COVID & Apps: Who’s doing well in LATAM?
To say the pandemic has changed our daily behaviors is like saying grass is green. The global shifts occurring since the beginning of 2020 have changed how people are able to interact with each other and the world around them. It’s affecting not only our health but also the economy.
Looking specifically at LATAM and the Caribbean, the World Bank forecasts a 7.2% contraction in GDP. Reopening plans vary, with some countries keeping certain regions quarantined and others opening partially with restrictions in place. Brazil is by far the most affected country in the region, with almost 2 million confirmed cases. The other top affected countries are Peru, Chile and Mexico.
While this pandemic is far from over, we are learning to adapt and roll with the so-called viral punches. One way to see these changes is by looking at them through the eyes of mobile apps. Specifically, which apps in LATAM are doing well despite our complicated lives during COVID.
Want to learn about more stand-out app promotion campaigns? Download our recent whitepaper 11 Winning LATAM User Acquisition Campaigns.
TikTok
Ah, TikTok, the platform that allows users to create short-form mobile videos. As an unending source of entertainment and bizarre hilarities (looking at you Kombucha Girl), there’s no wonder TikTok is one of the fastest growing apps worldwide.
According to AppAnnie, which monitors mobile app downloads, Android users spent 1.1 billion hours on TikTok in August 2019, a 400% increase from the previous year. When looking specifically at LATAM, the app tells the same success story. That’s great for 2019, but what about 2020?
Global Web Index states that about 10% of TikTok users are in Latin America, and Brazil is the fastest growing market for the app, seeing a record 113 million downloads in February 2020. That growth is not slowing down. TikTok is staying on the “top app” lists in most LATAM countries up through April 2020.
Let’s look at their marketing efforts. Back in October 2019, TikTok started a banner ad campaign prompting viewers to download the app. The ads were simple and tapped into the user’s desire to create something fun and be the star. The ads compared making tiktoks to, “it’s like nothing but net,” and, “it’s like seeing yourself on the jumbotron.” Downloads spiked throughout Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile. By January 2020, the app saw more than a 1,100% increase in LATAM app downloads and over 9M DAUs.
TikTok isn’t slowing down. The app is even popping up in educational settings with both teachers and students using the platform to explain or complete assignments.
Recap: What did we learn from TikTok?
- Entertaining, pandemic-friendly product
- Makes the user the star
- Keeps it simple!
Walmart México
Here’s a fun fact: Walmarts in Mexico account for over ⅕ of Walmart stores worldwide. It’s very clear that Walmart is a popular store, but what about its app?
78% of the app’s user base resides in Mexico and 7% reside in Brazil. The Walmart México app offers food, liquor, and pharmacy ordering with home delivery, convenient lists to stay organized, and a easy payment options. Of course with a global pandemic, the ability to get groceries and prescriptions without leaving home is more important than ever.
Walmart Mexico discovered that fear of fraud stops many Mexico consumers from making online purchases with a credit card — a problem for in-app purchasing. The solution was launching Cashi — a mobile app that allowed users to “recharge” the app with cash at any Walmex store to safely pay for in-store and online purchases.
Because only 25% of their online shoppers use the Walmart México app, Walmex began advertising for its mobile app and online pickup option. Their tactics shifted in April 2020 to run only app-specific ads online and on mobile devices to help promote downloads.
Since May 2019, the Walmart México app has seen 87% more downloads YoY, accompanied by a 110% increase in DAUs, and 81% increase in MAUs.
Another important metric — the almost a 6% growth rate in average session length meaning users are spending more time shopping and browsing in the actual app once they download it.
Recap: What did we learn from Walmart Mexico?
- Deep research into user behavior
- Alleviate pain points
- Give users access to the products they want
Want to learn about more about Walmart México’s success? Download our whitepaper, 11 Winning LATAM User Acquisition Campaigns.
Meditopia
Meditopia is a meditation app that rivals other top-tier apps in the space (think Calm and Headspace). The app was listed as a top 10 meditation app by SensorTower. As the pandemic continues to take a toll on the collective community’s mental health, it’s not surprising that more and more people are trying out meditation practices.
From May 2019 — May 2020, Meditopia saw a 160% increase YoY in downloads. These numbers were stable through January 2020, where New Year’s resolution-ers started to become more active. Then in March daily downloads and DAUs began to spike thanks to the pandemic.
The app launched new ads in Brazil that showed different in-app meditation exercises and a user review. Complete with relaxing music and scenery, these ads prompted viewers to take deep breaths and calm down. Some advice we can all use these days.
The app rose from 2.2K daily downloads and 74K DAUs to a whopping 6.1K downloads and 112K DAUs at peak on March 20. Afterwards, downloads leveled off but have yet to lower back to the numbers from late 2019. Meanwhile, DAUs continued — and currently continue — to rise every day. As of May 14, Meditopia has nearly 135K daily active users.
The interesting part? According to Apptopia, no mobile ads were run in any other LATAM country besides Brazil. Whether Meditopia relied on word-of-mouth or social media to draw in users in Mexico and Colombia — who knows.
Recap: What did we learn from Meditopia?
- Solid product with good word-of-mouth viability
- Simple, benefits-driven advertising
What do these apps have in common?
Simplicity is key. Attention spans keep shrinking so if users can’t see the benefit immediately, they are onto the next thing. In each case, these apps quickly demonstrated their value, in addition to putting the user’s needs front and center. All of them address, directly or indirectly, improve specific issues we face during the pandemic — be it shopping, stress, or simply entertainment. Keep calm and app on.
