Why More People Don’t Use the Mobile Passport App
A UX case study
Have you ever flown into a major US airport and seen some US citizens zip through passport control, mobile phones in hand? They must have global entry, right? Guess again.
I’ve been using Mobile Passport for years, after noticing a sign advertising skipping the line by downloading the app for free. Ever since then, I’m always surprised to see how many people just stand in long lines waiting their turn to see a CBP agent, never noticing the signs advertising Mobile Passport around them.
Why does this free, fast, and easy service so often get overlooked? Below are some theories around why Mobile Passport’s UX, branding and marketing could be falling short in attracting new users:
Reason #1: Advertising fatigue. Digital marketing experts estimate that most Americans are exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day. Given this overload, most people have become used to ignoring ads around them. This is even truer when travelers are coming off of a (probably long) international journey.
Reason #2: Brand confusion. Even if travelers notice that some people are zipping through the customs line, they may automatically assume that those people paid extra fees for Global Entry, which has more brand recognition and awareness than Mobile Passport.
