Thinking of ways to improve your mobile app? Social features might be the missing pieces to boost your platform. Build a more consistent, tailored, and deep connection with these five social features you can adopt to increase app retention and create engaging user experiences.
There is no doubt that apps have become a part of our everyday lives. Most people use at least nine different apps daily, and 3 out of 10 people can’t imagine life without these apps. Because of that, app makers vie to be among the applications people use and can’t live without. Sadly that is not the case.
According to a study, 25% of the users abandon an app after one use, with only 32% of users will returning to an app 11x or more after downloading it. So with more than six million apps available on the app market today, it has increasingly become more challenging to attract, engage, and retain users.
With the app market becoming more saturated every day, you need to integrate features that will help you stand out. The good news is that you can add features that will make your app a cut above your competition — social features.
Why social features?
In today's market, social media applications rank among the top most downloaded applications. Compared to other categories, social media platforms have seen success. Why is that so?
The social aspects of human beings are the driving force behind social media platforms, which customers can use to socialize online. Even if they are virtual, people have an innate desire to connect.
Consequently, social media marketing has become a significant part of today's marketing strategies for products and brands. As a result, it has become an effective way of reaching out to their customers through various methods and allowing them to make new acquaintances, increase their network, and connect with anyone who shares their interests.
For these reasons, it’s good to look at the success of these platforms and see how you can replicate it on your app. And the easiest way to do this is to integrate social features.
Top five social features
Creating in-app user engagement with social features will enable your app to stand out, providing customers with a way to connect with you and their community without having to sign up for multiple social networks. If you’re thinking about which features can hook your customers and keep them engaged, here are the top five social features you can add to your app stat!
1. User profiles
Setting up a profile inside the app is a great way to stand out and build a strong profile. Allow users to create in-app user profiles to promote themselves and discover other users. Their profile can contain anything that will help them create a personal brand — their favorite things, passions, or pictures they’ve taken during their trips!
2. In-app Groups
Nowadays, online communities are becoming more and more active, with loads of posts, threads, comments, and likes. And while it may not seem like much, posts like these and the content they generate can positively affect the app as they create engagement among users. Besides that, in-app groups help build a sense of community among your users. With 2.7 more users staying in an app for a sense of community and belonging, in-app groups are indeed crucial to your app retention strategies.
3. Personalized Feeds
An in-app feed can be a great way to provide users with boost content relevant to them. However, the first thing you need to think about when designing this feature is what information you want to deliver to your users. Using app-based algorithms, you can give your users tailored content to keep them engaged and scroll endlessly. Then, add features that enable them to comment and share to keep the engagement alive throughout your platform.
4. Push notifications
Consistent push notifications are the key to building an engaged and loyal audience. And if utilized effectively, push notifications can boost app engagement by 88%. It's easy to set up, and it can be a great way to share product updates, tell users about exclusive promotions, and get them coming back to your app by using personalized messages. Push notifications are a great way to keep in touch and re-engage with users, as well as an excellent way to let them know that they’re still on the top of your mind.
5. Live chat
In-app messaging features such as live chat support can help enhance the in-app user experience. Utilizing chatbots to automate frequently asked questions can make your customer service more time and cost-efficient. Further, bots can help free up human resources for more complicated and time-sensitive issues. As automated live support can reduce the delays to issue resolution, you can invest more in making your app better, which ultimately translates into happy, loyal users.
