We recently joined leading mobile industry experts for an exclusive webinar hosted by Mintegral. Among the panelists was our very own VP of Insights Adam Blacker, AppsFlyer's Customer Success Team Lead Tony Rafetto, and Adjust's VP of Partnerships Andrey Kazakov. Together, they covered the current state of app performance, mobile growth strategies, and emerging platforms & opportunities for app marketers in H2 2020.
If that sounds like a lot, it's 'cause it was a lot. That's why we've got the full recap, with key takeaways, right here. Or, if you're in need of a visual, click here to watch the recording of the webinar.
Key Takeaways: The Latest Trends, Opportunities & Learnings for Apps in 2020
How did app verticals perform in the U.S. during the lockdown?
- Each country followed a very similar pattern as they went through the various phases of the virus response. What we saw in China, for instance, helped us understand what was to come in the U.S.
- Overall app demand increased. Total app revenue and downloads essentially doubled.
- Apps that trended up: food delivery, education, communication, news, streaming, casual investing, money remittance, package-tracking apps, hyper-casual gaming.
- Apps that trended down: travel, dating, payday advance apps, hospitality.
- Some industries that took a hit at the start of COVID are now rebounding and, in some cases, are doing even better than before. Example: shopping apps.
- CPI bids declined during lockdown, but are now trending back up.
What is the most interesting point of data you've seen during lockdown?
- The return of the great outdoors: camping apps, astronomy apps, RV rental apps, fishing apps are all on the rise YoY, not just seasonally.
- Marketplace apps, like eBay and Etsy, are now taking some market share from Amazon.
- Where there is risk, there's also a lot of opportunity. Wayfair's stock, for instance, has gone up 10x since its lowest point.
- On the User Acquisition side, we are seeing apps experiment with different channels and assets.
What opportunities do you see for marketers in H2 2020?
- Automation. It opens new levels of efficiency that allows for mobile marketing teams to:
- Accelerate growth by implementing paid strategies in a fraction of the time.
- Smooths scale by taking away manual touch points that come with maintaining campaigns.
- Mobile games for brands. For more context, read "Why your brand needs a mobile game" by Adam Blacker.
What's currently more important: retention of existing users or acquiring new users?
- In sum, they're both pretty important. But, increased engagement of existing users is generally what drives the most revenue growth. Plus, it's far cheaper to retain a user than it is to gain a new one.
- That said, take advantage of low acquisition costs during this time. Just know that these conditions won't last forever, so you need to actively develop your retention strategy while you're at it.
- One of the most effective ways to retain users and acquire new ones at the same time is to run retargeting campaigns. Apps that did this saw the greatest retention.
What are your predictions for mobile apps in H2 2020?
- The way people consume things is going to continue to change. This will lead to more apps and more app categories.
- Apps that declined during the lockdown will need to adjust their strategy and prove their value in this new era. This may look like traditional businesses adopting more COVID-friendly or digital-centric practices.
What are the best regions for growth in 2020? Which apps are primed for growth?
- Developing markets where there's less mobile penetration are the best regions for growth. Think Brazil, India, Indonesia, and many regions in Africa.
- If things normalize, the apps primed for growth are travel, ecommerce, and lifestyle apps.
- If things persist, gaming, health, finance, entertainment and education will see the largest growth.
If users opt out of IDFA, what advice would you give to marketers?
- Prepare to be nimble. There are a lot updates to watch out for in the coming days.
- Make sure you drive folks through your funnel through retargeting.
- Consider testing other channels to develop your fingerprinting solution. Example: find ways to drive users to mobile web, then back to your app.
- Optimize your app. The better experience you offer, the more likely users are to opt in or, at least, keep using your app.
What emerging platforms are important for marketers to keep an eye on?
- Marketing channels themselves, like Mintegral,
- OTTs, like Disney+, Roku, Amazon Prime Video
- App clips. App clips are a way to showcase part of your app experience without requiring users to download the app. You can use app clips to collect data, improve your UX, and draw in new users.
Do you have a question that wasn't answered above?
Tweet it at @AdamBlacker25. Or, explore the app economy yourself by clicking that big blue button below.
