Once you develop an app and it’s published, it’s easy to feel like the hard work is over. The reality is that it’s just getting started.
Even when an app is highly successful in the beginning and has a lot of user downloads, engagement has to remain high for the app to be considered successful. Numbers show that users delete anywhere from 80 to 90 percent of apps after they try them. Only a minuscule 4 percent of apps are still used a year after they were initially downloaded.
The objective of app development should be to avoid becoming one of those statistics, but how do you do that? How can you keep users engaged with your app over time?
Hire High-Quality Developers
When you’re first developing an app, there can be a temptation to hire the cheapest developers. This might get the job done in the short-term, but it’s likely to cause problems in the long-term.
You need to hire developers who are going to be able to build an app that is scalable, and that can grow as your users grow.
When you start out with a solid app, then it’s going to be easier to keep users engaged down the line.
Include Maintenance Costs In Your Initial Budget
Maintenance is an extremely important aspect of keeping users engaged with your app. You should plan on spending about 20% of your initial development budget on maintenance every year.
Good maintenance is going to ensure that your app is secure it’s bug-free. These are important aspects of continual user engagement.
Use Analytics
Often people will do initial market research as they’re planning for the development of their app, but that’s as far as it goes. You want to use data and analytics on a regular basis to see how people are using your app once it’s published.
This will show the features that are most valuable to them, and it will show you where you might need to make changes.
App analytics will provide you with most of the insight you need to continue offering an excellent product, as long as you’re actually putting the information to use.
Offer Value and Advertise It
Sometimes one of the best ways to keep an app relevant and to keep users engaged is to provide updated content on a regular basis. However, when you are adding dynamic content to your app, your users need to be aware it’s there.
Make sure you’re not just integrating new content, but that you’re also providing messages to your users as to what they’re going to get out of opening your app again.
Think of the fact that it’s less expensive to retain current users, as opposed to trying to get new ones. Rather than putting the majority of your focus on new users, make sure that you’re putting enough attention on current ones.
Finally, you can let users know about the value you’re offering in a number of different ways. Push messaging is great, as are simple text and email reminders that are going to let your users know updates are available.
