A product launch can be extremely exciting. Especially if it’s an app for your business in which there’s “everything” that your client could want. But as the app is launched and weeks go by you notice that most people who download your app never use it. And slowly you start to understand that your app isn’t the major success you expected.

And you’re not alone! According to a recent article by Andrew Chen, the average app loses almost 80% of its users in the first 3 days! This means that out of every 10 users who download your app, only 2 will keep using it after the first few days. And even worse, within the first 90 days less than 5% of initial users will still be using the app.

This is a massive challenge for most mobile apps and companies that don’t focus on retaining their users will waste tens of thousands of dollars, several months in development not even talking about hiring people to maintain the app. In the end, you have an app that no one will ever need.

But why do customers stop using apps and how to get better at retaining them?

1. The app brings no value to its users

Another significant problem that mobile apps face in terms of user retention is that they fail to bring value to their users. If an app doesn’t provide any real value to its users, why should they keep using it? 

This can be solved by talking to your users frequently and getting their feedback on the app’s features, functionality, and overall usefulness which can then be used to make the app more valuable to users. 

There is also a chance that a business doesn’t need an app because its target audience simply isn’t there or there are better alternatives out there.

2. Poor onboarding

Users should understand the app’s value proposition right from the start. If they can’t, they are likely to abandon the app. The app should support the company’s overall mission and brand promise, and provide a unique value to the users that align with the company’s core values.

Improve the onboarding process by understanding how users interact with the app in the first place. Then you can improve it by adding gamification elements that reward app users for their actions or personalized experiences such as notifications. 

3. Maintain long-term value

Finally, companies must keep their apps updated and bug-free. Users will quickly abandon an app that crashes or has glitches. Regular updates and bug fixes show that the company is invested in providing an excellent user experience.

Bad retention is the biggest challenge for organizations’ mobile apps. Poor user experience, bad onboarding, lack of personalized communication, and buggy apps are only some pain points that lead to bad retention which is the easiest way of wasting your money and effort on apps that no one uses.

We at FanApps have seen poor retention occur in countless mobile apps over many years. That’s why we want to reinvent the way businesses think about their mobile apps with UseAward. It’s the most effective way to retain your users by transforming the whole experience into a journey of collecting points and being rewarded for it.