New research out from mobile analytics provider Localytics takes a look at how mobile application users interact with an app after its been downloaded.
We all know that users are more than willing to give new apps a try, with over 10 billion downloads just from Apple’s App Store. The key is how loyal users become to certain apps, and whether or not they use the app after the initial “trial phase.”
The research found that while smartphone and tablet owners are very willing to give applications a try, 26% of the time they never use the same application again. On the other side of the equation, another 26% of people become very loyal, repeat customers, using a new application more than 10 times. To get its data, Localytics analyzed app usage data from thousands of Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 apps using its real-time analytics service.
The key take-away here is that developers and brands leveraging mobile apps need to look past download totals when determining the success of an app. Downloads mean nothing if users don’t remain engaged with the app and return for more consistently. Publishers need to look beyond downloads and focus marketing resources on attracting and retaining the quarter of customers who tend to become loyal users.
