In 2024, attracting users to mobile apps is crucial. The market is competitive, user habits change quickly, and technology advances fast. A well-planned strategy is essential to make your app stand out and engage users.
A common challenge for app developers is creating a great app that few people use due to the crowded market. It’s a harsh reality: many apps lose up to 80% of their users within the first three days after download and even more over three months. This makes it vital to not only gain new users but also keep them.
Key Statistics:
- By the end of 2023, over 6.92 billion people, around 85% of the global population, will use smartphones.
- The App Store and Google Play have about 5.5 million apps combined.
- Over 1 million apps were added to Google Play in one year, and less than 400,000 were added to iOS.
Standing out in this crowded market is tough. High-ranking apps are especially hard to compete with. Ideally, users would find and download our apps organically, but it’s rarely that simple. Hence, user acquisition remains a key focus in 2024.
Two Pricing Approaches: CPI vs. CPA
- CPI (Cost Per Install) measures the cost of acquiring a new user. It’s calculated by dividing the total cost by the number of new users.
- CPA (Cost Per Action) involves a specific user action, like registration or purchase. The cost is calculated by dividing the total campaign cost by the number of targeted actions.
Mobile games mainly use CPI, while other apps are moving towards CPA.
Paid and Free User Acquisition in 2024:
- Paid User Acquisition: Involves advertising to gain users.
- Free User Acquisition: Gains users organically through ASO (App Store Optimization).
The best strategy combines both paid and free methods.
Privacy Changes in 2024:
- Apple’s SKAN and Google’s Privacy Sandbox will impact user acquisition, focusing on user privacy.
- These changes emphasize the importance of consent-based advertising.
Contextual Targeting:
Contextual targeting is becoming more critical. It involves placing ads where they’re most relevant to the audience based on the content and environment.
2024 User Acquisition Trends:
- Privacy-focused advertising is becoming more crucial.
- Contextual targeting will be critical as behavioral targeting becomes less viable.
- Advertisers must adapt to Apple’s SKAN.
- A combination of AI and human insight is vital for campaign success.
- Balancing user acquisition and retention is essential.
- Understanding the target audience through SEO, content marketing, and referral marketing is essential.
- Rewards and affiliate marketing can help expand reach and effectiveness.
In 2024, adapting to privacy-focused advertising, utilizing contextual targeting, and balancing AI with human understanding is essential for mobile app user acquisition. Don’t forget the power of ASO for organic growth. Stay tuned for more insights and forecasts in our upcoming review of the mobile app market.