Mobile App Metrics: Measuring and Improving App Performance

Imagine having a kick-ass mobile app that does everything it's supposed to without any glitches - it's like finding a hidden treasure, but in digital form!

Getting a perfect 10/10 score on all app parameters sounds like something out of a dream. Let's be real; every app's got some flaws. The key is not to let it downgrade over time.

Thankfully, there are ways to calculate app performance with the right metrics that fit your app's features and functionalities.

So let's dive in!

What Are Mobile App Metrics?

Alright, let's talk app metrics – they're like a super cool window into how your marketing campaigns are doing! They keep you in the loop about the hottest trends and let you know if you're nailing your goals or need some tweaks to get better results.

But remember, these metrics are like a squad - they work best together! Combine their powers, and you'll get killer insights that'll guide you and keep your app strategy on point.

Take mobile app downloads, for example. Checking how many people install your app is a good start, but here's the kicker: almost half of them ditch it within a month, mainly because they're not using it (bummer!). So, don't just stop at installs; connect the dots with post-install metrics for the full picture.

Not all metrics fit every business. In an insurance app, a high abandonment rate on a registration form is a major alarm bell! But for a gaming app, skipping forms might not be a big deal for fun-seeking users.

Now that we know what mobile apps are let’s look at some of the key mobile application development metrics:

Mobile Downloads

The number of times people download a mobile app often reflects its success, right? Just picture hitting a million downloads in just six months - that screams "success" loud and clear! But here's the kicker - mobile downloads can be pretty subjective too. A social media app with ten million downloads might not be as impressive as an Edtech paid subscription service with one million downloads.

But it also has its drawbacks. So it’s important to ensure that you deliver a smooth user experience, which includes everything from a tap or swipe to the complete user interaction. This is the key to the growth of your mobile app marketing.

Cost per Install (CPI)

CPI is a crucial metric that showcases the amount you need to pay on paid ads for each new user. For this, you need to calculate how much your total advertising expenditure is for a specific time frame and then divide that by the new installation attracted during the period.

Now, here's the thing - many people think a lower CPI means a killer user acquisition strategy. But hold up! Sometimes, especially in Android global campaigns, you might get users at a super low CPI, but they won't turn into paying customers.

Make sure to keep your CPI as low as you can, spending less money. If your CPI gets higher that your Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), you will lose money on the each download or customer acquisition.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

Once you start getting some users, you need to find out how much money they'll bring to your business. That's what Customer Lifetime Value, or CLTV, is for. It helps you understand how much money a typical customer will give you over the course of their time using your app.

CLTV is like your financial compass, guiding you to see if you're spending more on acquiring users than what they'll bring in - and that's a major red flag for any business! If that happens, you'll need to focus on boosting your CLTV to make things profitable.

Now, here's how you calculate CLTV:

Average Value of Conversion X Average Number of Conversions over a Time Period X Average Customer Lifetime

Suppose you have an online shop where a person usually spends $50 when buying something. They buy stuff around three times a year. Most people continue buying from your shop for about 2 years. So, the CLTV of your customer would be $300.

Now, the real test is comparing this number with your acquisition costs (CAC) to see if you're making a profit with each customer you acquire. Your CLTV should be higher than your CAC.

Session Length

Session length refers to the time a user spends on an app during a single session, and it can vary depending on the app type and users' characteristics.

For instance, weather apps usually have shorter session lengths compared to social media apps. You don’t need much time to check the weather, but the time spent on social media can be much more than that.

It also depends on your age. Young people usually don't stay on an app as long as older people. This could be because young people often get distracted more quickly.

Ultimately, the content of the app and its audience determine the session length.

Monthly Active Users (MAUs)

Monthly Active Users (MAUs) are like your app's pulse - they give you a great overall picture of your engaged audience. This metric counts users as MAUs if they log into your app at least once in a particular month or within a specific 30-day period, depending on how your company measures it. It's a handy way to understand the level of engagement among your users.

Although you should see MAU as a general guide because sometimes customers may skip a month and come back later, keeping track of whether your MAU count is going up or down can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your customer acquisition and retention efforts. It's like having a directional signal for the health of your app's user base!

Mobile App Metric Tools

1. Google Firebase

Google Firebase was acquired by Google in 2014 and it has evolved into a versatile app platform supporting web and mobile development solution. Firebase offers unlimited reporting for up to 500 different events that users can define using the Firebase SDK. This data empowers users to make well-informed decisions regarding app marketing and performance enhancements.

Within Firebase, there's an integrated feature called "Google Analytics for Developers," which provides valuable insights into how audiences are using applications. It also offers a view of advertising performance. Additionally, Firebase includes a new notification system primarily built on Google Cloud Messaging. This feature enables effective communication with app users through notifications.

2. Apple App Analytics

Apple App Analytics offers a fantastic way to grasp all the insights about your iOS app in the App Store. This free tool enables you to monitor app store performance, user engagement, marketing campaign effectiveness, subscription metrics, sales trends, and much more. The best part is that it comes as part of your Apple Developer Program membership and doesn't require any technical hassle for implementation. You've got everything you need right in App Store Connect!

3. Apsalar

Apsalar is a powerful mobile measurement and intelligence tool designed to assist clients in tracking the success of their mobile app marketing campaigns. By using Apsalar, clients gain valuable insights into their app's audience and overall performance. Created in 2010, this tool is accessible on both iOS and Android devices.

With Apsalar, users can access real-time analytics for multiple apps simultaneously. The platform offers customizable dashboards and funnel creation features to tailor the data representation according to specific needs. Additionally, Apsalar includes a free tool that allows developers to precisely target specific users during advertising efforts. It's a comprehensive solution for optimizing mobile app strategies!

4. AppMetrica

AppMetrica is an awesome free tool that offers seamless end-to-end app analytics and marketing solutions. With this tool, you can conveniently access all your app's statistics in a single place. It provides device-specific data and allows for granular cohort analysis. It also helps you with the user’s historical data in order to create detailed customer profiles.

5. Countly

Countly is a free tool with a simple design that keeps track of all your information. You can use it across various platforms without any worries.

As a remarkable app marketing tool, Countly enables users to gauge the app's overall effectiveness by analyzing user experiences. The best part? It operates in real-time, allowing clients to swiftly identify the strengths and weaknesses of their app. With these insights, they can make necessary adjustments to enhance the user experience and boost goal conversions. Countly also lets you monitor users' actions within the app, giving you valuable data on how users engage with your mobile application. It's an all-around gem for app analytics and optimization!

Final Words

No matter, if you're a newbie starting your app-marketing journey or an experienced player diving into advanced data analysis, following mobile app analytics metrics, is crucial to conquering the world of App Store Optimization (ASO).

There are various apps used to analyze mobile data. The ones we talked about are special because they give you a lot of detailed information about who's using your app. Whether you want to increase your app’s popularity or analyze your data, these tools can help you do it!