developer tips: how to build mobile apps that stick

w w w . c l e v e r t a p . c o m

Making Apps SMARTERCleverTap

Follow us on: f t

HOW TO BUILD MOBILE APPS THAT STICK!

CleverTap Making Apps SMARTER

2 Follow us on: w w w . c l e v e r t a p . c o m f t

And while user retention and engagement is up vs last year, there is always room for improvement. The most critical tool to improving the amount of time, frequency and overall user experience is to create useful, engaging content for the app user. As a mobile app marketer, think about the value proposition(s) your app provides, and create content that offers value around why a user engages with your app.

In this piece we provide recommendations and best practices on how to improve your apps’ engagement and retention.

HOW TO BUILD MOBILE APPS THAT STICK!

LAST YEAR, ANDROID AND IPHONE USERS

SPENT 65% MORE TIME USING APPS EACH MONTH THAN THEY DID THE YEAR BEFORE.

}



PICK THE RIGHT METRICSIn the past, mobile marketing was heavily focused on the number of app downloads, as it was believed to be an accurate measurement of user engagement. We now know that this metric is not the most useful estimation of what is working with an app, as it is not a good indicator of an app’s stickiness. A study by Localytics showed that in Q1 of 2015 app

stickiness, which they define as an average of an app’s engagement and retention, improved by 26% over the previous quarter. While

this translates to 1/3 of users visiting an app 10 or more times a month, only 17% of users engaged with the app three months later. This gap indicates there is definite room for improvement for engagement within the users lifecycle. We need to look at more relevant data points that provide insights in to the users complete lifetime value, and what action can be taken to improve.



UNDERSTAND USER SEGMENTSNot all users are the same. They all have unique profiles, and in order for marketers to best target them at scale, they need to be divided into different segments. These segments can be defined as cohort and there are many ways that these segments can be created. One can look at app versions, referral sources, in-app activities, country of origin, etc. Generally, the more specific the cohort is, the more closely the marketer will be able to target their specific needs and interests with custom messages and campaigns.

Questions a marketer should be interested in learning to hone the right message can include:

( .What features are

segments engaging

with now and would

like to engage with in

the future?

What is

the likelihood that

this cohort will refer

the app to

a friend?

What activity is most

likely to trigger their

first purchase,

and successive

purchases?



CREATE CONTEXTUALLY RELEVANT MESSAGES After constructing your user types in to cohorts, the next step is to define when to serve campaigns. This is done by determining the relevancy of a campaign and if it actually adds value to the context of their experience. The level of targeting can range from simple to sophisticated, and by characteristics such as a user’s behavior, occupation, income, day and time of week, and product/service type, etc. As a result of these personalized messages, apps are then optimized to fit the ever-changing user profiles, in real-time. Marketers can also target by season, time of day, day of the week, around events, by consumer behavior, income level, occupation, product or service type, and many other variables. Doing so can make a significant difference in the performance of a marketing campaign.



OPTIMIZE THE USER EXPERIENCE As you are crafting your cohorts and personalized messages, it is important to create content that is easily consumable and engaging on mobile. Utilize short content bites that include links to longer product descriptions, and incorporate deep links. Deep links are links that take the user directly to the product or relevant page that they are looking for, therefore minimizing the number of clicks and thereby increasing conversion. Also remember that mobile users consume on-the-go, so to make sure your content is consumed in case a user drops off of the app due to short attention spans or distractions add a ‘Remind Me Later’ button that triggers an email sent to the user within 24 hours.

In terms of design, use responsive design techniques with large call-to-action buttons, images and fonts, and include Facebook and Twitter login/register buttons where possible. A/B test your messages and test for design, layout and copy options to determine which sets are most engaging to your user cohorts. Measuring the users experience using heat maps and how and where they are interacting with the app is an additional technique in creating successful engagement in-app.


Follow us on: 7 w w w . c l e v e r t a p . c o m f t

IN APP MESSAGINGThere are many ways to integrate in-app messaging that will enhance the stickiness of your app. Two companies have implemented in-app messaging features that are highly effective in keeping users in the app. eBay created a feature that notifies its users when auctions are coming to an end, which is highly useful and focused heavily on conversion. Airbnb integrated mobile notifications and added SMS text messaging where hosts are notified about updates from guests and can communicate via email with them directly within the app. Adding these in-app messaging features, when they improve conversion rates and the user’s experience, are key.

PUSH NOTIFICATIONS Push notifications are another excellent way to reach your users who may not have been active in the app for a period of time. While push messaging is most often used for re-engagement campaigns, it can also be a good driver to promote items to purchase or to receive points. Create a push messaging strategy that is purposeful and aligned with the value propositions of your app. For example, a surfing company would send notifications with updates on weather conditions. Or a fashion app could send updates on when retail items are back in stock.



EMAIL MARKETING TECHNIQUES There are effective email marketing techniques that the mobile marketer can use in conjunction and in support of their existing mobile marketing activities.

Send an email to your existing subscribers base and ask them to sign up to receive text messages. The email should include a call to action, plus a potential incentive such as receiving 15% off one’s next purchase upon text message signup. Clearly explain the benefits they will receive in subscribing to text message, and the frequency you expect to send the texts.

Develop an email that is sent to all subscribers, which guides them with a link to download the app. Use this email to discuss the benefits of allowing push notifications and how you plan to send them, in advance of them choosing their pushing notification settings upon app download.

Download The App Email

Text-Message Opt-In



PROMOTIONS & INCENTIVES The use of promotions & incentives can be highly effective, particularly on mobile. Useful promotions include running offers that are specific only to mobile, which will entice users to continue to use the mobile app more frequently. Gamification within promotions also drives engagement. Examples of this include receiving points for referring friends, or posting photos of the user engaging with the brand.

MEASURE AND OPTIMIZE As a final tip, continuous tracking, analyzing and optimizing your campaigns is necessary to improve results. Measurements of success include tracking each campaign within your unique cohorts, how the cohorts are performing against each other, and the final monetization impact each campaign has had. A/B testing the variables of the campaign such as the individual offers, copy, imagery and timing are all important.

developer tips: how to build mobile apps that stick

Mobile