Perhaps it was a natural expansion of the cryptocurrency boom. Popular digital cryptocurrency options like Bitcoin or Dogecoin are an increasingly accepted form of payment for real-world items. This additional form of spending power moves cryptocurrency beyond a part of an investment portfolio. 

 People with cryptocurrency investments have a digital wallet that holds electronic coins. They use the digital wallet to transfer or trade the coins for goods or services through an online exchange platform. However, cryptocurrency like Bitcoin isn’t widely accepted, and in some ways, it is cumbersome (and potentially cost prohibitive) to use. So, it might come as something of a surprise that cryptocurrency has found its way into real estate.

Cryptocurrency and the relationship with home mortgages are in their infancy. However, as a matured financial app development firm we believe we have a sense of what’s to come. Two such companies recently tested the waters of cryptocurrency and its viability to secure a home mortgage loan. Milo, a Miami-based mortgage company, launched a full-fledged cryptocurrency service. Using Bitcoin as collateral, Milo qualified applicants for 30-year mortgage loans. It may not be long before other markets see crypto-backed mortgage loans, like what we’re seeing in New York City.

 Another company curious about cryptocurrency’s potential, United Wholesale Mortgage, briefly piloted payment of home mortgage loans using crypto in late 2021. The experiment didn’t last long as they paused the program indicating that the demand did not meet the need.

 Is this a new frontier for purchasing a home that early adopters or the financially adventurous will embrace? Or is it better to take a wait-and-see approach? Let’s take a look. 

What is Cryptocurrency?

In the simplest terms, a cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, is about trust. This statement might seem counterintuitive given the market volatility for cryptocurrency. However, the confidence comes from what supports cryptocurrency: the blockchain.

 The blockchain is essentially non-corruptible digital record keeping. It uses cryptographic technology, where the blockchain is a virtual ledger. Instead of a company or government maintaining this record, the blockchain ledger uses extensive computer networks that verify transactions. The ledger is visible to anyone that cares to look, thereby creating trust in its authenticity and validity.

 Understanding how the blockchain works, the concept of using cryptocurrency with home mortgage loans doesn’t seem that far of a stretch. Crypto-backed loans function similarly to a standard securities loan. In place of a car as collateral, cryptocurrency is the asset to back the loan. 

Mortgages of Tomorrow 

Milo is one of the first companies to consider an applicant’s cryptocurrency assets when deciding on a home mortgage loan. Instead of applicants cashing in their crypto investments for down payments, Milo decided to accept Bitcoin as collateral. This option saves the applicant from potential tax liabilities that come with selling Bitcoin. Nor would they miss out should Bitcoin continue to increase in value.

 Several factors appeal to people using their cryptocurrency investments for loans. Crypto loans typically offer better interest rates than traditional loans and are often lower than credit card rates. Crypto loans don’t require a credit check, which appeals to people who own cryptocurrency and have poor or no credit. When approved, funding for crypto-backed loans happens in hours rather than days or even weeks.

 The meteoric rise in cryptocurrency – particularly bitcoin – continues altering the financial landscape. It was inconceivable for home mortgage lenders to consider crypto as part of an application a few years ago. Today, adding crypto as an asset could be the difference in how much an applicant can borrow. It may even be the difference in getting approved for a loan at all.

A Healthy Dose of Uncertainty

Volatility remains perhaps the biggest obstacle to cryptocurrency’s acceptance within the real estate mortgage industry. Over the last two years, Bitcoin’s value has fluctuated between $11K to $66K at its peak. Even with these peaks and valleys, the daily fluctuation isn’t much better.

 Cryptocurrency remains largely unregulated. This pattern is typical for technology as advances and innovation outpace regulations and legislation. Some countries are closer to adopting regulations that may bring stability to the market. However, there aren’t many widely accepted cryptocurrency regulations globally.

 Currently, the demand for cryptocurrency as an alternative means to secure a mortgage loan isn’t very high. Perhaps that’s because cryptocurrency isn’t a common investment for many people.

