App Engagement

What Is App Engagement?

App engagement is defined by a set of metrics that measure user interaction with an app. Common engagement metrics can include how many times a user opens the app, the duration of a usage session, and what actions a user takes within an app.

How Does App Engagement Work?

Measuring individual user behaviors is integral for marketers who want to analyze their ROI and make changes in their app. For example, an app that lacks an onboarding tutorial for its new users may have shorter app usage times overall. These results might encourage a marketer to A/B test a new tutorial and compare the results.

One quick-fire way of analyzing your app’s performance is to use Leanplum’s mobile engagement 90-second test. This test takes you through a number of key tactics that help retain users after the initial app download, such as adding emojis to push notifications or personalizing messages to ensure they’re sent at a time when users are most likely to convert.

Having studied millions of mobile messages, Leanplum has pulled together a set of data that is used as best practice guidelines for optimal user engagement. For example:

• Emojis used in push notifications can increase open rates by 85 percent
• Users are four times more likely to open a notification with their name on it
• Messages sent in response to in-app behaviors are nine times more likely to be opened
• Push notifications can increase retention rates by 20 percent

Mobile marketing can be optimized through specialized tools. These tools include mobile messaging, automation, and personalization. For example, cross-channel messaging can target users multiple times over; a campaign might send a push notification one day followed by an email the next day. The data gleaned from these campaigns can be used to measure mobile engagement. For example, Leanplum’s Optimal Time feature measures when users are most likely to open a notification, and automatically sends messages at these times. These tools can provide marketers with essential data that can inform future marketing decisions.

What Does App Engagement Mean For Marketers?

By measuring user interactions, marketers obtain a better picture of their ROI and develop a closer relationship with their customers. Individual user behavior data is a key part of the personalization and automation process — firstly, by collating data and creating customer profiles based on these behaviors, and secondly, by tailoring notifications to these different user profile habits.

A better understanding of our users can help to turn first-time users into lifetime customers. As the mobile app market grows more competitive, customer retention becomes as important as customer acquisition. App engagement encourages new users to keep using the app by engaging them at every point in the journey.

To ensure you engage and retain your mobile users, check out our advice guide to App Engagement.