Mobile Apps: Does Your Business Really Need One?

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In 1997, Nokia designed a built-in version of the arcade Snake Game that many consider the first app. Over the years, the app market has grown extensively to capture different apps – for gaming, shopping, banking, and many other purposes. Mobile apps are widely being adopted to provide the best use in business process development.

However, it’s worth mentioning that most people perceive mobile apps as a reserve for large enterprises. Most think that mobile apps apply only to established, reputable brands that have a reputation to protect.

Well, if you think mobile apps are for big-boy enterprises like Amazon and Walmart, you’re mistaken. More and more small businesses are adopting mobile apps after understanding that an effective digital strategy transcends beyond simply having a mobile-friendly website.

Undoubtedly, e-commerce has been phased out by mobile commerce, as evidenced by the accelerated adoption of mobile solutions by retail establishments. Today, more than ever, you’ll realize that most enterprises you interact with have a custom app – be it a spa downtown or a corner coffee shop. If you’re not sure whether your business needs a mobile app, here’s what to look out for.

Nine reasons your business needs a mobile app:

1. Customer Visibility

Customer relationship management is taking a new turn with exciting developments in custom mobile apps. The growth of mobile apps allows businesses to connect and reignite touches with their most loyal customers, reinforcing trust, loyalty, and retention.

Statistics show that the average American spends two to four hours a day on their mobile devices. While only a handful of apps make up a bulk of this usage, it doesn’t change the fact that every user has to unlock their phones and scan for apps. Being “available” with a custom business app can be an advantage because it requires a user to spot your brand and their mind subconsciously records your business.

2. Marketing Channel

A custom app can translate into an excellent sales channel, especially if used with diligence and tact. Apps serve diverse functions. They can provide information, store data, process trends, and report insights. One of the biggest advantages of having a custom mobile app is that all the information you’d like to convey to your customers is right at their fingertips.

You’re getting closer to reinforcing your interactions with your customers through features like push notifications. You can remind customers about your services and products. Thus, there’s no doubt that mobile apps are transforming outreach by reigniting touches with clients and maintaining relationships.

3. Customer Connectivity

Smartphones are one of the most personal things; they harbor our personal information – email addresses, credit card numbers, and addresses. Statista reports that 90% of the time spent on a smartphone is spent on downloaded applications.

With mobile apps, businesses can connect with clients on the go. Some offline apps don’t need an internet connection which means that users can constantly check new updates, access notifications, and interact with other users. So, if you find a pressing need to connect with clients on the go, a custom mobile app can be an ideal solution for your business growth.

Industries and companies that can connect with clients on the go include:

  • Transport and logistics. Railway, airline, and sea transport companies can use mobile apps to connect with passengers and allow them to book tickets and do in-app purchases.
  • Travel and tour. Travel and tour enterprises can reinforce their relationships with clients. These firms can use mobile apps to; advertise destinations, arrange bookings, and launch virtual tours.
  • Mining. FIFO jobs present opportunities for professionals and technicians who want to work away from home. Thus, mobile apps that enable FIFO workers to connect with their families directly while reporting and tracking progress remotely is a win.

With the above examples, it’s clear how mobile apps can bridge gaps in multiple sectors and industries.

4. Building Brand Recognition

A custom mobile app can immensely contribute to your business and brand awareness. Below we break down brand recognition into two separate parts to understand how mobile apps can help strengthen your brand.

  • Brand. A mobile app is like a blank paper, an empty signboard. You can make it fun, stylish, entertaining, functional, or informative. But what you want is to create an app that has features your customers will like; an app that’s well-designed and beautifully branded.
  • Recognition. The more often you engage users with your app, the higher their likelihood of interacting with your products or services. Higher app interaction translates to brand awareness and leads to purchases. In advertising, this aspect is called effective frequency. Essentially, seeing or hearing your brand about twenty times is what makes it recognizable or truly noticed.

So, mobile apps are classic channels for fuelling brand recognition.

5. Customer Engagement

Customer engagement is an essential aspect of positive customer relationships. Signs of poor customer engagement include slow welcome, unfriendly gestures, keeping customers waiting, and inflexible appointment times.

