Navigating Re-engagement In The New Era of Privacy

This is a guest post from AdQuantum, a performance marketing agency.

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, a startling trend has emerged: app uninstall rates are skyrocketing. According to recent research by AppsFlyer, in 2022, the app uninstall rate has drastically increased, with 49% of users uninstalling an app within 30 days and 66% of them doing so on day 1. It’s a harsh reality that has app developers scrambling to find solutions in the face of mounting challenges. 

When it comes to preventing app deletion, user re-engagement is a key component. Not only can it generate additional value from users, but it can also bring them back to your app before they uninstall it. Prepare to dive into the realm of re-engagement tactics and discover the most efficient ways to retain and re-engage users within your app – especially in an era where privacy reigns supreme.

What is user re-engagement?

Broadly speaking, user re-engagement refers to the active process of reaching out to and engaging with users who have stopped using your app, with the goal of encouraging them to start using it again. Re-engagement is often confused with retargeting. 

To clarify the difference, consider the following scenario, where A and B represent two different apps. The user installs both apps but later decides to engage with app B and ceases to use it while completely uninstalling app A from their device. In this case, ad campaigns designed to lure the user back to app A would be considered retargeting campaigns, while those for app B would fall under re-engagement campaigns.

Why is re-engagement important?

The mobile app market is highly competitive, with users being offered a wide range of apps across different verticals. Due to this variety of options, users frequently abandon apps, and the longer a user goes without using an app, the more likely they are to eventually delete it.

By keeping users engaged and encouraging them to take action within the app, you can decrease your app uninstall rate and significantly increase the average revenue per user (ARPU), as engaged users tend to make more purchases than new ones. Re-engagement is a relatively cost-effective way of improving your retention rate, revenue flow, and app’s rating and reviews, so utilizing it is never a bad idea. 

Out of all the re-engagement mechanics, such as push notifications, in-app messaging, email newsletters, social media engagement, and SMS, user acquisition campaigns turn out to be the most effective way to remind your users about your app. By running targeted campaigns on various platforms, you can reach out to users who have shown an interest in similar apps or have already installed your app but haven’t used it recently. However, it’s important to note that advertising alone may not be enough to re-engage users. It’s also essential to provide a valuable and engaging user experience to encourage them to return to your app.

Re-engagement in the era of privacy

The SKAdNetwork has been with us for over two years now, and Google has likewise released the Android Privacy Sandbox. As a precaution, it incorporated the Protected Audience API, which allows you to target existing users without sharing their data with third parties. 

As Google is planning to fully launch the Privacy Sandbox in 2024, it’s currently too early to raise concerns. But what channels are available for iOS right now? Re-engagement has undoubtedly become more challenging following the release of iOS 14.5+, yet it’s not entirely impossible. Since the release of App Tracking Transparency, users have increasingly consented to IDFA tracking. We believe that the key is not to find workarounds but to build trusting relationships with users.

Re-engaging users on iOS is like a dance between a developer and a user. And the future of the product depends on who will lead this dance. The main challenge for developers in this endeavor lies within the ATT prompt. Convincing users to grant their consent for any action is no easy feat. Complicating matters further, the ATT prompt can only be displayed to the user once. This means that if a user declines tracking, they would need to delve into their device settings to re-enable it – which, as you can imagine, is highly unlikely to happen.

But of course, Apple is not the devil incarnate. It does allow customizing the ATT prompt, enabling the display of a customized screen before the prompt, which is your main weapon here. Users won’t delve into your problems to help you, but they for sure will be interested in the privileges they gain by consenting to ATT. Therefore, emphasize the benefits that this consenting will bring to your users.

Furthermore, you still have the possibility of encouraging users to provide their email, as it is not tied to device data. This will allow you to conduct campaigns on ad platforms and email campaigns. Push notifications are also suitable for re-engaging users, but it’s important not to overuse them, as it may become the case when users choose to delete your app.

Re-engagement tips

Now let’s move on to the most interesting part – some tips for successful re-engagement campaigns that we at AdQuantum have gathered through our own experiences.

• Analyze your audience

To correctly perform re-engagement activities, you should first assess your current audience engagement. This will help you pick the right re-engagement channels and proper strategies. The best way to measure audience engagement is to compare the ratio of daily active users (DAU) to monthly active users (MAU), as well as the duration of sessions and the app usage frequency. By analyzing these metrics, you can gain insights into how often users exploit your app, how long the sessions are, and how frequently your users take the desired actions. 

• Segment users

User actions provide valuable insights allowing you to segmentize them and find better points of growth for monetization. Audience segmentation ensures that your push notifications, email letters, and ads are relevant to your users. The best ways to segmentize your audience are based on their conversion probability.

• Personalize the offer

Using the right triggers is the key to successful re-engagement. Identify and address the specific concerns or pain points of your users to achieve the best results.

• Use direct links in ads

A direct link is one that leads directly to a specific “place” within an app. It increases the likelihood of a conversion after clicking on it, as users don’t need to navigate through your app to find your offer, reducing the risk of disappointment or confusion.

• Use multiple traffic sources

Diversify traffic sources to increase re-engagement and reach a wider audience. This multi-channel approach maximizes the chances of reconnecting with users who may have disengaged from your app. Broaden your reach to boost re-engagement rates effectively.

Wrapping up

In the era of privacy, re-engaging users has become more challenging. However, by taking an analytical approach to your campaigns, getting personal with your audience, making the user experience simple and enjoyable, and building trust with your users, all while keeping your app up to date and engaging, you’ll nail your re-engagement game. If you need a hand with your re-engagement activities, don’t hesitate to reach out to the AdQuantum team. Start strong, adapt to the privacy-first reality, and watch your app soar to success!