Conclusion

Volatility, lack of regulation, and minimal demand make it difficult for companies to rely on cryptocurrency to determine a mortgage loan. While regulations with cryptocurrency lag behind the technology, legislation in the US does classify owning crypto as property.

 Using crypto to pay a monthly mortgage bill could be taxable. If there is a difference between the initial cost of cryptocurrency and the market value spent or sold, this could incur capital gains tax. This tax would be in addition to other taxes and fees associated with converting crypto to spendable cash.

 Using cryptocurrency to secure or pay for a home mortgage loan is a future that is rapidly becoming a reality. Dogtown Media understands crypto and mobile applications. We offer a free consultation for you to see how we can bring your mobile crypto applications to the hands of your customers.

This guest-post is courtesy of our partners at Gummicube.

While preparing for an app’s launch, it’s key to consider how it’s going to be marketed.

Pre-optimization is one way to do just that. Pre-optimization is an App Store Optimization practice where you research and build out the app’s metadata and creative sets in an effort to maximize indexation, impressions and conversion upon launch. With 70% of app discovery happening in search, pre-optimization can help lay the foundation to your app’s marketing as you start to scale. 

Pre-Optimization Research

Pre-optimization research helps you discover what features are popular in an app’s space, what terms users are searching for, and what creative elements best convert those users. Basically, it means you do your market research homework before launching an app.

For instance, a receipt scanning app might want to know if users are searching more for “receipt scanning,” “tax calculation” or “expense tracker” apps. Determining this can help them plan out the product roadmap and identify terms they can target to help it rank better in the stores.

This is not a quick process; ASO takes time. Mobile App Developers should start using ASO software to research metadata and creative trends at least a month before launching. In this time, you can start to really understand what themes and features are popular in your app’s space. Note what keywords appear relevant to your app, so you can include them in the metadata and listings on the App Store and Play Store.

Along with keywords, you’ll want to look at the top-ranking apps in your category. This can help you see what creative elements they’re using in their icons, screenshots and videos to identify what appeals to users. What visual designs catch the eye the best? Competitor analysis can help determine what they’re doing that works, so you can utilize what works.

App store algorithms rank apps based on their click-through-rates, which creatives play a large role in. Creative elements that engage and appeal to users draw in clicks, thus helping the app’s rankings. It logically follows that apps in the top spots across multiple keywords may be using creative elements that help. Researching this can help you understand what elements they’re using that you can utilize too.

Building Metadata and Creative Sets

Once you understand the trending keywords and creative elements in your app’s space, you’ll want to start preparing your metadata and creatives for launch. The metadata includes the title, subtitle (on iOS), short description (on Google Play) and long description, while the creatives include screenshots, icon and preview video.

Your metadata will be structured differently depending on the platform your app is on. For iOS, Apple uses the keywords declared in the title, subtitle and keyword bank to determine what terms to rank you for. Google Play, on the other hand, has no keyword bank; instead, keywords need to be included throughout the app’s metadata and description to be considered.

For screenshots, you’ll want to include the elements you found users responded well to during your research. Some apps may work better with splash screens, while others might use stock imagery or iconography related to its theme. Utilizing best practices, such as screenshot callout text and an emphasis on popular features, can also help conversion.

A/B Testing & Soft Launching

Along with preparing your metadata and creatives, you can use A/B testing and soft launches for the app to acquire early learnings.

A/B testing helps you see how the metadata and creatives you’ve prepared convert users, adjusting for future iterations where necessary. Using an A/B platform like Splitcube can help you run tests without the app being live, so you can learn what converts prior to launch.

Soft launching can provide early insights into your app’s performance before its main launch. By launching in a smaller territory first, you can let users try the app out and smoke out any bugs, while gaining information on its performance that you can integrate into the full launch. During this time, your app will be indexed for keywords, helping you see which ones you’re relevant for and whether or not your creatives are converting well. 

Post Launch Iteration

The app’s launch day is a big deal, not just for you, but for the app’s indexation. Once the metadata goes live, the App Store algorithms will begin indexing it as they determine where it will rank in search results.