Whether you’re selling insurance or renting out gym floor spaces, your customers need a way of reaching you, anytime and anywhere. Having a helpdesk or a messaging feature in your app can make a difference in how you handle customer communications.

For instance, OpenTable designed its business model around customer engagement. Instead of calling restaurants or fast-food chains for a table, OpenTable’s management made it easy for customers to book online on their mobile app. Now, if you think about it, you’ll realize most customers prefer to speak to you via text instead of the phone.

6. Market Competition

Many businesses are gradually adopting mobile apps to streamline their processes: performance, customer engagement, procurement, and spend management. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to note that business apps are still at their nascent adoption stages these days. And this is where you can leap ahead of your competitors. It’s advisable to offer a custom app for your small business and exemplify your forward-thinking approach.

7. Customer Loyalty

Shifts in customer shopping behavior are clear indicators that your business is ready for a custom app. The most important reason you should consider investing in a custom mobile app is customer loyalty. With all the melee and noise out there – billboards, Facebook ads, road sign banners, flyers, flashing signs, coupons, and newspaper ads, we slowly lose our impact on clients because they’re overwhelmed by immense advertising.

Now, it’s time to go back and make a sincere connection with your customers by making them loyal lovers of your product. While a mobile app may not save your business, it’s a way of coming closer to your customers and being just a finger away from your prospects. Custom business apps provide a way of connecting customers with support providers and strengthening client bonds. So, if you’re looking forward to transforming positive customer relationships into lasting value, look no further: custom mobile apps provide lasting solutions.

8. Business Process Optimization

Having a mobile app gives you the option of developing an app for any purpose. For instance, you can have an app that facilitates interactions within the workspace. Alternatively, you can create an app that supports the exchange of files, aggregates statistics, monitors and manages processes.

The significance of mobile apps is that they can effectively be used for the organization and automation of business processes. The creation of products for internal use by the organization is a common practice. With a custom mobile app, you can ensure employee interaction regardless of location. Changing work cultures and emerging “work-at-home” patterns underscore the need for mobile apps.

9. Smart Analytics

Data is the backbone of most business processes because data-driven decisions inform business processes. With a business app, you can collect vast volumes of data for further analysis. For instance, you can collect data that enables you to understand shifting customer preferences, shopping habits, and app usage patterns. Mobile apps can help you know what areas and functions of your business are most important and which ones are least important.

NS804 – Powering Business Transformation with Custom App Solutions

Not all enterprises optimize the power of their websites, let alone custom mobile apps. If you happen to be among the first to adopt mobile app solutions, you can confidently reinforce your market position and edge out the competition. Mobile app solutions provide immense benefits and stand to transform your enterprise’s growth efforts.

You can contact NS804 for inquiries and solutions on mobile app development.

 

2022 Mobile App Development Trends

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The global mobile app market is on a rising trajectory and will continue to boom in the years to come. According to Statista, global revenues from mobile applications will reach $613 billion before 2025, up from $316 billion in 2020.

With this development and projected growth comes plenty of opportunities for developers to optimize their app development efforts by delivering the best to the end-users. As 2022 unfolds, it’s critical to look at trends that will dominate the app development marketplace.

Why Cast Sight into the Future?

Software development personnel play a central role in driving revenues for their companies. Apps that fulfill a specific need, are unique in fulfilling particular goals, and extend a superior user experience will see the highest levels of adoption and retention. Simply, the more the users, the more the revenues.

You need to understand and adopt the latest trends in mobile app development to ensure your app ticks these boxes of usability, adoption, and retention. The better you translate these app trends into your app, the more users your app can attract.

2022 Mobile App Development Trends

2020 is undoubtedly the year that the more fringe applications will become more mainstream – artificial intelligence, 5G, augmented reality, virtual reality VR, and machine learning will see increased adoption to meet the evolving needs of the modern consumer.

As peoples’ lives become increasingly sophisticated, this complexity extends to how they shop, communicate, and access information. Below, we discuss crucial trends that will define the mobile app marketplace in 2022.

