6 ways to Boost App Engagement and Retaining users in 2019

High download rates, five-star ratings in the play store and increased flow in the capital are every developer’s dream. But they conspicuously miss the all-important aspect of client retention and creating loyal customers out of them. The real catch is not getting new users but retaining them.

Protecting the integrity and security of an app is also equally important thus necessitating the use of the code signing certificate. According to Google this is the process of digitally signing executable scripts to confirm the software author and guarantee the code was not altered and corrupted since it was signed.It uses a cryptographic hash to validate.

In simpler terms, it simply encrypts a code behind the app, so the developer is not defrauded by hackers and fraudsters.

Statistics show that 85% of the market share comprises of Android phones. The play store has a total of 3 million applications, soAndroid developers must have the code signing certificate. Once encrypted, a code signing certificate transforms code into an undecipherable format thus protecting the intellectual property of the developer. Hackers and fraudsters cannot reach the code as the app is fortified from any alterations.

Some benefits of the code signing certificate include:

• Increased revenue- once you have the trust of the clients, more clients tend to Join the application this translating into increased revenue flow.
• Enhanced reputation- digital signatures like the code signing certificate help improve the trust between the client and developer.
• The app is featured in Google play store. – Google doesn’t accept apps that don’t contain a valid code signing certificate. Once featured on the play store, the revenue streams automatically increase.

Also, there’s a business side to marketing an app. Not just getting a code signing certificate but having a solid marketing strategy. Here are some strategies:

Use push notifications.

If used the right way, this feature is a secret ingredient to business growth. Statistics show that push notifications can indeed boost your client retention rate from a whooping56-180%. However, there’s a catch. Getting customers to accept receiving the push notifications. But once that is done there’s an 85% chance that clients will engage the app more according to statistics.

These play some crucial roles like:

• Competing for some valuable real estate in a user’s device- they remind the user they downloaded the app.
• Encourage usage- sending messages founded on behavioral data and preference

• Offers and incentivizing programs

Incentives and offers are a great way to increase an application’s viability in the 2019 market. For instance, offering a one-month free trial period will pull in many users that hopefully pull in more of their friends if satisfied with the service provision. Here are some more incentives you could offer

• Specialized content access
• Coupons
• Special promotions

However, how you incentivize is solely dependent on the apps nature. Take for instance freemium apps can incentivize by giving away free rewards and on the other hand apps that have in-app purchases can reap from time-sensitive discounts

• Easy on boarding

First impressions are imperative in ascertaining an unforgettable customer experience. Easy onboarding is about the startup of the app where the developer seeks to capture the user details. This should be undertaken with utmost precaution because too many steps to sign up and many information fields can indeed prove harmful to the success of an app.

To dodge this, here are some steps to create a seamless onboarding process.

• Offer users will get a simple guide on how to use the app as compared to overloading them with information.
• The guide should be taught through actions.
• Simplify the logins and logouts as much as possible.

• Create a high-quality application.

Don’t just look for the cheapest programmers in the market that will deliver poor application software. It is paramount to ensure the quality of an app so it’s user-friendly and appealing to the eyes. Simply embedding cool features into the app won’t quite cut it, create an app that is appealing to your target audience.

After creating the app, kindly debug it to eliminate any hitch that may pop up. After debugging test it among several people just to receive feedback from which you can source some improvements before launching it.

If you skip these steps, the user may experience crashing of the app, lags and a long time loading of the content. All your metrics will be affected. To create a high-quality application.

• Offer social logins.

In the 21^st century, every person has a social side. Social media has taken the millennials like a storm and is not slowing down any time soon. So creating a link to Facebook or twitter connect will go a long way to providing the customer with a social aspect of the application. However, if you don’t enforce a safe and secure connection this can easily turn futile.

Also, ensuring easy login to these social media platforms is also essential but again the security side cannot be overemphasized. Ensure you have at least two social media platforms on your application.

• Keep the excitement going.

You may have a very cool application, but customers can get bored and neglect the app. Change is the only thing that is constant. With this in mind, organize contests in the application, challenges and keep bringing new themes to your application. In 2019 dark themes are especially popular among millennials. If the excitement is ever on then the client is always looking forward to new changes and offers. These, in turn, translating customer retention and satisfaction.

Also, in the play or app store, you could list the benefits of your application, customer comments, and ratings. These provide the client with a sneak preview of what they are installing and what to expect from the app. Customer satisfaction should be at the core of the application and not monetary gain.

Lastly, most developers should actually think like marketers. There’s a business side to applications as making money is indeed the overall objective, this should however not overshadow the customer who is at the core of this objective. The customer needs do indeed come first.

If the above strategies are followed, you will see increased customer engagement and increased retention in clients. Try it out.