Why Your App Needs To Focus On Personalization In 2016 And How
Disclaimer: Originally published on GetSocial blog ( GetSocial )
With a number of businesses entering the mobile market, users don’t really feel the need to go with the very first name they see on the app store. What they demand instead is a great experience and value.
And the key to a great user experience? Personalization.
Personalization refers to tailoring the experience you provide to users based on their needs and online behavior, instead of just offering a list of features on a general scale. Personalization is the only way mobile apps will be able to grow sustainably in the market today. In fact, even Econsultancy’s mobile forecast lists personalization as a trend to watch out for in 2016.
Why does your app need personalization?
1. Mobile users expect it
Users have moved from seeking just functionality in an app to convenience and ease of use. They seek instant gratification, irrespective of which industry your business is in and what your app does. Instant access to information that interests them and ability to explore other options that add value to them, are just some of their demands today.
“64% of businesses will — or plan to within a year — deliver a better personalized experience to their target audience on mobile devices.” (source)
2. Helps understand in-app behavior
Users now expect the same experience from an app that they obtain from the remaining digital world: meaningful content based on their past behavior and personal interests. Personalization gives you an opportunity to understand your users better — what they want to use, what more they are looking for and what their conversion triggers are. It helps you add context and relevance to your app experience.
3. Simplifies and boosts conversion
Personalization is aimed at making the user’s in-app experience better and simplifying his use of the app. This means his path to conversion gets streamlined. Since you know what your users are looking for, how they want to get it, what payment methods they prefer, etc, you reduce friction between user and the app and increase user engagement. User start feeling it is ‘their’ app!
How can you implement personalization in your app?
Here are a few ways you can incorporate personalization in your app to make the user experience better and boost your own conversions:
1. Personalized onboarding
The first impression your app makes after a user installs it, is important. Being new to the app and what you offer, you don’t want him to get lost and think of it as a wrong choice. This is where personalization comes handy. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.
Offering a personalized onboarding to your users can boost the longevity of the app. For example, apps can make use of the data that the user provides during signing up to tailor the experience for him. Personalization efforts can range from in-app prompts that introduce users to features that might interest them, to on-boarding flows that guides them to the next step to make the most out of the app.
An important aspect to keep in mind here is to collect the right data. For example, a user’s name, gender, mobile number and birthday can help you create custom campaigns that address him personally.
Alternatively, you can implement the GetSocial live chat in your app to onboard your user personally. It gives you the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with the user, helping you understand his expectations better.
2. Personalized content
According to a survey by AgilOne, more than 70% of users expect a personalized experience from the businesses they interact with. The survey also states that users expect varied levels of personalization at different stages.
Even though the survey takes into consideration the online behavior of users, it is evident how the addressable market today can be hooked to your brand if personalization is implemented. And one of the most significant ways of doing so, is via content.
GetSocial’s Contextual Deep linking enables you to personalize a user’s first experience and boost your conversions. It lets you direct the user straight to a page within the app that would engage him instantly. For example, if you have a gaming app that requires you to make the user understand how to earn coins to play levels, you could direct him to a page that states the same.
Read more about Deep Linking here.
3. Personalized notifications
Push notifications and in-app messages are the most effective ways of reaching out to users and engaging or reengaging them with the app. But a simple notification of updates or a recent activity are no longer enough.
App developers and marketers need need to find a way to use user’s data to personalize these notifications. Elements such as user’s name makes them feel like you’re having a dialogue with them. Following is a good example of personalization in a push notification.
A few more ways of personalizing includes using the location of the user to recommend him things or make them behaviorally triggered.
4. Personalized in-app purchases
Every user is different. His app usage, needs, way of interaction and conversion triggers may vary from those you consider while developing the app. Hence, it is important to personalize your in-app purchases.
Dynamic pricing is the practice of creating in-app purchase models at a level that is determined by a user’s perceived ability to pay. Be it the level at which a purchase should be suggested, the pricing model that is displayed to the user or the payment methods, personalizing this aspect can boost the monetization rate of your app.
Over to you
The mobile app market is booming and if you want to grow your app sustainably, it is important to offer context and relevance to your users. Personalization will not just boost your user’s engagement levels and lifetime value, but also boost your referral organic user acquisition in the long run.
What other personalization strategies have you made use of or plan to, to keep your users engaged all the time?
Originally published at blog.getsocial.im.