While no two apps index the same, it can take Apple an average of 3-4 weeks to fully index one. Google Play takes 4-6 weeks as it continuously crawls the description for keywords. Even then, indexation as a whole is an ongoing process.

It is highly recommended that app development companies constantly update and iterate their app to improve discoverability. Each time new metadata is deployed, the app has another chance at getting re-crawled and indexed. If done properly, this can help your app rank better for terms and for more terms overall. Once your app has finished indexing, you’ll want to look into releasing regular metadata updates.

Conclusion

Developing an app is only half the battle. The next challenge is getting users to discover and install it. To put yourself in a good launch position, you’ll want to start researching metadata and creatives at least a month before launch. With those findings, you can build metadata and creative sets that give your app a strong ASO foundation from its launch.

Once your app is live, you’ll want to give it time to index. When rankings stabilize, evaluate what worked and build on it from there. With continual updates, you can help your app perform better in the stores and improve discoverability.

At Dogtown Media, we specialize in mobile app development, grounded with expert knowledge in the internet of things, fintech, medical tech and user interface design. We are determined to take on your next project and create an app that will help your business grow.

Clutch, a company that publishes unbiased reviews of B2B companies, has featured us once again in a recent press release of top California mobile app development companies.  We’re excited to share that we have been featured highly in their directory list of the top mobile app developers in California. This honor adds to our previous recognition as a top California Mobile App Development Company on DesignRush.

Clutch’s ranking algorithm takes many pieces of information into account when displaying companies on their directory pages; the most important part of Clutch’s ranking algorithm is client reviews. To date, we have received over 20 positive reviews. Our clients aren’t shy to share their successes with Clutch:

“Dogtown Media developed a solution for a project considered impossible to do in the tech world.”

“They were extremely responsive and supportive and I never felt like I was working on anything on my own.”

“Their work has made my life easier by automating features in the app that I was doing manually.”

In addition to our feature on Clutch, we were also mentioned on their sister-site, The Manifest.  We are pleased to announce that we were listed as one of the top mobile app development companies in the world on The Manifest.

Here at Dogtown Media, we are ready to improve your business by creating vital apps that will allow your business to access your consumers at all times.  Our team will work directly with your business to assess how to stand apart from competitors as well. We look forward to taking on your next project!

Each year, Clutch publishes a press release naming the top service providers within certain industries. We’re proud to announce that Clutch has named Dogtown Media among the world’s leading mobile app developers this year.

We’ve also been listed on Clutch’s sister website, The Manifest, a B2B news website that helps buyers through the process of selecting a vendor. Manifest also ranked Dogtown as one of the top app development companies in the world.

Founded in 2011, Clutch is a Washington, D.C.-based research firm that leverages unparalleled market insight to determine the leaders across numerous industries. With unbiased case studies, industry trend analysis, and business market comparisons, Clutch’s data-driven platform allows clients to find and connect with top-tier companies who can solve difficult challenges.

Clutch’s directories adhere to this meticulous, data-centric approach; it’s organized to list the most credible firms first. Credibility is gained by attaining client testimonials and market presence. Essentially, the directories allow potential buyers and clients in need of partnerships to visualize their different options with a holistic perspective of each company.

Check out some of the reviews we’ve received so far below!

Webdam is a digital asset management software company. We re-developed their platform from the ground up. Here’s what they had to say:

“Dogtown Media’s work was a massive improvement from the previous app version and received high praise from customers… They were extremely responsive and supportive, and I never felt like I was working on anything on my own.”

We also got the opportunity to help the University of Oklahoma improve its app with more student-centric functionalities and geolocation capabilities. Here’s their feedback:

Another client required an app for the University of Oklahoma. Here’s what they had to say:

“Dogtown Media’s expert team inspires confidence throughout the project by communicating clearly from the start. They bring creative ideas to the table at a reasonable value… Their work has made my life easier by automating features in the app that I was doing manually.”

