So, you have a new mobile application ready. What’s next?
Mobile applications have become a sole part of our lives. Whether you want to purchase or just travel somewhere, we prefer these apps to get things done quickly and efficiently. An interactive mobile application will attract more users, whereas a poorly performing one will easily turn users off and lead to negative reviews. Nobody prefers loss of revenue. So, you have to keep measuring your mobile app performance. It will be your significant concern that your app delivers the expected user experience and generates better revenue.
Let’s find out the most relevant metrics for mobile application monitoring that can evaluate the performance of any mobile app. This blog will encompass several key points from the definition of Mobile app performance metrics, their detailed description, benefits, and how they work.
Definition of Mobile App Performance Metrics
A powerful mobile application will complete its job without delay. A mobile app with a 10/10 for performance is more of an absurd thought because flaws are normal. There are certain metrics to measure the performance of different mobile apps.
Mobile app performance metrics are key indicators that measure the performance of a mobile application. These metrics provide insight into how well an app functions, how users engage with it, and how it impacts overall business goals.
Why is it Important to Measure the Performance of a Mobile Application?
Mobile app performance testing is crucial for several reasons, including:
- Identifying and resolving issues: When measuring the performance of a mobile app, it helps developers identify the issues that can impact the user experience. These issues include longer app loading times, errors, or crashes. Developers can resolve these issues and ensure the mobile app functions well.
- Improving user experience: With a proper analysis of app performance metrics, it is easy for the developers to understand how users interact with the app. The features the users prefer the most, or the issues they are experiencing, are monitored, and data-driven decisions help optimize the user experience.
- Increasing user retention: Certain performance metrics, like retention rate and engagement, provide insight into how users interact with the app over time. Monitoring these metrics will help the developers maximize user retention and encourage app usage.
- Generating better revenue: Metrics like conversion rate can help developers identify opportunities to improve revenue streams. Optimizing the checkout process or adding new features can encourage users to make a purchase.
So, measuring the performance of a mobile app is critical for ensuring its success and maximizing its impact on business goals. By tracking performance metrics and making data-driven decisions, developers can continually improve the user experience and drive growth for the app.
The impact of metrics on businesses or your mobile application can be long-lasting. That’s why you need key performance indicators for mobile apps. Associating mobile app performance metrics will work with the automatic alerts for immediate measures during the hour of need.
What are the General Mobile App KPIs?
The general mobile app KPIs we are penning here include no technical parameter or core understanding of how mobile apps work. KPIs may differ depending on the objective of the application. For instance, if your app requires a subscription, you won’t have to worry about how many downloads there have.
Mobile Downloads
How many users are downloading your application is proportional to how successful the app is among your users. When you have a vast number of downloads, your UX must get better.
User Growth
You should check the user growth rate to track your increasing user base. Check how the growth rate improves, if it’s steady or slow. The basic formula to count user growth rate is like this.
((Present User Amount – Past User Amount) / (Past User Amount)) X 100
You must find out the number of active users on your mobile application for a long time. Once you find out an average, the idea of the growth rate for your mobile application will be distinct.
Uninstallations
Uninstallations are an inevitable part of the app user experience. Even the most enthusiastic users may lose interest after a while. However, uninstalls are a huge concern if they exceed the number of installations. This is why keeping track of the number of uninstalls is crucial.
Suppose you recently introduced a new feature or increased your rates, and you notice a surge in uninstalls. Get the underlying reasons for this trend.
When you can identify the causes of more uninstall, it is easy to make informed decisions about the future direction of your app.
Getting the right number of uninstalls is straightforward. Subtract the number of downloads at the end of the month from the number of downloads at the beginning of the month. You can get the exact count. This is why tracking this KPI is essential to monitor the performance of your mobile app.
Organic Conversion Rate
When you pay to push a mobile application among more users, it is no longer an organic campaign. Organic conversion rate refers to the rate of converting visitors through non-paid channels. The organic conversion process includes social media mentions, word of mouth, influencer marketing, organic search, and more. As soon as you start tracking this KPI, you will get an idea of the results you derive from organic activities.
Paid Conversion
Paid conversion can be an effective way to boost your conversion rate and achieve your business goals faster. Utilizing platforms like promoted tweets and sponsored Instagram posts can help you get the most out of your investment. Among the most popular paid ad channels are PPC advertising and display ads.
Determining the paid conversion rate for your business is crucial to understanding the ROI for each channel. By closely monitoring this metric, you can identify the best-performing paid channels and allocate resources accordingly. You can easily monitor the conversion rate of your paid channels through the dashboard provided for each platform.
Social Shares
Every time your app is shared on social media, your business gains visibility. More social shares indicate that your content or product/service is worth sharing. Analyze the source of the shares, the context, and the audience sharing them.
It is easy to manage your social media marketing efforts when you identify the content type being shared most frequently and the most fruitful social media channels. Every time a user shares your app on a social media platform, it creates an opportunity to reach out to new customers.
Ratings
Positive ratings indicate that your app is useful and engaging for users. A higher rating means people are more likely to download and continue using your app. Negative ratings, on the other hand, can provide valuable feedback and opportunities for improvement.
Third-party websites that allow users to post ratings are an excellent source of honest feedback. There is always a scope to improve the user experience from the user ratings, and you can boost its appeal and drive growth.
Reach vs. Impressions
Often people think that Reach and Impressions are the same. But the scenario is different. How many people saw your content is the Reach, and how many times your content was shown is called impressions.
Customers may not see your every post due to the preference for paid ads. Organic Reach has decreased significantly in recent years. So, it is important to ensure that each number in Reach is unique.
User Management KPIs
Measuring user engagement is crucial to determine the success of your mobile app. There are several user engagement metrics that you can track. However, choose metrics that align with your app’s niche and category. This will help you gain insights into what makes users stay with the app.
