Why blogger iPhone apps are significant

3Feb10

Apps are another important media touch-point

We recently announced (rather excitedly) that our Inbound Marketing site GetSticky was now available as an iPhone app. A week later I was happy to inform you that MediaHunter had also become available through the iTunes Store as an app.

So what you ask? Good question.

We don’t exactly expect to be knocked over in the rush to download our apps but we do see it as a significant development. You see the fact we have launched these apps isn’t the point, but the fact that we, and any other blogger, can do it is significant.

For the last decade bloggers, and the social networks that followed them, have led the way in the introduction and consumption of new media. They’ve changed the way millions of people obtain and share information. At the same time, traditional media, especially the publishing industry, have been grappling with new digital reality.

Now, with 100s of millions of bloggers around the world, we have a cottage industry that is breaking into the mainstream. The Huffington Post, Techcrunch, Mashable, The Punch (in Australia), Mumbrella (Australia) and many others have used blogging to create new publishing niches.

These same publications are using multiple touch-points to reach a greater audience, share their information and extend the conversation. Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Delicious, RSS, StumbleUpon, Alltop and much, much more.

And now apps. The iPhone apps store allows us to access our favourite information in a much more mobile-friendly layout rather than through the browser. Its easy and fast and the icons on the phone are a constant reminder to check for the latest posts.

Apps are a pointer to how information may be packaged and published in the future. And with the expected explosion in apps following the release of the iPad, this should only grow. And other players are developing apps for their platforms.

Once again, bloggers are showing the way. But what media and mainstream business does next is the important thing. The smart business marketers are now publishing relevant information on a regular basis. They’re distributing it through multiple touch-points. And soon many will be able to provide those who are interested with an app that will engage even further.

So, while it isn’t significant that GetSticky and MediaHunter now have iPhone apps, it is significant that we can.

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