Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Higher Institute for Scientific and Medical Research, Yaounde, Cameroon.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024 Jan 5;12:e50293. doi: 10.2196/50293.
Among the millions of mobile apps in existence, thousands fall under the category of mobile health (mHealth). Although the utility of mHealth apps has been demonstrated for disease diagnosis, treatment data management, and health promotion strategies, to be effective they must reach and be used by their target audience. An appropriate marketing strategy can ensure that apps reach potential users and potentially convert them to actual users. Such a strategy requires definitions of target end users, communication channels, and advertising content, as well as a timeline for effectively reaching and motivating end users to adopt and maintain engagement with the mHealth app.
The aim of this study was to identify strategies and elements that ensure that end users adopt and remain engaged with mHealth apps.
A systematic search of the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL databases was conducted for suitable studies published between January 1, 2018, and September 30, 2022. Two researchers independently screened studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. The main outcome was dissemination strategies for mHealth apps.
Of the 648 papers retrieved from the selected databases, only 10 (1.5%) met the inclusion criteria. The marketing strategies used in these studies to inform potential users of the existence of mHealth apps and motivate download included both paid and unpaid strategies and used various channels, including social media, emails, printed posters, and face-to-face communication. Most of the studies reported a combination of marketing concepts used to advertise their mHealth apps. Advertising messages included instructions on where and how to download and install the apps. In most of the studies (6/10, 60%), instructions were oriented toward how to use the apps and maintain engagement with a health intervention. The most frequently used paid marketing platform was Facebook Ads Manager (2/10, 20%). Advertising performance was influenced by many factors, including but not limited to advertising content. In 1 (10%) of the 10 studies, animated graphics generated the greatest number of clicks compared with other image types. The metrics used to assess marketing strategy effectiveness were number of downloads; nonuse rate; dropout rate; adherence rate; duration of app use; and app usability over days, weeks, or months. Additional indicators such as cost per click, cost per install, and clickthrough rate were mainly used to assess the cost-effectiveness of paid marketing campaigns.
mHealth apps can be disseminated via paid and unpaid marketing strategies using various communication channels. The effects of these strategies are reflected in download numbers and user engagement with mHealth apps. Further research could provide guidance on a framework for disseminating mHealth apps and encouraging their routine use.
在现有的数百万款移动应用中，有数千款属于移动健康 (mHealth) 应用。尽管 mHealth 应用在疾病诊断、治疗数据管理和健康促进策略方面的效用已得到证实，但为了发挥其有效性，它们必须覆盖目标受众并被目标受众使用。一个合适的营销策略可以确保应用程序能够接触到潜在用户，并有可能将他们转化为实际用户。这样的策略需要对目标最终用户、沟通渠道和广告内容进行定义，以及制定一个有效的时间表，以接触和激励最终用户采用并保持对 mHealth 应用的使用。
本研究旨在确定确保最终用户采用和保持使用 mHealth 应用的策略和要素。
对 PubMed、PsycINFO、Scopus 和 CINAHL 数据库进行了系统检索，以获取 2018 年 1 月 1 日至 2022 年 9 月 30 日期间发表的合适研究。两名研究人员独立筛选纳入研究，提取数据并评估偏倚风险。主要结局是 mHealth 应用的传播策略。
从选定的数据库中检索到的 648 篇论文中，只有 10 篇（1.5%）符合纳入标准。这些研究中使用的营销策略用于告知潜在用户 mHealth 应用的存在并激励其下载，包括付费和免费策略，并使用了各种渠道，包括社交媒体、电子邮件、印刷海报和面对面交流。大多数研究报告了用于宣传其 mHealth 应用的营销概念的组合。广告信息包括关于在哪里以及如何下载和安装应用程序的说明。在大多数研究中（6/10，60%），说明侧重于如何使用应用程序并保持对健康干预措施的参与度。使用最广泛的付费营销平台是 Facebook Ads Manager（2/10，20%）。广告表现受到许多因素的影响，包括但不限于广告内容。在 10 项研究中的 1 项（10%）中，与其他图像类型相比，动画图形生成的点击次数最多。用于评估营销策略有效性的指标包括下载次数、未使用率、流失率、参与率、应用使用持续时间以及应用在数天、数周或数月内的可用性。点击成本、每次安装成本和点击率等额外指标主要用于评估付费营销活动的成本效益。
mHealth 应用可以通过使用各种沟通渠道的付费和免费营销策略进行传播。这些策略的效果反映在应用程序的下载数量和用户对 mHealth 应用的参与度上。进一步的研究可以为传播 mHealth 应用程序和鼓励其常规使用提供指导。