The past few weeks have been surreal for Dogtown Media. Recently, we made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in the United States for the second year in a row. Not long after, we were honored again by being included on Clutch’s list!

Both are incredible awards we couldn’t have imagined attaining when we first started developing in L.A. in 2011. We’d like to give a big thanks to Clutch, Inc., our team, clients, and community — none of this would be possible without you.

From humble beginnings as a mobile app developer in Los Angeles, we’re extremely proud of the work we’ve accomplished so far and we’re also very excited to see where the future takes us. We can’t wait to create more amazing mobile experiences for the world to enjoy.

If you have an idea but don’t know where to begin, reach out anytime — if you can dream it, we can build it!

Connecting with potential clients and customers can be a vexing conundrum. In a recent article for ReadWrite, author Frank Landman dives into this subject and takes a look at how business leaders like our CEO are rising above the noise to produce brands that stand out.

On Authenticity and Emotion

The established platforms for digital marketing have become oversaturated. To see this, look no further than your own Linkedin or Facebook feed. Consumers have also caught on to the tried-and-true ways of branding; as a result, they keep a tighter rein on their trust and loyalty.

In turn, we can no longer rely on status quo qualities like pricing and product details to get the job done. “Instead, emotion and affinity are what drives today’s consumers. For brands and marketers, using new technology to create better individual experiences that create emotional attachment and drive consumer engagement is paramount,” says RAPP’s global CEO Marco Scognamiglio.

Landman found data backing up Scognamiglio’s points: according to a recent report from Stackla, a content platform vendor, 90% of Millennials believe authenticity drives their support for a brand. And as much as 30% have abandoned an online brand because they felt it was disingenuous! In truth, an authentic, multi-platform approach is best. Let’s take a look at some of those avenues.

Move Your Audience With Mobile Apps

Consumers spend an average of five hours on their phones each day, cycling through an average of nine apps. And while mobile app downloads reached nearly 200 billion in 2017, all estimates point to this astronomical figure growing even more in the coming years.

Thinking of going this route? Then you should consider partnering with a professional mobile app development company to ensure its success. “The huge rewards to be had in mobile development have drawn hordes of potential startup success stories to the market, but only a select few break through to achieve financial success,” says our CEO Marc Fischer.

Marc transformed Dogtown Media from a local L.A.-based development studio into a world-famous innovator in disruptive app solutions — so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about mobile branding! “Partnering with a dedicated mobile app development company and planning your app for marketability from day one makes the difference between the success and failure,” he adds.

Giving Chatbots a Human Touch

Ever since the debut of Google Duplex, chatbots and AI-powered communication have garnered a lot of flak for being impersonal. But giving chatbots some customization and personalization actually turns out to be a wonderful way to engage your audience.

National Geographic and ASOS have experimented with this strategy. By incorporating a well-received sense of humor, both brands found great success during the limited time they were trying this. Starbucks and Whole Foods even implemented a more permanent chatbot into their branding. Imagine what a personalized bot like Apple’s Siri could do for your business.

VR = Real Business

“Virtual reality is becoming increasingly commonplace as a marketing tool for brands big and small,” explains Ashley Murphy, Director of Public Relations for Stribling & Associates. VR popularity has exploded in recent years, but it’s still far away from saturation. This makes it an opportune avenue to utilize for a brand — as long as you do it correctly.

“The challenge is using VR in a way that makes sense for your overall brand messaging and target audience. VR marketing is still emerging, so it’s a great time to explore your options and get ahead of the curve,” says Murphy. As with any marketing tool, Landman emphasizes that the important first step is establishing value and an authentic vibe.

We’d like to give a special thanks to Frank Landman and ReadWrite for featuring Marc and putting together this awesome article. For more great tips, check out the full article right here!

Every year, the Washington, D.C.-based research firm Clutch releases their findings on the best mobile app developers in various major markets. The criteria include the company’s specific areas of focus, experience, client satisfaction, industry recognition, and market presence. Clutch’s analysts perform highly detailed client interviews to really get a feel for what each app development company brings to the table. To make the Clutch top ten is a big distinction, a sign that you’re doing the kind of work that clients love. This year, Dogtown Media is honored to make Clutch’s list as one of the top ten mobile app developers in Los Angeles.

