Apps users are a fickle bunch, with many using an app only once and then never going back to it, finds a study by Localytics. While smartphone and tablet owners are very willing to give applications a try, 26% of the time they never use the same application again. That said, another 26% of people become very loyal, repeat customers, using a new application more than 10 times.
Localytics analyzed app usage data from thousands of Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 apps subscribed to our real time mobile application analytics service. For all new customers of an app between July and September 2010, Localytics counted the number of times customers used the same app through early March 2011.
The results show that 26% of new customers can indeed be fickle, installing an app and only using it once. However, the share of customers lost with each additional usage drops quickly and half of customers use an app four or more times.
More importantly, 26% of new customers also become the most loyal customers, using an app more than 10 times over the following months–and many go on to use an app hundreds of times.
With more than 10 billion downloads from just Apple’s App Store, it’s clear that people are very willing to try new apps. It’s equally clear that app developers and publishers need to look beyond downloads and focus marketing resources on attracting and retaining the quarter of customers who tend to become loyal users.
Localytics app analytics service provides usage, engagement and event tracking analysis to help publishers identify and understand their most loyal customers. Detailed segmentation and data analysis tools help app publishers build the usage, behavioral and demographic profiles of dedicated customers for better targeted advertising and promotional campaigns, reducing wasteful spending and building more successful applications.
