One of the main challenges when promoting your new mobile app is convincing users to sign up and register a new account so they can experience the full value of the app.
The problem with this is not only that users simply don’t want to be forced to remember yet another login and password. They are also often afraid that the app in question isn’t trustworthy enough to be entrusted with their personal data (usually an email), especially when we’re talking online gambling.
A solution that’s been getting really popular lately is called Single Sign-On (SSO). In short, apps using SSO don’t require their users to create new user accounts. Instead, every new user can log in with their already existing Facebook, Twitter, or Google accounts.
This way of dealing with users has many advantages. The biggest one is that it takes much less time and less individual steps that the user has to take to enjoy the app. Also, the app gains some additional trust by having Facebook, Twitter, or Google login options, which can be especially handy when operating in the online gambling space.
What all this means is that if you’re planning to release an app in 2014, you should make sure to provide an SSO functionality. Nowadays, there are code APIs that make this easier than it might seem.
Here are some examples of mainstream apps that already implemented SSO successfully.
Feedly
The most popular news reader of today (after Google Reader’s demise). Currently, all you need to use the app is a Google Account (e.g. Gmail account).
Duolingo
One of the most popular apps for learning languages. In its current version it only requires a Facebook account.
SpringPad
A very nice note-taking environment and Evernote’s biggest competitor. It provides a number of possibilities when it comes to signing up. New users can use their Facebook accounts, Twitter accounts, or sign up through SpringPad’s native system.
TripAdvisor
Probably the biggest travel app out there. It offers a ton of advice and interesting info for travelers based on their location. Currently, the app offers Facebook login functionality to speed up the registration process.
Vine
Vine is the biggest social media sensation of 2013 – the video sharing service for short 7 second recordings. Its main login functionality is based on Twitter. Not only this, but Vine actually populates your whole profile based on what it finds on Twitter.
Spotify
Spotify is the most popular digital music service available today. Even such a giant knows that they can benefit hugely if users can get through the registration process as quickly as possible. That is why they offer Facebook SSO integration.
Single Sign-On certainly has the potential to be the next big thing and dominate the mobile app space in 2014. Implementing the functionality in online gambling apps is almost certainly the right thing to do.