonder whether employees will actually make an app a part of their day-to-day lives, conscript one of them to pitch along with you.

In your deck or presentation, walk through their regular day and illustrate where the mobile app would come in. Let them comment on why they agree with the idea or, if they can’t come, record their comments on video or add them in text on a slide.

You’ll want to try something similar for consumer-facing apps, but it doesn’t mean having to run an expensive focus group.

Make use of your social media channels to identify the areas where your app is answering their questions or assisting them. Direct message your biggest fans to see if they’ll back up your pitch in writing.

5. Plan for the perfect launch moment (and beyond)

A mobile app can be launched at any time, but some moments may be more opportune than others.

Consumer-facing apps might be best tied to the launch of a new product or service, where the app can keep them engaged after a purchase or drive another action, like attending an event your firm produces.

Employee-facing apps, meanwhile, could align with the introduction of a new workflow or process that the company is already introducing to improve operations. There might be less change management required when an app is just one part of a broader strategic shift.

As with any business case, spend the bulk of your time thinking through any other questions, objections or curveballs the leadership team might throw at you. Then make your pitch, and begin the first phase of developing a successful mobile app.

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11 Smaller Social Media Apps Poised to Break Out in 2016 https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/smaller-social-media-apps-2016/ https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/smaller-social-media-apps-2016/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 16:49:13 +0000 https://www.salesforce.com/smaller-social-media-apps-2016/ It's hard to keep track of all the new social media apps, let alone determine which ones are worth your time. Start with these 11 apps.

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While social media platforms race against each other to stay on top, new and upcoming apps seem to pop up every day to cater to the various socializing needs of connected consumers.

Interest in social media and instant messaging apps continues to increase, which means consumers are constantly looking for niched platforms for more interactive and real-time conversations. In fact, today Canadians spend more time than ever on social media platforms, with 56.7 per cent of adults actively using them.

Since they’re not all a hit for audiences of all ages, some platforms resonate with certain demographics more than others. While some apps are for more personal networking and socializing, others are used extensively for professional and business purposes. Based on the growth in the usage of these platforms, it’s important to dig a little deeper and see which social media platforms are poised to break out this year.

User Numbers for Some Up-and-Coming Social Media Apps

  • Yo: 1 million
  • Viber: 664 million
  • Vimeo: 100 million
  • Shots: 10 million
  • Snapchat: 100 million
  • Yik Yak: 3.6 million
  • Periscope: 10 million
  • Wanelo: 11 million
  • Trello: 10 million
  • Vine: 200 million

1. Anchor

User stats: Not available

Notable brands: Radiolab

First on Gary Vaynerchuk’s list of apps to pay attention to right now is Anchor. Podcasters who want to be heard, yet haven’t felt comfortable using other mediums, have found a community on this free iPhone app. It makes it easy to broadcast short audio clips on the fly, in a matter of seconds, to a global audience.

Listeners can provide feedback and join in the action by replying to clips, which can spark instant group conversations. When not recording, users can listen to authentic humor, knowledge, inspiration, and debates from Anchor’s global collective of personalities. Anchor is what might be called the “gen next of broadcasting.” For businesses, Anchor offers a great opportunity to listen and engage in the conversation in the form of collaborative podcasting, as opposed to generic broadcasting.

2. Yo

User stats: 1 million

Notable Brands: Monster, USA Today

Some users strive to cut through the clutter and simplify the conversation with their connections on various messaging and social networking apps. Yo leads the pack of context-based notification; it’s an iPhone app that has been redesigned to be a content notification clearinghouse.

Yo allows users to send push notifications to other users in the app in the form of “Yo!”. Since its launch in 2014, Yo’s user base has grown to more than 1 million, and the app has been downloaded over 3 million times. Over 100 million “Yo”s are sent in one day, including a few from brands such as Monster, which cleverly used the app as part of their “ILOVEMYJOB,” “IHATEMYJOB,” and “INEEDMYJOB” campaigns.

Publishers that have jumped on the bandwagon include USA Today, which used Yo to deliver updates from the November 2015 election. Other possible uses include receiving Yo notifications for pizza orders, shopping deliveries, or when laundry is ready for pickup.

3. Viber

User stats: 664 million

Notable Brand: Buzzfeed

From the simplified “yo” to emojis and stickers, the Millennial generation never runs out of unconventional ways to communicate. Perhaps one of the most prominent instant messaging apps ready to accommodate this trend is Viber. Founded in Israel, it now has 664 million users worldwide.

In addition to being one of Millennials’ favorite instant messaging apps, Viber has paved the way for its users to follow the conversations of celebrities, brands, and sports personalities through its Public Chat feature. Buzzfeed is a great example of a publisher using this app. True to its mission of bringing the content to the audience, Buzzfeed allows followers to get involved in the discussion through Viber’s Public Chat. Brands also have the option to incorporate their own voice in the form of promotional sticker packs.

The Worldwide Popularity of Social Media

  • Total number of active social media users: 2.31 billion
    • That’s 31% of the total population
  • Total number of social users accessing sites via mobile: 1.97 billion
    • That’s 27% of the total population
  • In Canada, an average of 1.4 hours are spent on social media every day.
    • The highest number of hours is in the Philippines: 3.7 hours per day
  • Out of 36.11 million Canadians, 17.00 million are active mobile social media users.
    • That’s 47% of the total population of Canada.

4. Vimeo

User stats: 100 million

Notable brands: HP, Honda

Vimeo was the first video sharing site to support high definition videos: Users can share, upload, and view high-quality videos. It has over 100 million users composed mostly of those in the creative industry, including filmmakers, photographers, and marketers who focus in showcasing the production quality of their videos.