Analyzing user engagement metrics can reveal why users enjoy using your app, how they are utilizing it, and how you can encourage them to spend more time on it. The more engaged your users are with your app, the less likely they are to churn. This ultimately leads to increased revenue for your business. Below are some user engagement metrics worth considering:
Churn Rate
Churn Rate, or the attrition rate, refers to the number of users who stop using the application over time. Current users must be higher than the users who left. Only then will an application grow. How many existing customers you have at the beginning of a month, divided by the number remaining at the month-end, determines the churn rate. Different factors can influence the churn rate, including lack of features, poor onboarding process, and so on. Once you reduce the churn rate, it will bring in higher revenue.
Retention Rate
Retention rate signifies the percentage of users returning after a given period, indicating a “sticky” or valuable app. Better future earnings are assured when there is a higher retention rate.
To calculate the retention rate, use the formula ((CE – CN) / CS) x 100.
CE (i.e., how many customers were retained at the end of the period)
CN (i.e., how many new customers were acquired during the period)
CS (i.e., how many customers at the start of the period).
Always remember that the Customer churn rate is inverse to the customer retention rate for your mobile application.
So, to increase retention rates, analyze app data to identify and address issues causing user disengagement. This will lead to a better user experience and increased retention rate.
Session Length and Depth
A session refers to the duration a user interacts with your mobile app. Session length and depth are two key metrics to measure user engagement. Session length reflects how long a user spends on your app, and session depth shows how engaged the user is with your app. It reflects how close the user is to completing the targetted action, i.e., purchasing or downloading a resource. A session depth also determines how far along a user stays in the application before leaving. The more actions a user takes, the more engaged they are with your app.
Daily and Monthly Active Users
Active users refer to those who use your mobile app daily. The number of daily active users (DAU) is a primary metric to measure user engagement and growth. A decline in DAU indicates a need to market the app to existing users. Monthly active users (MAU) use the app at least once a month. An increase in MAU signifies app growth and expansion. Tracking DAU and MAU provides insight into the app’s performance.
Average Screens per Visit
The average screen per visit is the number of unique pages a user visits during a session. A higher number of screens per visit implies that users are more engaged with the app, and the user experience is good. If the app generates impressions, more pages visited will lead to more impressions. Calculating the average screens per visit helps to measure user engagement and the effectiveness of the app’s content.
Stickiness
Stickiness is the measure of how often users open the app. It is calculated by dividing daily active users by monthly active users. A high stickiness percentage indicates that more visitors are returning to the app, which reflects high user engagement. Apps like Instagram or Reddit have high stickiness as they connect users to communities. A high stickiness percentage signifies the app has high user retention rates.
UX and Performance Metrics
Performance KPIs in a mobile app reflect its technical performance. Following them will help improve performance and the existing user experience.
Load speed
Mobile app visitors expect fast load times and responses. Slow load times can cause users to leave or uninstall the app. 70% of users abandon apps that take too long to load.
Screen Resolution
Knowing popular screen resolutions ensures that the app meets device expectations. Knowing resolutions, especially for Android devices, is crucial, as many manufacturers exist.
Crash Reports
Crashes happen due to a variety of factors. Analyzing crash reports helps identify the point of the impact, the issue, and its cause. This will aid in testing and fixing the app regularly.
Upgrades
Tracking the upgrade metric of free users to premium/paid versions helps calculate the percentage of paid customers, how long it takes for the average user to upgrade, and how long they stay as paying customers.
Devices
Monitoring which devices audiences use helps optimize the app’s performance. Knowing if they use tablets or smartphones, iPhones, or Android, helps allocate resources accordingly.
Carriers
Knowing the carriers your customer base primarily uses bits of help allocate resources efficiently.
Operating Systems
Monitoring the app’s performance for different operating systems helps identify issues and optimize the app.
Revenue KPIs:
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
Keeping track of how many users are spending time on your app will help you generate ideas to increase revenue. A survey says that Android users tend to make small purchases, while iOS users spend a lot more.
Purchases
This metric tells you the number of purchases made through your app and can help you evaluate the effectiveness of different sources. If there is a reduction in purchases, you may need to improve the user experience or address any other issues.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
CLV refers to the time customer spends throughout their lifetime. It will help you determine the acquisition cost of each customer and adjust your marketing budget accordingly.
Time to make the first purchase
This metric refers to the time a trial or free user takes to become a paid customer. This can indicate the value your product brings to customers.
Return on Investment (ROI)
ROI shows the returns gained from investments in marketing, resources, and tools, helping you optimize operations.
Abandonment Rate
This metric can measure how many users abandon the application before signing in or using it. Also, it highlights if there is any onboarding issue or other sources of friction.
Mobile app marketing KPIs:
Install source
This metric identifies how customers discover and install your app through guest posts, organic searches, or paid ads on social media.
Channel Breakdown
This metric analyzes how users arrive at your app and their behavior after starting to use it, providing insights to improve the app.
Geometrics
This metric shows revenue patterns in different locations and identifies areas of high and low demand for your product.
Virality and K factor
This metric measures the popularity and word-of-mouth surrounding your mobile app marketing, calculated by multiplying brand mentions with the corresponding conversion percentage.
Cohort analysis
This metric categorizes your user base into groups and analyzes patterns for each cohort to improve targeting.
App Store ranking by category
To improve your app store ranking, you should monitor factors such as app name, keywords, ratings, user reviews, frequency of updates, downloads, and description over time to assess their impact on your app’s performance.
Final Words
So, we have discussed six different types of mobile app KPIs here, along with the subcategories. Whenever you plan to set up KPIs for your mobile application, ensure it aligns well with your business objectives and helps you grow.
