Google has just launched a new system called App Invites. Available in beta for now for both the Android and iOS mobile operating systems, this system is designed to allow mobile users to conveniently and quickly tell their friends to try new apps.
Basically, App Invites comes with a set of tools that let users send out app invitations via text message (SMS) or email. On top of that, the system can highlight recommended friends (who might be interested in this particular app), build personalized onboarding experiences for first time users of certain apps, and evaluating feedback by way of custom reports.
The phrase "Recommend this to a friend" is quite a familiar sighting on the Internet and on social media nowadays, and now developers of mobile apps are increasingly tapping into users' contacts lists in order to notify people that they have contacts who are already using the same app, and of course, help users suggest the app to friends who have not tried it yet. With App Invites, Google is empowering app developers by reinforcing the way their apps can be easily recommended and shared to other users.
At its core, App Invites may appear to be just a recommendation tool for apps. But Google has actually employed a clever approach to getting this done. The system can also recommend which of the user's friends are more likely to be interested in a certain type of app. It also takes into account the interactivity level between the user and this particular contact.
As mentioned earlier, the invitations to check out the app can be sent via SMS or email, which smartly come with an INSTALL button inside the body of the message. For Android users, the install functionality is made easier because they can just click on App Invite and then immediately proceed to downloading the app directly from Google Play.
Moreover, developers are able to deep link to certain pages in their apps as part of the recommendation process. This grants users specific capabilities like sharing discount codes with contacts, and other more personalized, experience-sharing moments.
The personalized touch is what differentiates App Invites from your usual recommendation system. In the past, invites often feel very spammy, and people are now so desensitized to invites that we just kind of ignore them by default. With Google's new system, there is a chance that invites can be made meaningful and more importantly for app developers, effective.
