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Increase App Engagement: Top 10 strategies

The level of user engagement is a vital indicator of a mobile application’s success. This metric is particularly crucial when the app’s monetization directly relies on in-app time. What’s more, for many monetization models, app user engagement even becomes a pivotal factor. Despite the strong competition in the market, there are multiple app engagement strategies that effectively work when applied wisely. This article will explore all these methods!

Understanding App Engagement

Imagine seeing a new application in Google Play Market. In the first month after its upload to the store, 4,000 store visitors download it. However, not all of them open the application at least twice a week. So, we cannot consider all these 4,000 individuals active users. In fact, all these people are actually divided into four groups:

• those who did not open the app after the download at all
• those who tried it and then forgot about it
• those who used it a few times before deleting it
• those who continued using the application.

The percentage of users in the fourth group is an indicator we need. Their engagement can be measured differently depending on the task. However, all its variations address the only question:

“How many people perceive my product as valuable?”

The simplest and most universal method here is to tally engagement per day, week, or month. But how can you determine if a user is active? By default, it is someone who logged into the application at least once during the specified period. However, another approach proves more effective: to define your activity criteria. A practical approach is to deem an active user as someone who performed the target action at least once during the specified period. For instance, your target action might be adding a new task to the list. You could also narrow down the analysis by monitoring the use of a specific feature. For example, you recently introduced a recurring task feature to your to-do tracker. Counting only those who used this feature as active users would be logical in gauging its necessity.

Another method involves analyzing the duration of sessions and the gaps between them. This approach goes beyond the previous one in depth. Defining an “active” user can be somewhat abstract, particularly when relying on standard activity criteria or examining data over a prolonged timeframe. For instance, specific apps like habit trackers require daily usage. Mobile games expect people to focus on in-app activity for a set period. In these scenarios, utilizing these metrics as engagement indicators is more practical.

The third approach involves evaluating the Lifetime Value (LTV). This metric demonstrates the total revenue generated by a user throughout their entire interaction with the application. Unlike the previous methods, LTV not only indicates interest in the product. It also mirrors its commercial success, which is directly linked to engagement.

The Importance of App Engagement

In a world where the number of apps continues to grow, audience loyalty emerges as the most valuable asset. In these circumstances of intensified competition, engagement becomes the cornerstone of app success. Its metrics: a) act as indicators of your product’s quality b) form the foundation for monetization c) ultimately influence product development directions.

Steps to Formulate an App Engagement Strategy

Formulating an effective app engagement strategy necessitates thorough preparation and a strategic approach:

Conduct comprehensive market research. Grasp the competitive landscape and industry trends. Identify key competitors, scrutinize their strategies, and pinpoint opportunities for differentiation.

Establish clear objectives for your strategy. Define KPIs that will help you measure the strategy’s success.

Develop detailed user personas. Consider demographic information, psychographic characteristics, and behavioral insights here.

Engage cross-functional teams. Specialists from product development, marketing, design, and customer support departments should collaborate on crafting a unified app engagement strategy.

Outline a content calendar. Plan in advance for interactive content, promotional campaigns, and other initiatives to sustain people’s interest and connection. Detail key touchpoints, messaging themes, and communication channels for engaging with people.

10 App Engagement Strategies

Effective onboarding

When you spend months or even years developing an application, the interface may seem intuitive to you. However, people who are downloading the application for the first time often require hints to grasp its key features. The developer aims to simplify and make the application introduction process understandable.

• Offer a brief introductory phase showcasing basic functions and concise instructions.
• Onboarding slides should be clear and not overloaded with unnecessary info.
• Include a “Skip” button for those who have prior experience with similar apps.

Headache-free registration

Easy registration is crucial as it significantly impacts the initial user experience. A lengthy or complicated process with multiple steps and extensive form fields can deter people from completing the sign-up. Plus, requiring them to create an account before they can explore the app’s features can lead to total application abandonment.

Consider implementing social media login options to simplify the process and reduce data entry for first-time visitors. Additionally, offering a guest checkout option or allowing them to explore the application before registering can help retain interest.

Add progress indicators during registration to keep users informed about the process length. It will encourage them to eventually complete it!

Strategically Sent Push Notifications

Push notifications serve as an invitation for people to engage in a dialogue where their response leads to a targeted action. To ensure the effectiveness of your push notifications, consider the following factors:

Frequency. Excessive exposure to push ads may lead people to disable notifications.

Message Tone. You’re not just competing with similar apps but with all the apps on a particular smartphone. Craft messages that stand out; consider presenting information in an original manner.

Actionable Content. Individuals must be motivated to click. During initial stages, use push notifications to encourage them to undergo onboarding. Post-onboarding, such notifications can serve purposes such as:

• Offering discounts and bonuses
• Sending reminders about incomplete actions (missed lessons or items left in the cart)
• Providing useful tips for utilizing the application
• Announcing new features

Informative Newsletters

Sending periodic emails to users proves to be an effective method for maintaining retention. For instance, emails can target previously active ones. Plus, emails also serve as a powerful tool to drive in-app purchases. For example, in e-commerce, you could dispatch an enticing product offer to a customer who hasn’t made a purchase in the last 3 months.