1. 5G Technology

5G technology is on track to becoming the gold standard for mobile communication, even though it’s not presently mainstream. The 5G technology market is poised to reach $620 billion by 2030. And with user-friendly benefits like low latency, faster data transfer, and increased performance speeds, the time for your app to support 5G is now. The 5G technology will change the way we build and use apps, efficiency and speed will substantially improve, and here are a few more things to expect:

  • 5G will be up 100 times faster than 4G
  • Latency will reduce from 50 milliseconds to 1 millisecond
  • With less latency, higher resolution, and superior performance – video apps will improve significantly.
  • Data transfer between devices will be faster and more fulfilling
  • 5G will allow developers to build superior features
  • Mobile payments will be more secure because of the faster processing of biometric data

Overall, 5G will make apps smoother, faster, and more efficient in their operation.

2. IoT and Cloud Technology

Mobile-connected endpoint devices and the internet of things (IoT) technology have been there for years, but their market is projected to grow to $1 trillion by 2023. The biggest drivers behind cloud and IoT adoption are security and increased concerns of business continuity processes. Indeed, with over $120 billion spent on IT security in 2019 alone, it’s easy to see why enterprises are looking for cloud and IoT as alternative security solutions. Cloud and IoT have other benefits including; improved efficiency, operational efficiency, and interoperability.

3. Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has emerged as a powerful force in protecting and safeguarding information, data, and resources. Blockchain is a digitally distributed and decentralized ledger located across a network. Blockchain is immutable, decentralized, and consensual, which means it can achieve faster settlements with enhanced security.

What makes blockchain a forerunner this year is that there has always been a security concern and misuse of data among app developers. Fortunately, blockchain solves security problems with its powerful characteristics – immutability, decentralization, and distribution.

Blockchain allows enterprises and organizations to create decentralized databases; which means that these databases do not need a company or a service provider to act as a gatekeeper. Blockchain solves a long-standing culture of data bureaucracy by bringing data control to the hands of users.

4. Augmented Reality AR and Virtual Reality VR

Pokémon Go was short-lived but it propelled the adoption of AR in mobile app development. Pokémon Go showed the world that we could use virtual reality to offer an immersive experience to viewers.

Today, there are several scenarios of brands using AR and VR to enhance user experience:

  • L’Oréal make-up app allows users to see their make-ups before purchase
  • IKEA uses augmented reality to let users see how furniture will look in their homes before purchasing
  • Lenskart lets buyers virtually experiment with glasses before purchasing them

This year, we will see AR and VR dominating the mobile app market in ways we can never imagine. The AR and VR market will rise from $25 billion in 2018 to $210 billion in 2022. Brands and businesses are expected to see a spike in VR and AR this year.

5. Artificial Intelligence AI and Machine Learning ML

In efforts to deliver personalized experiences to the end users, AI that utilizes predictive analytics algorithms will be an important element to consider. AI is important for speech recognition, navigation, and natural language processing. In addition, behavioral algorithms can improve security by analyzing user behavior and detecting fraud and information breaches.

6. PWAs and Instant Apps

Progressive web apps PWAs are becoming popular because they bridge the gap left by native web pages and apps. Benefits like faster loading time, reduced dependency on internet connections, and automatic updates make PWAs a darling to both consumers and brands.

In addition, instant apps are gaining popularity because they allow users to test the app before downloading it. While it appears that designing a simple app experience may reduce users’ app loyalty, it appears the opposite is true. Instant apps have a higher conversion rate and different testing requirements than native apps.

7. Mobile Commerce

Years ago, platforms like eBay and Amazon took precedence in the mobile commerce marketplace. But with exciting developments, the e-commerce trend has been phased out and substituted by mobile commerce.

As more shoppers prefer online shopping, retailers are adopting progressive web apps PWA (native apps) to improve user experiences. The mobile commerce marketplace is projected to hit $23 billion by the end of 2022 simply because many B2C and B2B companies have seen an increase in user engagement, revenue growth, and conversion rates after building an app for their business.

8. Wearable App Integration

According to Statista, there will be 1.1 billion wearables by 2022, and the most common connections made using connected wearable devices. Wearable app integration is another way to bring convenience to users, with users receiving updates, notifications, and messages about their health and wellbeing.

