How the most downloaded apps engage and retain users

Developing an engagement and retention strategy based on data-driven insights is what most app marketers strive towards. After all, acquiring millions of users is one thing, but keeping hold of them and fending off competition is another.

Tara Kirkpatrick, a Mobile Trends Analyst at Apptopia, joined Apptivate for part 2 of a discussion on app marketing strategies. This time, Tara and Remerges Maria Lannon dissect how today’s most downloaded apps implement loyalty and reward programs to retain valuable users post-install. As part of the podcast conversation, Tara shares more insights from Apptopia’s 2023 report, “How App Download Leaders Are Winning”.

Listen to the episode via the links below and learn more about the key concepts of successful engagement and retention in app marketing.

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“Earning a reward is actually a rewarding experience for humans because we’re innately geared towards progress. If you can incentivize action and make that experience fun, or use a bit of scarcity so that the experience becomes a little bit more exciting, then that’s where you’re motivating the acquisition and activation piece – and then long-term engagement.”

Timestamps and podcast topics

  • 28:23 Winning strategies for app loyalty and reward programs
  • 34:00 Clear progress tracking and custom rewards
  • 37:52 Ushering users into a “Core Loop”