Mobile marketing is new. So we need to find new ways to measure it.
Total app downloads sounds like the perfect number to present to management. It’s usually a fairly large number, it can be grabbed from the iTunes store or AppWorld and it will keep growing over time. This number is large but it will be tough to use it to answer your boss’ inevitable question, “so how many people have bought something because they went to our app?” For this question, we need to look at other options. App downloads only tell you why people got your app in the first place and not why they keep coming back to use it again and again.
Download numbers tell the wrong story.
In 2010, most organizations I found who created branded apps seem to have focused on their download numbers as the key success metric. On it’s own, the number of app downloads helps to identify how effective your app promotion campaign has been and the general interest in the app subject matter but that’s not really what you want to know. You’re looking for a business outcome. You want to know how your app helped your company to grow the business.
The problem with the app downloads metric is articulated in a recent Forrester report titled “2011 US Mobile Marketing Predictions” where it details that there will always be a segment of app downloaders who download your app, look at it once and then rarely open it again. This is just a tough truth of how people use apps, they download a large number but they only consistently use the ones that they find helpful or entertaining. For branded apps, there is good news resulting from this behaviour. If you can become one of the few apps a person uses often, you’ve opened a valuable communication channel with an individual who loves what you do.
Apps are an opt-in marketing channel.
The individuals that make up your loyal app audience will likely be your current customers and those already familiar with your brand. An app is an opportunity to grow your connection with this loyal audience by providing them with information they find valuable. This information positions you as a leader in your industry and helps you to stay top of mind between purchases.
When your customers get to the buying stage, you’ve already given yourself a huge head start over your competition. You’ve already proved your value to this audience, and the ongoing relationship you’ve created in the process will have positioned your product or service as the logical choice in the buyers mind.
It’s about loyalty, not volume.
It’s time to look past the total number of downloads as the only metric of success for branded apps. Try to focus instead on the number of repeat visitors and what these visitors are most interested in. You’ll be better equipped to figure out how your app is helping to drive business for your company.