According to research, the ability to receive messages and notifications is the highest-ranking function of wearables in the United States. In the wearable market, fitness tracking has seen remarkable growth with the rise in health wellness among the general population. So, wearable app integration is likely to dominate most mobile applications as 2022 unfolds.

9. Beacon Technology

Since its inception in 2013, Beacons are gaining relevance among retailers and wholesalers alike. For consumers, Beacon transmitters connect and transmit data to connected devices, making interaction and location-based searching faster and more accurate. The convenience of mobile apps has accelerated the adoption of Beacon technology, making it a win-win for consumers and retailers. For businesses, beacon technology allows them to understand shopping habits – turning this data into a personalized shopping experience.

NS804 – Spearheading Your Mobile App Transformation

With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the need for consumers to move online, there is a new demand to deliver personalized and intuitive user experiences to customers. The 2022 mobile app development trends reflect this trajectory and increasingly focus on user satisfaction. Incorporating these trends in your mobile app roadmap will enable you to succeed now and beyond.

How Much Does It Cost To Implement Real-Time Updates in Your App?

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Utilizing real-time updates in your personal or business application is no longer an option but a necessity. Most business applications are adopting real-time features such as: push notifications, instant messaging, real-time feed, and tracking live orders. The rising adoption of real-time notification occurs because real-time features deliver information to users in action-time incidences and scenarios.

There’s no doubt that real-time updates have made themselves available in mobile and app development in recent years. For instance, since 2015, instant messaging apps have witnessed a substantial uptake. Today, both established firms and upcoming start-ups are adopting real-time features to strengthen connectivity and power interactivity between users and their brands.

Companies and internet users can benefit immensely from real-time app updates, as both enjoy reliable and quick communication and information exchanges. That is the reason many sectors – healthcare, food and beverage, banking, insurance, technology, education, and retail – are witnessing a rise in real-time features in their apps.

How Businesses and Customers Benefit from Real-Time Updates

The history of real-time updates dates back to when stock market traders realized that it took a long time to update charts and close trade. Real-time updates were developed to update stocks and trades. Shortly, more sectors started embracing real-time updates to streamline internal communication and information exchanges. Real-time features soon migrated to reputable applications such as Uber, Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Most apps are equipped with one or another form of real-time technology, thanks to earlier developments made in the stock market.

The following are just but a few advantages of real-time updates:

  • Apps with real-time updates can generate a higher degree of user engagement. Real-time technology helps apps to replicate real-world human behavior. For instance, users can handle multiple tasks simultaneously like, talking to friends while booking a ride in a cab-hauling app.
  • Through real-time updates, users can get connected more naturally. For instance, one can follow friends, share live locations, and message online using these applications.
  • Real-time features enable programmers and developers to focus more on the app’s core competencies. These core competencies include innovative features, upgraded user interfaces, and interactive user experience.
  • With the cloud delivery networks available, developers need not worry about maintenance and related expenses. When developers make real-time updates to users, they can rely on public clouds like the Amazon Web Services AWS.

Examples of real-time updates you can integrate into your app include:

  • Real-time feed
  • Push notifications
  • Integration of IoT devices
  • Multi-user collaboration
  • Live messaging
  • Live streaming
  • Live tracking order status

Here’s how your business and your customers can benefit from real-time updates

1. Real-time messaging

There’s no doubt that people love instant messaging. Messenger apps with multi-group messaging, media sharing, video, and voice calls are a classic replacement for the otherwise archaic, inconvenient SMS messaging. The prominence of instant messaging apps is evidenced by the rise of instant messaging platforms like Slack, Telegram, LINE, and Viber. According to Statista, there were 1.82 billion app users in 2017. This figure is expected to skyrocket to 2.48 billion by 2022.

2. Push notifications

Push notifications have become a necessity for most mobile and web applications. Notifications inform users about critical events, pull them to a brand or a product, and encourage users to use products more. For instance, 21% of users abandon your app after the first use. Thanks to push notifications, you can get users to return to your app by reminding them about its existence. The social app can encourage users to open it and download it by informing your users about recent news or events. However, be careful not to overuse notifications when choosing the right frequency for push notifications.

