Although there is great commotion around the idea of second screen apps, people still need reasons to use them. Simply putting them out there and saying that everybody is using them is not going to be enough. Here are some features that can help open the path of consumers in this direction sooner.
1.Ad blockers. We have them on computers to enable the viewing of videos and web pages without being bothered by banners and pop-ups but we have to tolerate them on TV. Although technology has advanced so, it seems that we have not managed to rid ourselves of the curse of the dreaded commercials interrupting our favorite movies. There is nothing more annoying than the 5 minutes left from a show paused and pushed back 10 minutes to make room for commercials. To the viewer, these are 10 minutes lost for good. Not to mention the time lost in watching a movie on TV which lasts longer on account of the commercials as compared to watching it on a laptop, without commercials. Second screen apps could do that for you.
2. Shop online. In case the show you are watching is more than just a story on a bigger screen, and in case you see in it a life-style, the app gives you a few pointers on where to buy stuff you see on screen. Instead of letting you do the searching by yourself, the developers of these apps can bring all of the useful information in the same place so they can make sure that your attention is not lost. This is a great form of second screen advertising.
4. Giveaways. As a viewer, you become a potential client. To become a client and a loyal client, you can benefit from great gifts from the companies sponsoring your favorite shows. In a way, they no longer disrupt your show, but you offer them a clear road to your account for various offers you can use to your liking, which is a great advantage of the second screen platform.
**5. Personalized programs for viewers. Real-time creative content that reacts to the show and targets home viewers making them feel important for the people working to make the show. Attention becomes divided between screens but the point of focus remains the same: the show scheduled on TV and shared with the companion app. Social TV and second screen apps** are said to bring power to the people in this regard.
6. Getting famous people on board. Nothing gets more attention than what celebrities post on their social networks. Using these posts, comments and pictures as an integrated part of the show package is the smartest initiative of the people behind the second screen marketing concept.
The second screen platform can benefit viewers as well as companies and TV producers. We could even say that it is a win-win-win situation.
