- 4
- 4
In this day and age, Android users have an overwhelming spectrum of choice in front of them: more than 2.8 million apps. Apple Store is not lagging far behind with 2.2 million available apps. There is no stopping the rising tide as consumers clearly prefer mobile apps over mobile sites. So how to make apps successful among all the competition is the big question.
How to make apps successful
Yes, getting noticed is such a crowded digital landscape is a daunting task. Just developing a quality app does not cut it. To take on fierce competition, you have to develop a deeper understanding of how users search for and interact with apps. Armed with knowledge and data science, you can drive more users your way and also increase their retention rates.
Ever new heights
Apps are making big waves in the burgeoning mobile world. According to some estimates, around 90% of mobile time is spent in them. They have become an integral part of our daily reality, a way to handle its micro-moments.
This can take the form of acquiring knowledge, purchasing a product/service, tracking fitness activities, playing mobile games, finding directions, etc. There is an app for almost anything that comes to mind. Yet, given the sheer number of available apps, sparking and keeping user’s attention is an increasingly difficult challenge.
How to make apps successful: look at the leaders
A lot can be learned from examples of businesses killing it with the app strategy. When we look at the forefront of the industry, we see Facebook, messaging, games, and utility apps enjoying the highest usage rates. Leading brands have recognized the potential of apps to build meaningful relationships with people.
They also use mobile apps to complement the offline experience and enhance ecommerce sales. On the other hand, customers appreciate the chance to get to know brands better, especially their warm, human face.
Beyond downloads
Careful planning and strategizing is always a driving force behind global success. These activities stem from market facts and figures, so what do they say? Well, one key thing to note is that number of downloads is not the only important metric.
In fact, it can be a rather misleading indicator of success. Only one in four installed apps is used again and only a fraction of all apps are run on a daily basis. Such worrisome rates point out to deficiencies and faults in user experience. They can have dire consequences because users are extremely spoilt for choice.
Vast hunting ground
Despite what many people think, app discovery does not take place just in app stores. “Only” 40% of smartphone users actually do that. A bulk of them finds out about apps in other ways.
For instance, they are exposed to app products when surfing mobile websites, watching YouTube videos, clicking on various ads, and searching for other apps. Moreover, let us not overlook that word of mouth is still a vital channel for discovery, as many users come in content with apps via recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues.
Search engines remain popular
Search engines are still quite big. These booming highways are main starting points for customers looking for businesses and their offerings. This reflects what we see in the rest of the cyber realm, where behemoths like Google reign supreme. They are even more vital for local apps, especially those in the tech and travel categories.
More and more local customers are hunting for things like online reviews of gadgets and trip details. Finally, search ads pose another key gateway to apps, similar to mobile app install campaigns that involve display and video tools.
How to make apps successful: Exposure across the board
So, the best way to go about boosting visibility is making your app discoverable everywhere. “Build it and they will come” mentality is practically obsolete. What you need to do is tap into main discovery platforms to boost app and brand awareness.
Try to be there at the exact moment when someone is looking for an app. Also, it is crucial to clearly communicate the value and utility of your app with the audience. This is the most effective strategy to improve exposure, maximize the number of downloads, and thrive in the flooded app market.
Tools of the trade
Using cutting-edge tools, it is possible to uncover where users spend their time and at what point they decide to drop off. Likewise, you can identify points of friction along the customer journey and features that are not really utilized by the users.
And with the help of a mobile app monetization platform, businesses are able to take the game to the next level. Appnext is one of the solutions helping them grasp the real-life context and produce personalized recommendations. That way, brands can increase engagement, place well-targeted ads, and lead users to next action quickly.
Key to how to make apps successful
Customers adore the attention to detail and cherish personalized service. Beyond everything else, they want a smooth in-app experience that leads them to problem solutions seamlessly. They seek intuitive interfaces and easy-to-use features.
Therefore, they will keep coming back if you manage to ease and simplify their daily grind or make their life more awesome, stress-free, and entertaining. In other words, make sure your app serves a specific purpose and addresses a real-life issue or situation. At the same time, offer incentives for app re-engagement, such as discounts and exclusive content.
How to make apps successful: Step up and stand out
Recent years have brought profound shifts in how customers look for and use apps. This is a wake-up call for marketers and developers, who must devise new brand strategies for app discovery and promotion. So, if you mean business, analyze usage patterns across major mobile platforms.
Figure out what prompts users to download and engage with apps. Effective data analytics go a long way towards success in a highly-competitive market: harnessing this power empowers you to witness the swarm of downloads and daily interactions coming your way.
- 4
- 4