3. Real-time feeds

An in-app feed feature that updates immediately when new content is published is a necessity for all social networking applications. Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook allow users access to new content and updates without updating their feeds. The advantage is that your app becomes sticky with real-time feeds because users get the latest and most relevant information in real-time.

4. Live data streaming

Live streaming is widely used in many business sectors – from real estate to logistics and social networks. Live data streaming allows an app to create and deliver data to end-users, facilitating deep user engagement. Live streaming is considered the precursor of video streaming.

Developed in 2007 by Periscope, live streaming allows users to create videos and share the videos on platforms where other users can play the video content via smartphones or desktop computers. When Periscope made a market entry, video streaming went viral.

Later, the video-streaming feature was adopted by players such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and now TikTok. Indeed, the popular video streaming platform Twitch has been built around the same live streaming technology – allowing users to stream games and get paid for that.

One of the reasons companies are adopting live streaming as a real-time update is the possibility of connecting with audiences and building user engagement. In 2017, Livestream collaborated on market research with New York Magazine and found out that 80% of the respondents would rather watch a live video than read a website or a blog. For instance, Ustream App is a classic example of an app that uses live video streaming. The app blends augmented reality, 360-degree video capabilities, and virtual reality to transform live streaming experiences.

5. Order status updates

This feature is crucial for on-demand shipping and delivery companies as it helps bridge the trust gap. Users want to know that their orders (products or services) are safe and sound. Indeed, users are more than willing to track the progress of their orders for transparent customer relationships. Research shows that customers care about transparency and accountability in shipping and deliveries.

For instance, 82% of respondents indicated that retailers must constantly communicate at every stage of the delivery process. 45% of respondents track their order status using phones and SMS messaging, while 84% use email to stay updated. So, how can you improve user satisfaction? Well, provide customers with regular updates about their orders. That means providing them with a convenient and efficient way to track their orders via an app.

Other ways customers and businesses can benefit from real-time updates include:

  • Multi-user collaborations
  • Real-time data analytics
  • Control and integration of IoT devices

The internet of things represents a classic example of real-time functionality, whereby data from devices or sensors is conveyed instantly to the end-users.

The Cost of Installing Real-Time Updates on Your App?

It’s crucial to understand app development cost indicators to understand how much it costs to install real-time updates on your app. Well, several years ago, there was a key difference in app development cost between two main platforms – Android and iOS. However, today that difference is not significant. The only driving factor in the difference between app development costs is complexity.

Today, the major factor to consider when calculating the cost of installing real-time updates is the complexity, which can arbitrarily be segmented into – complex, medium, and simple. For instance, the price tag for a simple update ranges from $10,000 to 30,000. Medium-complex real-time updates range from $20,000 to 40,000, and complex real-time update installation cost between $40,000 to $60,000.

The complexity levels of real-time updates

Simple updates Medium updates Complex updates
 
Push notifications Real-time messaging Live data streaming
Real-time feeds Multi-user collaboration Integration of IoT devices
  Live to track of order feeds

Real-time updates installation costs

Simple complexity Medium complexity Complex complexity
$10,000 – $30,000 $20,000 – $40,000 $40,000- $60,000

It’s important to remember that the above numbers are just but a ballpark. They are supposed to offer you a birds-eye view of the prices you’re expected to pay for a real-time installation depending on the complexity, size, and scope of installation.

Maintenance Costs

Every app has an ongoing maintenance cost, no matter who designed or created it. Once an app is created, you have to track its performance, additional updates to install, and let users know of new updates or feeds. If your app leverages a server to store information like payment information and user records, you’ll have to pay to manage this storage.

Every app needs regular and ongoing maintenance and real-time updates to keep users engaged, happy, and coming back for more. In addition, depending on your app’s complexity, you can incur additional costs for emergency maintenance, servers, push notifications, processing, and many more.

So, how much does it cost to maintain an app, including installing real-time updates?

Well, the answer to this question depends wholly on how it was built. You can save significantly on upfront costs with a cheaper developer or programmer. However, if your app is not designed up to par, you’ll run significant expenses as your app grows and attracts more users. It’ll be expensive to install updates if your app didn’t meet the standard requisites of a conventional app.

A good estimation is to budget 20% of your initial app development cost for new real-time updates and installations. If your initial app development cost was $100,000, estimate $20,000 per year for updates and real-time installations.