Vimeo stands out from its competitors with its customizable branded player, where premium users can replace the Vimeo logo with their own. There’s also the option to customize the URL of the video, which makes it easier for subscribers and viewers to remember it (as opposed to a random string of numbers or alphanumeric characters). Brands like Hewlett Packard and Honda looking to engage with their audience through collaborative storytelling and user-generated videos have managed to tap into the close-knit community of filmmakers through Vimeo.

5. Shots

User stats: 10 million

Notable brand: Backed by Justin Bieber

Backed by Justin Bieber, the Shots comedy app now has over 10 million users and is a great platform to share funny videos, photos, and clips. Unlike most social networking platforms, Shots was purposely built without any direct-messaging option, follower count, or public comments. Those features tend to help spread negativity, something Shots’s founders aimed to avoid. Instead, it wants to entertain people and spread positivity among its young audience—65 per cent of which are 16 years old—by eliminating the usual avenues for bullying. Brands looking to engage with the young audience (who are often glued to their phones) may use Shots to give their fans a sneak peek of upcoming movies or exclusive content in the form of bloopers.

6. Snapchat

User stats: 100 million users, 400 million-plus snaps daily

Notable brands: Audi, the NBA

What started as a hugely popular app for sharing images and videos (which vanish after a few seconds) is now one of the fastest growing social media apps, and it’s loved by Millennials and marketers alike. Snapchat has over 100 million daily active users who share 400 million snaps per day. According to CEO Evan Spiegel, users are racking up seven billion video views per day. Brands using Snapchat include Audi and NBA: Both use the app’s Stories and Chats features to gather and broadcast content.

7. Yik Yak

User stats: 3.6 million

Notable brands: The BBC

Yik Yak, available on iOS and Android, allows its users to pseudo-anonymously create and view discussion threads within a 5-mile radius. Users can contribute to the stream by replying, as well as “voting up” (aka Yakarma) or “voting down.” In other words, it’s an anonymous bulletin board.

Within a year of its 2013 launch, Yik Yak gained considerable popularity among Millennials, reporting 3.6 million monthly active users by the end of 2014. The BBC used Yik Yak as a part of a special week of mental health coverage, asking its audience about mental health issues and taboos people should be talking about.

8. Periscope

User stats: 10 million

Notable brands: Taco Bell, DKNY

Acquired by Twitter in early 2015, Periscope allows its users to broadcast live video to the world and get real-time feedback. It is now being used by brands to stream live Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, webinars, and more. Its intuitive and interactive video streaming capabilities have made Periscope an ideal platform for interactive customer service, exclusive events, and product launches for brands such as Taco Bell, DKNY, and others. As of August 2015, Periscope had a total of 10 million users, with 2 million daily active users. This means about 15 per cent of the top brands on Twitter are using Periscope.

Social Media is Good for Society—and Business

  • Society benefits:
    • Helps people stay in touch
    • Serve as a meeting room
    • Keeps users up to date
    • Improves the learning process
    • Increases the reach of service organizations and charities
    • Allows users to market themselves
  • Business benefits:
    • Increases brand awareness
    • Legitimizes your brand
    • Increases sales
    • Improves customer service
    • Helps distribute content

9. Peach

User stats: Not available

Notable brands: Asos

The latest social network to emerge is Peach, with elements familiar to users of Facebook, Path, Slack, Snapchat, and Tumblr all rolled into one. This all-new social media app could become as big as the likes of Instagram and Snapchat.

Peach has gained popularity among Millennials as a “space for friends.” It’s a kind of social journaling, with an element of privacy: It is only viewable by friends and friends of friends. According to TechCrunch, Peach currently ranks 120th overall on Apple’s App Store in the U.S. for free apps, and number nine in social networking. Brands that are eager to connect with their younger audiences, like Asos, have jumped onto the Peach bandwagon.

10. Wanelo

User stats: 11 million

Notable brand: Urban Outfitters

Wanelo, derived from the words “want,” “need,” and “love,” has married shopping and social media. It allows users to browse through millions of different products offered by major brands and online retailers, as well as independent artists and producers, such as those on Etsy.

Users can create wish lists, establish connections, and find out what their friends are interested in buying. With over 11 million users, Wanelo could easily rival Pinterest because of its strong visual components and similar demographics. However, it is better poised for online retailers. In fact, Urban Outfitters and 200 others have started selling products directly on the platform because of its convenient wish list and product management tools.

11. Vine

User stats: 200 million

Notable brands: GoPro, Simon & Schuster

Vine is an entertainment network that allows users to capture life stories on their smartphones and create short, six-second looping videos. Simon & Schuster used Vine to ask their audience what books they were reading on the weekend, and gave them visual cues about what they could be reading. GoPro has also engaged with its customers by encouraging them to create Vine videos and upload them with a specific, branded hashtag. With more than 200 million active monthly users, Vine is used regularly by 10 per cent of the top brands to engage with their fans.

The apps and mobile marketing landscape are evolving fast, and they are paving way for context-based conversations. While social networking giants like Facebook and Twitter are home to billions of users worldwide, brands have the opportunity to bring snackable, fun, interactive content to connected consumers through smaller, more close-knit communities.

In a study released by Google, 71 per cent of in-store shoppers who use smartphones for online research say their device has become more important to their in-store experience. Most of them look for reviews and recommendations from a number of sources to help complete their buying decisions. With these apps at their fingertips, consumers can now be part of conversations with brands that they choose to engage with.

Today, connected consumers are in charge of which conversations they want to be involved in and what stories they want to be part of. It’s a question of whether your brand is poised to be among their top choices.

Replace “the highest number of hours…” with “The Philippines has the highest number of hours spent on social media: 3.7 per day”

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