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How to Retain Users with Cost Friendly Features?

Having a mobile development set up primarily involves user retention goals. Being one of the topmost priorities, it also demands highs costs for buying expensive features and mobile functionalities. Some of the most common cost involving features are – customer support, push notifications, email campaigns, gamification, and VIP programs. Being considered way too expensive, some of these features add new dimension to your mobile application. User experience becomes more exciting but they take up a lot of money and time. Costs can be avoided by developing and maintaining few of these features from your end or by purchasing them. Mobile apps must have these essential features but it requires solid budget plans. Features pull users so the only way to attain a cost friendly UX changes in your app is by including less intense features that involve low costs. You must understand user actions on the basis of analytics to carry forward the process of User retention. Here are a few simple ways to drive users to your app without including expensive features:

Targeting the Initial Stages of App Usage

The most commonly found trend is that app usage tends to decrease (a sharp drop of 77% users) within the first three days of usage. A proper targeting done for user retention within the period of Day 1 to Day 3 will ensure growth and success. This has been validated by Andrew Chen, Supply Growth at Uber who has stated, “…to bend the retention curve is to target the first few days of usage, and in particular the first visit. That way, users set up themselves up for success.”

The 10 leading apps that compete with each other tend to see a steep rise of more than 70% within 3 months. To achieve user retention similar to the one mentioned above you need to aim first 3 days of app usage.

Increase Motivation by Introducing User Actions

Users must be able to get motivated while using your app. By including a call to action (CTA) button you can surely engage your user. To pull up your retention quest you must search and introduce the core actions related to user retention. Secondly you must urge users to heighten their motivations and complete their actions. Lastly make it easier for your app users to complete the entire process. Make simple changes in your UX and UI that does not include too much effort but bring in maximum impact.

Increase User Ability

Your main aim is to introduce more actions having lesser value. Increasing user abilities can be brought about by making in-app changes. Mobile ‘Onboarding’ screens can be considered a veritable step to increase user ability. Removing extra steps within the app increases core actions’ count.

Keep your ‘user cognitive load’ simple. Using ‘menu’ instead of three horizontal lines is easier to understand for users. Icons must be easily understood as it affects a user completing his/her tasks and finding the desired content. Labels can be added to menu (although it is widely considered intellectually less sharp). A menu must portray its purpose. This is important to position positive usability change.

Clarity is important for user retention. Labels in menu options no matter how less intellectual it may sound can up your user action, user ability and make your user stick to your app.

Straighten out your Logins

Mobile users are not known to prefer completing registration forms and sign up procedures. Typing passwords looks like a hassle due to the small screen size of mobile devices. User ability can be enhanced by allowing users to see their passwords whenever they sign in, register or sign up.

Let your users enter correct information easily. Faster logins will leave out users from getting irritated.

Include easy thumb access for Navigation

Mobile screens are navigated 90% by thumbs. Keeping all the controls (and moving the existing ones) in reachable positions on mobile screens will make you win on user operation. This would reflect on your user retention quest.

Refine User Responsiveness and Layouts

Simple changes in layouts can have great impacts. For example just change the way your content is displayed – such as in grid, list view or in map format. Surveys have proved that mobile customers find it easier to see search results in a list view. Map and grid views stand lower than list view which has reportedly increased core actions by 15%. Your main aim is to let out information quickly and in a more sorted manner to your users.

Reducing decision taking actions will make users stay interested in your app. Do not make them take too many choices.

Mobile users are generally known as more impatient than web and desktop users. They (an overwhelming 78% of users) expect their apps to load faster than a mobile website. They also expect responses to be quicker. Mini9mum number of distractions and increased speed and efficiency of an app make users stay.

Increasing Motivation

Users need to get motivated and they will take actions that are greatly related to user retention. Some of the techniques in user motivation are advertising, ASO and smart copywriting. Users will get delighted when you present them with surprises. Introducing new features will catch them by surprise.

Rewards can also boost your user motivation factor. Working in line with user habits is a great way to boost users completing actions.

Small changes are able to bring big benefits. You must track user actions and implement intelligent tweaks such as gamification which will have positive effects on your user retention. Make early changes and keep a track of everything taking place between your app and your user base. Persistent efforts in putting in small changes will bring in big changes.