Smartphones have changed the way we approach the environment around us. How we work, communicate or even travel has been transformed with the advent of modern mobile devices. The number of US consumers owning smartphones has surpassed the basic mobile phone users, and according to a report by Mashable, the usage of mobile web will surpass desktop web by 2015.
Knowing how consumers are using their devices to engage themselves with apps, media and content is an important part of the strategy adopted by mobile strategists. As developers and companies start to invest in creating mobile apps and games, it is going to be critical to show if the created apps are successful or not – and this is where mobile analytical tools are useful.
Using a tracking system similar to the one used in web analytics, mobile analytics can demonstrate the performance of mobile apps and troubleshoot success barriers in real-time.
The end reports of these analytics are designed to give mobile developers, strategists and marketers useful data about who is using their applications and how they are being used; without such data, it is difficult for the concerned parties to make educated guesses. Also, by helping to understand the immediate questions and needs, analytic reports enable you to put the right foot forward and eliminate the noise.
Here are the top reasons why analytics are mission critical to a long-term mobile app success strategy:
Proving return on investment
Used correctly, mobile analytics help app developers and marketers to pinpoint if there is adequate return on investment on mobile promotional programs and which tactics are resulting in the highest returns. If these questions can’t be answered with hard data, it becomes impossible to seek additional investment on the endeavor or maintain success security for an extended time period.
The ROI can be indicated by how often your app is downloaded. The user base of any application is a good indicator of ROI; if no one downloads the app, you’re definitely doing something wrong. By tracking how often the app is downloaded, and who’s using it, you can have a better idea of what type of impact it’s having on your investment. You should also check how many downloads converted into active users (since you can have thousands of downloads, with only a few of those indicating an active user.)
Determining & driving app engagement
With the right mobile app analytics tools, mobile strategists can optimize their user engagement numbers. For instance, the company Appsee provides strong Mobile Analytics reporting that allows you to assess your users’ behavior and engagement. This analytics technology has come a long way; today with the help of an SDK, companies are able to capture and analyze every swipe, tap, screen and action taken by the user.
Also, you can take advantage of analytical options that record a sample of your users so you can see exactly how they engage with the app. This is a great way to see what issues may be hindering their experience and what retains their attention within your app. It then becomes a simple matter of adjusting the engagement strategy according to the understanding of the data.
App optimization
The more data is provided regarding the customer and how the app is used, the more the mobile application can be optimized towards the specific interests of each user. Personalizing the experience can convert visitors to sales.
It’s been a long time since web-based analytics have been used to improve the benefits of on-site optimization – now it’s the turn of mobile strategists to take advantage.