However, if you outsource NS804 mobile app developers, you get to enjoy subsidized installations of real-time updates. However, be informed that different service providers offer varying costs depending on the app’s complexity, the scope of installation, and other factors.

Why are Real-Time Updates Important?

Real-time updates provide convenience, save time, and enhance user engagement. Investing in real-time updates prevents your app from being obsolete. For instance, in 2016, the Apple App store removed 50,000 apps from the App Store for being obsolete. With technology advancing at an unprecedented pace and with changing user habits, it’s becoming imperative for app developers to adopt real-time updates. Chances are that without real-time capabilities, your app will crash and burn.

If you’re still thinking about why you should install real-time updates, check out the following reasons:

  • Minimizes uninstalls. Apps with regular crashes and annoying bugs frustrate users, driving them away. Similarly, if your app doesn’t offer updated functionalities and information, users may find no reason to use it.
  • Better user experiences. You just don’t want users to download your app; you want them to use it. That is because developing long-term relationships with prospective users is the key to your app’s success. And to nurture lasting and valuable relationships with users, you’ll need to offer a unique user experience that comes with real-time updates.
  • Stay ahead of the competition. Millions of apps in the App Store and Google Store are competing for users’ attention. So, users cannot download and begin using all these apps. To beat the competition and stay at the top, you’ll need to ace your app with new updates, including: push notifications, live streaming, instant messaging, and feeds.
  • Safety from cyberattacks. With increases in mobile apps, there’s a corresponding increase in cyberattacks. So, it’s crucial to ensure the safety and security of your app to prevent exploitation and safeguard sensitive data and information.
  • Increases ROI. Real-time updates offer room for maximizing the returns on investment and decreasing the cost of acquiring new users. Once your app goes live, you’ll probably face crashes and bugs somewhere. Real-time updates provide a reliable communication channel when users face unprecedented service disruptions.

NS804 – Masters in Real-Time App Updates Installation

NS804 ensures that individuals and businesses get the best from their app development journey. With years of experience designing cutting-edge technology solutions, NS804 allows clients to estimate app development costs with an app development calculator. The significance of real-time updates cannot be undermined, with the growing emphasis on superior user experiences in customer relationship management. Real-time updates reinforce relationships by providing a reliable and constant channel of communication.

Contact NS804 for timely solutions in app development and real-time app update installations.

Mobile UX Best Practices For User Retention

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User experience denotes the ability of any virtual object or material to be accessible, understandable, and easy to use. When a user logins into your mobile app or website, what features do they find that compel them to “come back?” Think about how long it takes for a user to return to Twitter after trying out a new application when there are millions of mobile apps out there.

Keeping the user retention up can be a daunting task, especially today when a sea of applications battles up in popular app stores. Yet, there are practices and steps that you can leverage to stay at the top of the game.

Our colleagues at NS804 share the best practices for mobile UX user retention to help keep your users engaged through a superior UX design. Apart from the discrete functions, the overall app’s design makes or breaks it. Keeping the right mix of customer experience, features, and support can go a long way when user retention is low.

1. Fluid User Experience

Completing actions from start to end is an optimal solution for any app. The linear app flow estimates the time needed to conduct any activity, providing a clear view of what the app has to offer. With a clear-cut direction – users will not feel lost swiping through multiple screens. One action in every screen will simplify the process, keeping unnecessary complexity out of the equation.

2. Attractive First Impression

For users to visit your app for the second time, you need a great first impression. The first few screens must be simple, succinct, and appealing, tucked in one package. The overall UX design in the first few pages should host all the core functions, clearly explained. It’s advisable to declutter irrelevant information to separate the wheat from the chaff.

3. Mix with Animation

Motion design is gradually taking the front seat in the app market, especially after the release of the iPhone X. With gesture-based techniques now becoming a spotlight, animated hints help users become aware of app functionality. Animation clarifies the relationship between AI elements while maintaining the overall app smoothness.

4. Use HD Images in Correct Order

App users value relevant content that matches the logical order and structure of UI elements. So, it’s advisable to maintain a set of high-quality images. App owners must set enhanced visuals that highlight certain elements and significant information. In our experience, contrasting colors work best sometimes when users are forced to take desirable actions.