It is important to reserve email communication for significant reasons! Use it for:

• Onboarding
• Announcement of new features
• Encouragement to return to the application

Gamification elements

Gamification involves integrating game mechanics into non-game apps. It can take various forms, from competitions to rewards implementation. Here, you can experiment with different options to see what interests people. However, it’s crucial to explain the value of gaming achievements to the audience. Depending on your application type, you may consider incorporating:

• in-app rewards for task completion or relevant actions
• leaderboards – a competitive aspect that motivates individuals to outscore others
• points linked to tangible rewards, amalgamating gamification with a loyalty program
• quizzes, allowing users to tackle questions related to the application or its domain
• virtual tokens people can earn within the application and utilize to purchase real-world items
• badges that serve as recognition and acknowledgment of accomplishments
• progress bar assists individuals in attaining objectives by displaying their proximity to success. Observing 90% progress can deter users from quitting and spur them to persevere.

Personalized In-App Messages

Through in-app messaging, you can efficiently cultivate relationships with your audience. But first, segment users according to their interactions with the content and features. This segmentation will enable you to provide pertinent and timely experiences. Statistics substantiate this claim—personalized in-app messages yield a retention rate of 61% to 74% within 28 days!

Features Exploration Tips

People might not have the opportunity to delve into all functionalities right away. Utilize in-app messaging to deliver small tips steering people through different functions. Prompt them to take specific actions or explore unused features. All without cluttering the UI with excessive instructional text!

Rewards For Loyalty

Incentivizing regular users with rewards plays a pivotal role in maintaining engagement. Offer exclusive access to rare artifacts, internal currency, extra lives, etc.

Additionally, you can reward those who refer their friends to the app.

Communication Options

When an app facilitates interaction among users, its intrinsic value escalates automatically. In gaming apps, players can engage in collaborative play with friends, share lives, or exchange bonuses. Smartwatch apps often facilitate adding friends, participating in group activities, comparing progress. Thus, if possible, enable users to communicate with friends and family right in the app.

Changes Based On Real Feedback

Ask people about their preferences, areas of dissatisfaction, desired improvements. Integrate surveys into your customer support process to measure customer satisfaction. Remember, gathering feedback is just the first step. It’s equally important to take action on the feedback!

The Future of App Engagement

The mobile application landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Thus, it is essential to stay ahead of the curve in engagement strategies. Here are key trends we expect to see in the near future as competition intensifies:

• Utilizing advanced AI and machine learning algorithms, apps will deliver content and recommendations that resonate deeply with each user.
• The integration of AR and VR technologies will offer people interactive and immersive experiences. From virtual try-on for retail apps to AR-enhanced navigation for travel apps, incorporating these technologies will not only enhance engagement but also differentiate apps in a crowded market.
• AI-powered voice-activated interfaces will become increasingly prevalent in apps, enabling users to interact with apps using natural language commands. Voice search and voice-guided experiences will simplify user interactions and enhance accessibility.

Conclusion

Incorporating the right app engagement strategies is key to ensuring your app remains vibrant and user-centric. These app engagement ideas not only help in retaining current users and fostering their loyalty but also enticing new ones to explore and stay connected. If you’re enthusiastic about developing an outstanding product, don’t hesitate to reach out! Schedule a demo call with our team to embark on this exciting journey!

FAQ

Why is app engagement important for the success of a mobile app?

Many companies want to know how to increase user engagement on app and there is no surprise why. It is crucial for app’s success as it directly impacts retention rates and LTV indicators. Companies that successfully increase app engagement can expect increased audience loyalty and positive reviews.

What are the key metrics used to measure app engagement?

If you plan to improve app engagement, there are metrics you should analyze:

1) The number of active users (those who regularly return to your app);
2) Customer retention rate (shows how successfully a brand builds user loyalty);
3) Session duration. It speaks about user activity and willingness to take significant actions;
4) Screen flow (which aspects arouse the greatest interest among visitors);
5) LTV (how much money each customer will generate over the course of their interaction with a product).

By analyzing these parameters, you will be able to increase mobile app engagement and build a strong promo strategy.

Are there industry-specific strategies for increasing app engagement?

Yes, companies from every industry want to know how to increase app engagement. Thus, there are different industry-specific recommendations here:

• For e-commerce apps, personalized recommendations and exclusive deals can drive user interaction.
• For fitness solutions, try challenges and rewards to help sports enthusiasts keep up with their routine.
• Travel agencies also want to know how to increase mobile app engagement. Benefit from interactive maps or notifications about last minute trip options!
• What about educational apps? To increase engagement mobile developers should implement progress tracking options, quizzes, and interactive learning modules tailored to individual needs.
• Healthcare digital products can also be improved. To increase user engagement app development agencies should implement activity trackers, appointment reminders, personalized wellness plans and more.

In conclusion, in order to increase engagement mobile apps should incorporate the functionality that resonates best with their specific target audience.