The struggle for mobile app success is fierce, but it's even fiercer when you launch an app in a crowded app store. You need reliable tools to navigate your way since you can't go anywhere if you don't know where you're going. The only way for app marketers and owners to grow, while indeed increasing users, is through an impactful understanding and measurement of several mobile app metrics.
Let's take a look at the key app user acquisition metrics that clarify the performance and efficiency of your marketing spend and identify which channels are delivering valuable users (and even the cost). We also want to look at the key mobile app growth metrics that give you a broad view of your application's health, user engagement, and the potential for success over time. By understanding and consistently tracking these key metrics, you can avoid the guesswork and make informed, data-driven decisions to significantly increase your user acquisition and grow your app sustainably in the long term.
Important Acquisition Metrics
New users are the first log in a fire that can help build more app growth. However, eventual success and price in user acquisition are the basis of ongoing success. When you think about acquiring new app users, the metrics you look at should only be meaningful, not just how many people downloaded the app! Here are the important app user acquisition metrics you should focus on:
App Installs (Segmented)
The total number of installs of an app is simply a starting point, but you need to separate those numbers between natural discovery and paid media sources. Tracking the tracking of organic users and users acquired from paid campaigns will show how effective the methods are for people finding your app on their own versus promoting the app.
Cost Per Install (CPI)
Cost Per Install (CPI) gives you an indication of which paid methods of user acquisition will yield an effect. You can use the total costs for installs from each channel or campaign to decide which user acquisition methods to continue to spend your money on.
Install Conversion Rate (by Channel)
The install conversion rate informs you of the percentage of users that took some action with an app listing, either on the app store or in a paid advertisement, before installing the app. The performance of the app is going to be based on the conversion rates from all marketing channels, so now you can see which ones yield more significant results.
User Acquisition Cost (UAC)
The number associated with User Acquisition Cost (UAC) will include any costs associated with recruiting a new user through marketing teams, as well as usage on all platforms. When UAC is clear, you will recognize the revenue amount that you generated through your user acquisition spend, and you can set appropriate business expansion goals around expenditures you incur.
Organic User Growth Rate
A growing array of users who find the app through organic sources suggests a strong in-store presence and positive reviews shared by users. Your app continues to be valued when users continue to find and use it on their own.
Attribution Accuracy
The accurate attribution of installs and additional actions in-app from those installs to their source is a key piece of knowing how best to spend your marketing dollars. Knowing which campaigns and channels are attracting your most valuable users allows you to double down on what works and get rid of what doesn't. This requires an effective measurement architecture that allows you to measure the journey from the initial touchpoint to conversion.
Measuring Engagement and Value
Acquiring users is only half the battle; retaining and engaging them is the key to sustained growth. These mobile app growth metrics provide crucial insights into user behavior, app stickiness, and long-term value:
- Daily/Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU)
- User Retention Rate (Cohort Analysis)
- Churn Rate
- Session Length and Frequency
- User Lifetime Value (LTV)
- Key Event Completion Rates
Linking Acquisition to Lasting Success
Measurements in mobile apps work together as a system rather than one independent point. Measuring mobile app data requires looking at all relationships between these numbers. A higher CPI can be acceptable because new users from this purchase perform better in terms of user retention and lifetime value. A large number of app acquisitions benefits nothing if users keep leaving right after they come in.
A full-featured mobile measurement platform helps companies see complete user connections. A reliable MMP connects all your marketing data and in-app user information to provide you with a single unified source. Our system correctly links your buying strategy to user involvement actions and financial results. A successful MMP like Apptrove helps you see the whole user journey, plus connects advertisement clicks to conversions and long-term involvement, so you can accurately understand LTV and how much you make in return. Using all available metrics in decision-making helps you reach better user acquisition results and boost your user base's long-term value.