According to a study from Forrester that highlights consumer app fatigue, developers today need to focus on creating a 360 degree experience for their users. Offering a great app with valuable features is just not enough! That’s exactly why you need to understand the trends that will dominate your app growth this year.
While creating engaging apps was never easy, the rapid growth of the number of apps has only made it challenging for developers to take their product to the market. Even the best of applications and games are failing like the dotcoms simply because of lack of user engagement and the ability to retain them.
This is where creating a 360 degree personalized experience for users comes in. Being able to become a part of the user’s break time is the only hack to grow sustainably in a competitive market. And that requires understanding your users on a 1:1 basis.
App marketing trends that will define your app growth in 2017
Personalized onboarding
A lot of app developers and marketers don’t consider onboarding a part of the marketing strategy. While they include the basic flow in the app, there are very few apps that go the extra mile to onboard their users on an almost 1:1 basis.
This year is all about personalization. You won’t just have to focus on personalized ways to reach out to your target users, but also ensure they are onboarded to your app well. Whether it is creating an onboarding flow based on the source of acquisition or personally assisting your users in-app to ensure they understand the value you’re offering, make sure it onboarding is a part of your marketing strategy.
For example, who doesn’t like the Beats onboarding process? You get personalized music recommendation right from the time you experience the app the first time!
Also read: Deeplinking – What it is, why your app needs it and how to use it
Omni channel user experience
Apps will need to move beyond their own interface to offer their users an omni channel experience. Be it social media, mobile, mobile web, web or smart wearables, app developers will need to create marketing strategies that leverage the power of channels that their users are most active on. It’s all about 360 degree targeting to remain at the top of a user’s mind in a competitive market.
For example, Kim Kardashian West’s app has integrated smart wearables into their marketing strategies. From sending out notifications to keep its users engaged to promoting new features, the strategy has found an all-time way of staying in touch with its community.
Predictive analytics and automation
You’re in 2017 and if you’re still waiting for your app users to complete an action to launch a marketing campaign, you’re already losing. App marketers will now need to leverage from the user journey in-app to predict their actions in the coming time. With most apps losing 80% of their users in the third month from the time of acquisition, it is time to engage them at the right time with the right message, before they leave!
Using predictive analytics, create personalized in-app user journeys that will influence the user’s next move. Be it making an in-app purchase to complete a level or displaying dynamic pricing based on the user’s behaviour for the same, developers need to use forecasting to keep their users engaged.
App localisation
So far app developers have been simply taking their apps to the market and optimizing them for performance based on how users are interacting with it. But it’s time to take a step ahead and create better app experiences and what’s better than talking to your users locally? Yes, we’re talking about localisation.
From app store localisation to localising the push notifications you send to engage your users, it’s safe to say that this is one strategy that will give you a competitive edge over other apps in the industry.
For example, the ASO efforts made by the Clash of Clans:
Augmented reality
Remember how PokemonGo became a worldwide craze in just weeks after their launch? The USP that helped them growth hack user acquisition and engagement – augmented reality. It kept their users thoroughly engaged in the game with gamification and real-like competition, encouraging more app sessions.
App developers and marketers will need to look into more immersive ways to use technology to engage their users.
Conclusion
App marketing is no longer just about acquiring new users. Developers and marketers will need to focus on creating experiences that keep their users hooked right from the point of discovery to an in-app conversion.
So if you thought acquisition comes first and engagement could be focused on later, time to think again.
But if you are looking for ways to engage your users effectively and don’t know where to start from, fret not. We have the ultimate guide to help you set up a user engagement strategy that will keep your users hooked forever!
