Since the arrival of the iPhone and other smart devices, mobile Web browsing and related applications have undergone explosive growth, with consumers relying increasingly on their handhelds to provide entertainment, find news and make purchases.
In fact, in an article posted by John Arnold of Entrepreneur magazine on April 5, 2010, NBC recorded 58.2 million page views of its Winter Olympics programming on the mobile Web and iPhone app through the first 11 days of coverage alone. These numbers haven't been ignored by developers that have ramped up their efforts in recent months to create applications designed to assist consumers in their purchasing decisions, whether they're searching for a home or the best price on a new DSLR.
Photo retailers and photographers stand to benefit from new applications that make it possible to promote their business and boost sales through a virtual marketplace. In order to capture market share, though, it's critical to have a mobile presence that customers want to visit—and return to—time and again.
Always Open for Business
With many of today's professional photographers, particularly wedding and school photographers, traveling farther away from their home areas and studios, time becomes a precious commodity, leaving a narrow window to process and distribute proofs to a client. However, with the most popular mobile phones supporting an open-source framework and many developers offering affordable or free applications, creating a mobile presence is always within reach.
When investing in new-world marketing applications, it's critical to first define what's most important: creating a virtual storefront to showcase products or a utility to assist customers quickly? Both have their advantages, and the ease with which apps can be “collected” currently make them more popular. However, as Entrepreneur's Arnold notes, mobile websites aren't far behind. “Since the number of mobile phone browsers that support richer versions of HTML is increasing rapidly, expect mobile website functionality to rival app functionality in the near future.”
Having this presence is crucial in today's ecommerce environment. Customers may want an alternative to visiting a store in person, or meeting a photographer to review proofs. As more and more of their transactions occur in a digital environment, free from the aggravation of dodging traffic and crowds, it's important for imaging retailers and photographers to avoid being left behind.
There's an App for That
In light of this, imaging professionals should strive to have similar levels of mobility built into their websites, gallery and retail store space. Not so long ago, wedding prints were hand-delivered to the bride and groom. Today, that same couple is expecting a digital gallery that can be viewed from a laptop or iPhone, and then instantly shared with friends and family. Recognizing the void in the digital marketplace for professional photographers, a recently introduced iPhone/iPod touch application called StudioShare, by DigiLabs Pro, is designed to make it easy for photographers to connect with customers over a mobile device.
Working hand-in-hand with DigiLabs Pro's online gallery service, StudioShare is a free iPhone/iPod touch app that allows customers to access their photographer studio-branded galleries from the palms of their hands. By taking what would have once happened in a studio and packaging it for a mobile application, clients can view photos quickly and make purchases just like they would from any other Internet retailer, giving photographers a new edge when it comes to sharing galleries and building a mobile portfolio of business.
The ease with which customers can connect with photographers through their phones can also lead to opportunities for driving incremental sales, as a photographer or retailer can issue promotional codes or last-minute coupons to offer their customers a “final chance” to buy photos. And unlike a conventional brick-and-mortar storefront, online purchasing makes it possible to market smaller, Web-only proofs as ideal for sharing with friends and family through e-mail, or posting on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Once purchased, those proofs can be shared immediately with a few clicks of a touchscreen, helping to promote the photographer or location long after the final order is placed while also giving their products a longer shelf-life.
Wall Street to Main Street
Within the next five years, experts are predicting two-thirds of U.S. residents will carry smartphones. What was once an entertainment accessory has emerged as an essential part of a daily toolkit for everyone from the Wall Street investor to the Main Street librarian.
The mobile revolution is enabling imaging specialists new ways to connect with their customers and increase incremental sales. As more and more consumers upgrade to devices that allow them to flex their purchasing power muscle, those who can service them will succeed, while others will likely get a busy signal.
Stephanie Weber is the General Manager of DigiLabs Pro.
Photo retailers and photographers stand to benefit from new applications that make it possible to promote their business and boost sales through a virtual marketplace. In order to capture market share, though, it's critical to have a mobile presence that customers want to visit—and return to—time and again.