There’s some stiff competition among L.A. mobile app developers, so everyone at Dogtown Media’s offices is really proud to rise above the rest of the pack. We take every element of app development seriously, from concept, UX and UI design, and coding to monetization, marketing, and distribution. That’s why it’s such a thrill to be recognized for our technical know-how, customer satisfaction, and dedication. With a nearly even split between projects for small business, midmarket, and enterprise clients, we have experience developing apps on a variety of scales. But no matter how big the project is, we always approach it with the same amount of attention and passion.

According to Clutch analyst Amber Dewey, “The leading companies in our research have proven their ability to handle projects of any size and complexity, and create impressive mobile apps and custom software solutions that help push each client’s business further, whether it be internally or in the marketplace.” That sounds about right. While Dogtown Media is glad to be hailed as one of the finest mobile app developers in the city, we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We’re going to keep up the hard work so that we make next year’s list too.

As Uber struggles to shake the bad press that has come to define its year so far, its primary competitor Lyft is seizing its moment and trying to move out of a distant second place in the rideshare market. Ever since the #DeleteUber commotion in January, Lyft’s strategy seems to be to present itself as the “woke” alternative to Uber. With its passengers-up-front policy, in-app tipping feature, and goofy pink mustache marketing, Lyft has always looked like the friendlier rideshare company, but now the company has solidified that image into a moral stance. In a recent interview, the startup’s president John Zimmer recently told Time Magazine, “In our minds, there’s been a contrast in the values, there’s been a contrast in the type of business we’re building.” The big question for the idealistic app developer is whether the high road Lyft is taking is paved with gold.

In some ways, the answer appears to be “yes.” In the immediate aftermath of Uber’s decision to continue to offer rides to New Yorkers during the transportation strike over Trump’s first travel ban, Lyft pounced on the opportunity to appear virtuous, donating $1 million to the ACLU in a gesture of solidarity. Most Android app developers would characterize the donation as a smart marketing move, especially for a business that tends to serve young, progressive-leaning city dwellers. That weekend, the startup saw a 40% increase in app downloads and a 60% jump in installations. Since then, Lyft taken approximately 5% of Uber’s market share, giving the company a fifth of the rideshare app pie. It is now hoping to raise $500 million from investors to capitalize on its sudden momentum.

But Lyft can’t just define itself in opposition to Uber, especially if its aim is to be the number one rideshare app someday; it needs good ideas and even better execution. Its latest concept to roll out is Shuttle, a commuter option that offers rides on fixed routes with a flat fare. Lyft’s take on the city bus, the feature allows app developers in test cities San Francisco and Chicago to hail a vehicle on a set route during prime commute hours (6:30 to 10:00 in the morning, 4:00 to 8:00 in the evening) without having to pay surge rates typically in effect at those times. It’s an interesting idea, but Uber is already doing something similar with Uber Hop. Lyft’s other big announcement this week, a new “Round Up and Donate” initiative, showcases the startup’s big heart, but it’s hardly the type of innovation that will have Uber shaking in its boots.

If Lyft wants to dethrone Uber, its going to need more than high-minded publicity moves, especially since Uber’s user experience and service is still widely considered to be superior. But anything could happen if the $70 billion unicorn’s reputation continues to plummet.

Messaging apps — which is to say, apps that existing within messaging platforms like iMessage, Line, Messenger, and etc. — have been a huge growth area in the mobile tech industry. Sticker sets alone drove over $250 million in revenue for Line, and Western chat apps have seen similar success stories adding-on services to their platforms. That said, new data from Sensor Tower shows that developer interest in the platform is declining, along with downloads and use. Expanded messaging services are clearly a huge trend — so why is it struggling on Apple’s own messaging solution?

