Connecting with Nature through Mobile Apps
There is often a pushback at the idea of introducing mobile apps in spaces such as botanical gardens, parks, zoos, and aquariums, fearing that they’ll distract from nature.
While using an app to connect with nature may seem counterintuitive, that’s hardly the case. In fact, that’s exactly what you should be using an app for - to help connect people with nature.
If you’re like many, you might be wondering how an app could bring people closer to animals and nature. These are places to go to disconnect from social media and enjoy the beauty of the world around us, right?
Fortunately, a mobile app doesn’t take away from that at all - it enhances it.
Because we come from cultural spaces, we understand the struggles and concerns associated with having a mobile app for your space. But instead of shy away from it, we built an app that allows for a heads-up experience. An app should never be a replacement for what you have to offer (nor can it be). It should be a complementary tool to better your visitors’ experience and give them something they they can’t get elsewhere.
That’s where beacon technology comes into the picture, and why we use it to power our apps. Beacons are discrete pieces of hardware that run off of Bluetooth and send push notifications to your device to let your visitors dive deeper into the things they’re most interested in. Once they choose their interest areas, whether it’s behind the scenes videos of animals, information on conservation efforts, or how to identify certain plants or flowers, they can put their phone in their pocket, and it’ll only vibrate when it’s alerting them to something nearby they wanted to learn more about.
And since they’ll never have to scan a code or punch in a number, there’s no better way to give your visitors valuable information without creating a constant distraction.
Beacons also provide essential analytical information about how and what your visitor is exploring. You’re able to continually improve your visitors’ experience and give them more of what they want. And thanks to analytic information, you’ll know exactly what that is. See which animals they’re spending the most time with, what aquatic critters they can’t get enough of, and which flowers and plants have caught their eye.
In a bigger sense, the ability of an app to track analytics, and observe the patterns of visitors opens a world of opportunities in conservation efforts. Knowing where visitors are going, and what they’re interested in, is critical in transforming conservation and making a positive impact on the environment.
You can include useful information on the environment, and provide links to various charities throughout the app. By putting the ability to get people involved in the palm of their hand, it makes it easy to start making a difference.
A mobile app is also one of the best ways to go green. It eliminates the need for printed maps while ensuring visitors never get lost among the twisting trails. The interactive map will show you where you are and help you get where you’re going.
Botanical gardens, parks, zoos, and aquariums give us the chance to see exotic animals, explore corners of the world we don’t often get the chance to see, and interact with nature in a way we can’t anywhere else. Often, these visits leave us wanting more, and now you can give your visitors exactly that, more. Let them continue learning and exploring even after they leave, all while making a positive difference.
That’s what we want for everyone who visits one of these places. To connect with nature and truly immerse themselves in it. And there’s no better way than through a mobile app.
