With our generation's attachment to technology and never-ending yearn for the faster and more accessible, the popularity of specific apps has grown in the past year. From Kylie Jenner, to YouTubers such as Lauren Elizabeth, social media professionals have turned to apps to showcase their lives. Instead of using Instagram to post a photo of their outfits, and sites such as Wordpress to blog, mainstream internet celebrities have developed apps for viewers to find the content all at once, making the obsession grow and privacy scarce.
When searched from a phone, Safari switches sites such as YouTube, Yelp, Netflix and many other businesses over to their apps to make browsing the site easier and more technologically friendly. Retail sites have developed apps to make purchasing apparel more convenient, as purchasing information is saved over frequent usages. Sites that haven't hopped on the bandwagon and developed an app are missing out on an opportunity for more views and money.
According to the business of Apps.com, the time spent per user with digital media daily in 2015 was 2.8 hours. Free apps make money by having in-app purchases. Premium services and features cause people hooked on the app to see the in-app purchases as trivial and worth it. Corporations pay for their advertisements to be seen on popular apps as well with the hope that users will be more inclined to need their service or buy their product if seen.
Not only do apps allow a site to be more user friendly, but they have the potential to make money as well. With that said, I think Odyssey should create an app. I myself have been inclined to download the apps of my favorite celebrities and YouTube stars, as the apps sometimes offer special content and exclusive previews into the life I so envy.
When I am reading an article written by an Odyssey content creator on my mobile device, whether it be on Facebook or Twitter, I wish it could be redirected to an app. On the app, I'd only expect the layout to be sleek, easy to use, and open the opportunity to access different or related articles. I've also found myself scrolling through the web for information or op-ed pieces on my pieces, and have had a hard time using Odyssey's site due to its not mobile-friendly layout. As a content creator myself, my life would be so much easier if I could access the admin page so I could easily edit my articles if I am not home.
The next development Odyssey should undergo is the creation of Apple and Andriod-friendly apps that will open access to more content and make life easier for its creators.
