
Today, the competition in mobile commerce is fierce, Mobile app retention and app engagement are two very crucial parameters that provide genuine insight into the success of an application.
App Retention is the stage in your app user’s journey where users are likely to stay back and continue using the app. This is complementary to App engagement as it entails any action taken inside the app by a user which usually results in a transaction, that keeps them as an active contributing customer to your app. An in-depth understanding of user’s actions/behavior on the app, through Rich In-App events, helps in identifying the right campaign for the right user which directly increases a user’s retention on an app.
Thus, helps in increasing revenue, repeat purchases and the LTV (lifetime value) of a customer for any business.
App Engagement and Retention are pillars for success to any mobile app, for example, India and Southeast Asia are cash cows for mobile app marketers. With smartphones and mobile connectivity plans available at affordable prices, both these geo’s have seen a boom in smartphone usage in the last few years- leading app marketers to easily send targeted campaigns for better conversions.

An e-commerce retention report shows the number of app sessions has a direct impact on retention, especially for e-commerce apps. As the sessions per user increase, users are more likely to keep using an app for a longer period of time.

Key Tips on how to drive engagement and increase retention
Leverage Push Notifications. Increase a user’s sessions on the app by sending timely relevant notifications on the day of install (D0). Utilize user segmentation function and use effectively for relevant push notifications based on user behaviour.

Increase repeat purchases. Once the user establishes trust with experience on the app, they are automatically willing to come back for another activity/ transaction and eventually the retention rate goes higher. The report noticed once a user has completed three or more transactions on an e-commerce app, the retention rate goes up. If a user retains on an app after 24 hours of installation, chances are they will stick longer on that app.

Create stellar crisp content. An app needs to be filled with engaging byte-sized content and should be open to experiment what clicks the best with the users- host surveys, videos, podcasts, infographics etc. Pro tip: Create content in native languages if the device supports them.

Use Retargeting advertisements effectively. Using push notifications along with social media and ad networks can drive high engagement rates. Here is an example workflow to show you how you can use social advertisements to drive users to your conversion goal.

The Untapped Potential For OTT And Mobile

Unnathi is a marketer with a passion for learning anything new and indulging in various cultures while travelling. She enjoys a good read and a cup of coffee any time of the day. Follow her on LinkedIn.