5. Deliver Personalized Content

Conveying messages in a language best understood by users immensely helps to keep them around. App users are exposed to different content every day – from TikTok videos to fresh, sizzling tweets on emerging socio-economic issues. Some of the content the app users are engaged in is confusing to navigate through. That’s why it’s advisable to personalize app content with relevant emoticons and images and provide content that conforms to your target audience.

Note that emoticons also offer a great way for users to interact and rate certain aspects of your application. This informs you about any potential future improvements.

Contact NS804 to obtain useful insights on using UX best practices for user retention.

Enhancing User Acquisition and Retention Strategies

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There’s no doubt that a central tactic for driving mobile app success is achieving user acquisition, engagement and retention. However, without an effective acquisition and retention strategy that keeps active users around, higher rates of downloads won’t yield any lifetime business value.

Mobile app engagement and retention are two critical metrics that give a clear and accurate insight into the success of any mobile app. Lower app retention and engagement rates are a sure-fire recipe for disaster.

App developers, brands, and enterprises must know that achieving sufficient app engagement and retention is difficult. For instance, Statista reports that only 32% of mobile users will return to a mobile app ten times or more after downloading. What’s even surprising is that a whopping 25% of users will abandon an app after one-time use.

Enhancing user acquisition, engagement and retention leads to an active user group that drives leads and sustains growth. The following tips for increasing user acquisition and retention will help you reduce your app churn rate and help your enterprise see the desired ROI and the results it anticipates from your app investment.

Let’s delve right in!

  1.   Efficient Onboarding

While it may seem simple to welcome users to your app, not all apps kick-start an efficient onboarding process. Therefore, it’s advisable to make your onboarding process as simple and as efficient as possible to initiate user acquisition and retention. The more difficult it is to use an app, the more likely new and existing users will abandon it.

Some of the ways to simplify the user onboarding process include:

  • Cut down the number of steps required to set up a new account — and capture multiple registration platforms (Facebook, Google, Twitter, and others)
  • Educate users throughout the onboarding process to launch the app’s functionality, but don’t overload users instantly.
  • Teach and educate through actions and pointers to show the main gestures in the app’s functionality.

An efficient onboarding process equals faster and easier user acquisition and engagement.

  1.   Track Data Early Enough

To accurately evaluate and measure data and improvements, you need to start tracking your app’s data early enough. Early data collection and tracking will give you what you need to evaluate performance. It will also help you fast-track which features and strategies affect engagement and retention.

  1.   Push Notifications Right Away!

Users who experience personalized brand interaction are reportedly more likely to return to a mobile app for ten or more sessions. To put it simply, if you walk into a retail outlet and you aren’t acknowledged, you’d most likely feel disgruntled. Consider app experience the same way.

An app interaction can be as simple as sending a push notification, thus providing valuable information as users leverage the app. Successful mobile applications use this approach to shape the customer’s journey. They’re strategic and thoughtful in how they access and engage new users. For instance, giving relevant retail deals based on user patterns and geo-location are clever approaches to promoting app retention.

  1.   Offer an Incentive Program

If your business model allows you to offer loyalty or a reward program, it’s vital to capitalize on this opportunity. Not only do reward and loyalty programs incentivize users towards the app, but they also make users feel recognized and part of the brand.

Realize that apps that utilize in-app purchases as a monetization approach, especially the quick router set-up (QRS) applications, offer time-sensitive discounts. However, freemium mobile apps can be incentivized with usage-based discounts instead of monetary benefits.

  1.   In-app Messages

The more disposed your app experience is with your users’ needs and preferences, the more likely users will continue using the product. Brands utilizing in-app messaging to communicate with users will see a retention rate within a month.

In-app notifications denote notifications that don’t demand immediate action or response but are altogether crucial in the customer’s engagement journey. These messages can capture notifications or warnings about version upgrades, app issues, or payment failures. Therefore, remember that not every notification you see is relevant to every user. Fragmenting your audience ensures the information you convey is relevant to their needs and expectations.

Contact NS804 to discover how your app can respond to new user acquisition, engagement and retention needs.