Part of the problem is likely due to the company’s reluctance to “clutter” the user interface with cues that the apps even exist. Unlike Facebook Messenger, WeChat, and other fun-based messaging platforms, actually accessing and using in-chat features like sticker sets is surprisingly difficult. It’s even trickier for actual apps (as opposed to sticker packs, which are oddly classified as “apps” and require a developer liscence to submit). For Chicago iOS app developers, the question becomes: “will anyone see my app?” rather than “will anyone want my app?” This is, for obvious reasons, a big problem.

That said, there are big wins to be made on the platform — and if Apple chooses to make the in-chat app store more accessable in future UI updates, app developers with good products in-place could suddenly find themselves scoring big wins in a surprisingly uncompettative app pool. Chat apps racked up as many developer submissions in the first six months as the app store did in the first year, but given the maturity of the iOS platform those numbers are surprisingly low. Even artists and graphic designers could find themselves holding a winner with the right sticker “app” at the right time. Whether or not Apple takes a leaf out of Facebook’s book or not, it’ll be fascinating to see how the strive to improve prospects for developers in one of the most-used messaging platforms in the US.

SXSW has rounded out to be a wild experience this year, and our Oyster Shuck event with Craftsman and Mongers Market was no exception. Thanks to everybody who came out to enjoy good food and great drink specials in the Texas sun!

We got into app development to make great products, but it can be easy to forget that every great business is actually about one thing: the people that make it possible. SXSW Interactive is always a great time to remind ourselves of that, and there’s no better environment to get excited about another year of tech innovation. (It’s worth the price of admission just for the product demos alone, before you even start tapping into social events like ours and the world-famous speaker panels on offer.)

While last year’s SXSW Interactive had a more hopeful, futurist bent, this year’s panels and discussions often revolved around the very real problems with tech and society. How can tech fix our fractured political climate… without eroding privacy? How can mobile make life easier… without lowering income for traditional career paths? These questions are important to answer, and it was exciting to see developers acknowledge them, discuss them, and come up with real paths forward.

The flight back to Los Angeles after a week in the sun is always bittersweet, but our team can’t wait to get back to work on the products we love building. The Los Angeles app development community is a special thing, and we count ourselves lucky to be a part of it.

In the wake of Snapchat’s IPO earlier this month, the big question for mobile app developers is what unicorn will go public next. Airbnb always seems to come up in these conversations, and after a SEC filing last week revealed that the company raised $1 billion in a funding round that began last summer, many in the industry are waiting to see what the company’s plans are. CEO Brian Chesky has insisted that there’s no push from investors to go public, but at a talk at the Economic Club of New York on Monday, he suggested that the company could be halfway through a two-year process toward an initial public offering.

Now valued at $31 billion, Airbnb is the second most valuable private company in the United States after Uber. As of the second half of 2016, it is profitable, and it expects to stay that way, with projected annual revenues of up to $3.5 billion by 2020. Airbnb’s app development team has a clear ambition to expand its services to become an end-to-end travel service and has made two interesting acquisitions in the past year that push it closer to that goal: the social payment app Tilt and Luxury Retreats, a sort of Airbnb for upscale lodging. It is also investing in Resy, an app for booking restaurant reservations. Bay Area app developers will be watching closely as Airbnb continues to evolve from its humble we-have-an-air-mattress-to-spare origins into a one-stop juggernaut of a platform that changes the way we conceive of travel.

This drive to innovate and expand services beyond the startup’s initial concept bodes well for Airbnb if and when Chesky decides to take the company public. Still, there are many obstacles the company faces as it grows, including legal tangles (such as a lawsuit with the state of New York settled this past December) and a hotel lobby on the warpath. The company seems to be moving toward strong, conscientious leadership to counter its troubles and possibly prepare for an IPO with initiatives like the company’s recently announced “economic empowerment” agenda, which emphasizes the company’s positive economic impact in communities, and the creation of an advisory board made up of users. Whatever the next step is for Airbnb, mobile app developers will need to pay close attention to see what lessons can be gleaned from its growth strategy.