This story originally appeared on the MAF blog.
Every now and then, app & game industry professionals discover cool features that have existed for some time but have flown under the radar.
Recently, this happened with an iOS feature called Quick Actions.
This long-standing feature gained new traction for its potential use to prevent users from uninstalling apps and games.
Before we explore how this feature can be used for this purpose, let’s take a moment to understand what Quick Actions are and how they work.
What are Quick Actions?
Home Screen Quick Actions for iOS allow users to access specific in-app content directly from their home screens. On Android, this feature is called App Shortcuts, and it is very similar to its iOS counterpart.
How do these features work exactly?
When users touch and hold app icons, by default, they see shortcuts to delete the app and add it to the home screen. With Quick Actions and App Shortcuts, developers can add up to four other shortcuts to this list. In most cases, they use this option to link to the most popular in-app activities.
Types of Quick Actions
Both Quick Actions and App Shortcuts come in two main forms — static and dynamic.
Static Actions/Shortcuts
Static actions are predefined and don’t change based on context. Once the developer sets them, their content remains the same regardless of user behavior and app usage. As such, they are ideal for apps where users tend to perform consistent, repetitive actions.
Use case 1: A phone’s default camera app can provide shortcuts for common actions like taking selfies, recording videos, and taking portraits.
Use case 2: A shopping app might create shortcuts for popular in-app content like wishlist, bag, new items, and search function.
Dynamic Actions/Shortcuts
Dynamic actions are context-sensitive and change based on user behavior. During runtime, apps can change, remove, and update the listed actions to provide users with the most relevant options at any given time.
Use case 1: A streaming app can show users the latest songs or artists they listened to, so they can easily access this content again.
Use case 2: A gaming app can offer shortcuts to specific levels, recently accessed in-game content, new events, etc.
Are Quick Actions and App Shortcuts New?
If you’ve never heard about these features before, you might be wondering if they were recently introduced.
Nope, just underutilized.
Apple Quick Actions were initially introduced with iOS 9 in 2015 (and expanded with iOS 13 in 2019) while Google App Shortcuts appeared with Android 7.1 in 2016.
So, why are you just hearing about these features although they’ve been around for years?
There are a couple of reasons for that.
These features haven’t been heavily promoted by Apple and Google, resulting in low awareness among developers. Also, not all apps have integrated them, so their visibility is quite limited for both developers and users.
It’s also worth noting that, over time, these features have evolved to become more accessible and user-friendly. This contributed to higher awareness among developers and recently encouraged more of them to implement them in their apps.
Quick Actions for User Retention
One of the reasons the Quick Actions feature recently gained popularity is its potential to help with user retention.
Think about it — how frequently do you tap and hold app icons?
Users typically do this when they are about to uninstall an app.
This is where Quick Actions (and App Shortcuts) come into play. When users are on their way to remove an app from their phones, this is the developer’s last chance to try and change their minds. By providing them with a list of tailored Quick Actions, this interaction becomes a valuable opportunity to re-engage users.
How Can Apps Set Up Quick Actions to Keep Users?
Now, you’re probably wondering how exactly can developers use this feature to prevent users from deleting their apps.
Here are some methods to achieve this.
“Don’t Leave” Action
The most straightforward way to use Quick Actions to keep users is to address the user’s intent to delete the app. For example, by using messaging like “Wait! Don’t delete” or “Leaving? Give us a second chance!”
These messages are designed to catch the users’ attention and get them to reconsider their decision. In most cases, they take the user back to the app to continue from where they left off.
Troubleshooting Action
Oftentimes, users decide to leave apps because they are frustrated by something. For example bugs, crashes, too many ads, etc.
To deal with this, apps can use Quick Actions to integrate a customer support shortcut. These shortcuts can appear with different types of messaging. For example: “Bugs? Contact us!” or “Wait, don’t delete! Let us help you out”.
This strategy can help identify any issues or frustrations users may have and encourage them to keep the app. Not only that, but it can also provide invaluable feedback to the developer to find out what needs to be fixed.
Rewarded Action
When users are planning to leave an app, a small incentive might change their minds.
You can do this by creating a Quick Action that provides users with a reward. For example, extra currency, discounts, or exclusive content. This can add value and encourage users to continue using the app instead of uninstalling it.
How to prevent users from misusing it?
Make it dynamic and context-sensitive. For instance, only introduce the reward to users who are struggling to pass a game level, and limit the offer to a one-time use.
Closing Thoughts
The majority of app developers are currently not using this option to prevent users from churning.
However, as the popularity of this strategy grows, we can expect more developer testimonials and data on its effectiveness. We’ll continue to monitor all this and keep you informed so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!
