How Mobile is Transforming the Experience Economy.

Mobile apps that encourage engagement between brand and audience are driving the development of a robust visitor attraction sector that can be “always open”. In today’s data-driven and ever-connected world, consumers increasingly make decisions based on their engagement with brands they trust and have a relationship with.

The mobile phone facilitates this process and connection, having significantly advanced the ways brands can engage with their audiences.

Why Mobile is Crucial for Visitor Attractions

Mobile technology presents the single biggest opportunity for the visitor attraction sector, including museums, cultural sites, heritage sites, zoos, wildlife parks, aquariums, and art galleries, to directly attract, engage, and retain growing numbers of interested audiences.

According to Cybercrew, 53.5 million Britons own smartphones, representing a penetration rate of 75% of the population. The average Briton spends over two hours daily on their phone, checking it several times a day. Smartphones also account for 47.3% of online traffic in the UK, a figure predicted to rise further.

While mobile streamlines the shopping process for high-street retail, in the visitor attraction and experience economy, mobile communications build relationships with audiences. They offer personalised information, special offers, and unlock a range of interactive content designed to truly engage.

Beyond Traditional Mobile Marketing

Using an audience engagement platform (AEP), visitor attractions can segment audiences and visitor profiles. This enables them to send personalised information based on observed visitor behaviour, enhancing their overall experience. This approach helps convert one-day sightseers into long-term repeat customers, thereby boosting revenue.

Beyond push notifications, SMS, WhatsApp, and emails, mobile also integrates digital wallets, eliminating the need for cash or cards. Clever apps provide easy access to detailed content, including audio-visual presentations, for a deeper interaction and learning experience. Your visitor attraction can effectively go from having set opening and closing hours to being “always open” via mobile. This doesn't mean visitors can physically access the attraction at any time, but rather that the engagement pathway is continuous.

Engaging Younger Audiences Through Mobile

Younger generations are rarely without their mobiles, which have become extensions of themselves. Mobile is therefore an ideal method to engage with this demographic, offering opportunities for immersion through technologies such as augmented reality.

In an era defined by selfies and self-expression through unique experiences, AEPs that allow visitors to personalise how they capture their day and share it directly on social media are helping sectors like museums and heritage re-engage with younger generations. Additional features appealing to this segment include:

• Gamification of content, such as augmented trails, treasure hunts, and discovery games.
• Instagram-worthy exhibits that generate shared content, encouraging others to visit.

Capturing all this information is the audience engagement platform, which translates insights into actionable strategies for future campaigns and engagement opportunities.

Deepening the Learning Experience

iBeacon technology, activated via web Bluetooth on mobile phones and running over native or progressive web apps, offers a fun example of mobile’s benefits. As visitors pass specific exhibits, objects, or locations, beacons can trigger additional information or pop-ups. For operators, beacon technology is also a key tool for tracking and understanding visitor behaviour.

Since educators can deliver engaging content directly from the audience engagement platform to the audience experience app, mobile has also become an extension of the classroom. Lesson plans housed on the AEP can be accessed through the branded audience experience app, helping the attraction sector become more sustainable. These are just some of the benefits mobile brings to the visitor and audience experience arena. The time is opportune for your branded experience to go mobile and become truly engaged.