20 Effective Tips to Boost Your Mobile App Conversion Rate

20 Effective Tips to Boost Your Mobile App Conversion Rate

As of 2021, 47.28% of web traffic in the US originated from mobile devices. Mobile traffic contributes to the highest global internet traffic percentage. Such impressive figures reiterate the constant need for the growth of the mobile business industry. Most web visitors and prospective clients will probably access your products and services through their smartphones. Unfortunately, the conversion rate of mobile users isn't usually as impressive as with desktop users because of several factors, such as internet connectivity and users' location. Therefore, implementing the same conversion strategy is almost always counterproductive.

Mobile apps lack sufficient exposure to help with businesses' needs for increased conversion rates. Mobile apps are the cornerstone of mobile internet usage. Optimizing mobile apps can boost your conversion rate significantly. 

Are you looking to boost your mobile app conversion rate? This guide highlights innovative, effective solutions to effectively boost your mobile app conversion rate. 

What is Mobile App Conversion Rate?

The mobile app conversion rate is the number of visitors to take the desired action on a website. This rate could be the number of visitors who view your app listing and decide to install it.

The mobile app conversion rate could also be the number of application installations that make an in-app purchase.For instance, a customer can decide to switch from free to premium subscriptions on your app.

Regardless of the conversion rate involved, an e-commerce website or blog owner should focus efforts on how to increase the mobile app conversion rate. How do you calculate the mobile app conversion rate? Find out more below. 

How to Calculate Mobile App Conversion Rate 

Conversion rates are measured in percentages. To calculate your mobile conversion rates, take the number of conversions and divide it by the total number of visitors. Here, the conversions will be installed or mobile app purchases. Multiply your answer by 100. 

Conversion Rate= (Conversions/Total visitors via mobile) * 100. 

For instance, if 100 people download your application and only ten purchase a product/service, your conversion rate will be 10%.


What is the Average Mobile App Conversion Rate

According to App tweak, in 2021, the average mobile app conversion rates across different categories in the US were 33% on Google Play and 30.3% on the App Store. Install rates across all categories in the App Store averaged 4%. 

Install and conversion rates vary broadly between various categories. Still, mobile app conversion rates will rise in 2022 and beyond with the help of effective solutions and third-party experts such as Storyly. 

What is a Good Mobile App Conversion Rate?

Generally, 1-2% is the reasonably acceptable mobile app conversion rate. Anything above 2% is an impressive figure. Mobile app conversion rates ‌differ across app categories, from games to travel and everything in between. Proper app optimization can help you increase your conversion rates desirably despite your current mobile conversion rate. 

What is Mobile App Conversion Rate Optimization?

Mobile App Conversion Rate Optimization (mCRO) is the process of enhancing the user experience, design, and performance of a mobile app to increase the percentage of users who complete desired actions, such as in-app purchases, registrations, or subscriptions.

This is achieved by analyzing user behavior, conducting A/B testing, and implementing data-driven improvements to boost conversions and maximize the app's overall effectiveness.

20 Best Ways to Increase Mobile App Conversion Rate

In the list below, there are actionable and practical tips to help you boost your mobile conversion rate:

       1. Make Your App Easy to Install
       2. Optimize the App for First Impressions
       3. Smart User Segmentation
       4. Increase Application Speed
       5. Customize Your App on Each Platform
       6. Optimize App for Store Search
       7. Pay Attention to Localization
       8. Create and Monitor the In-App Funnel
       9. Retargeting
       10. Optimize Your Traffic Sources
       11. Personalized Push Notifications
       12. Place Meaningful Ads
       13. Make the CTA Buttons Visible
        14. Avoid Repetitive Messages
       15. Communicate Your Value Proposition Clearly
       16. Get Reviews and Ratings
       17. In-App Stories
       18. Take Full Advantage of Social Media
       19. Offer a Seamless User Experience 
       20. Conduct Frequent App Analyses

       1. Make Your App Easy to Install

If a prospective client is on the fence about converting, the tiniest obstacle can keep them from it. Ensure the installation and access process are as streamlined as possible. Your lead generation and capture form is the quickest and easiest conversion rate improvement area. As a general rule, the less information you ask from the customer, the higher the conversion rate will be. 

Make the sign-up forms easy and practical while establishing a trusting atmosphere and providing support information. Doing so reduces lead abandonments. 

       2. Optimize the App for First Impressions

A mobile app's conversion rate is understandably linked to the first impressions users notice on the Play Store and App Store when installing or using the app. In the first few seconds of interaction, you can tell users what your application does and encourage them to either download it or abandon installation. Consider the optimization in light of your own experience and expectation the first time you interact with an app on the store.

The key is to focus your optimization on the highly dominant marketing assets in each app store's First Impressions Frame. To optimize your app on Google Play, focus on optimizing the Feature Graphic. For the Apple App Store, focus on optimizing the first impressions Gallery. However, ensure you keep up with the regularly updated Google or iOS app store features.

       3. Smart User Segmentation

If your app doesn't address a specific niche or group of people, you can incorporate different sections for different personas with varying interests. By quickly understanding different target groups' requirements, you can meet their expectations, keep their free membership, and later convert them to paying customers.

Segment your app users and develop different strategies for each user. Segment your users according to the risk of loss, and follow a different procedure for each group, especially since not all users convert the same way. Customize your campaign for each group, allowing you to analyze each group's performance and help you increase your mobile app conversion rate.

       4. Increase Application Speed

Mobile users are often more impatient than desktop users. The golden standard for app load time should be 1-2 seconds. 70% of consumers claim that a page's speed can affect their willingness to purchase. A slow-loading application reduces the chances of customers returning and instead opting for your competition.

You can try out a few things to increase your app speed and either retain or boost your mobile conversion rate. Start by using a mobile-friendly theme that doesn't conflict with your website's desktop version. 

Additionally, you can enable browser caching to guarantee a smooth and uninterrupted experience for repeat mobile visitors. Retrieving resources every time a potential visitor visits your app/site can be discouraging. Browser caching is an effective strategy to keep users engaged in your product since the average user is likely to visit a website severally before converting.

       5. Customize Your App on Each Platform

If your app is available on different platforms, you need to consider the needs of each platform and platform users. The two most common app platforms/stores are Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Ensure you are aware of the differences in both platforms, including design, campaigns, and resources. By separately focusing on the differences of each app platform, you can satisfy both Google (Android) and iOS users, thus collectively boosting your mobile app conversion rate.

       6. Optimize App for Store Search

Your app must appear on the search list when a person searches it for the desired action to happen—either downloads or installs. Therefore, optimizing your app for search is among the initial strategies that can help you boost your app's conversion rate. Creative usage of appropriate keywords in the title, description, screenshots, and icon can feature your app directly in the app store's top browser results. 

This step increases the number of installs and can help tweak the app's page copy and design for relevance and brevity. Ensure you have an impressive mastery of your App Store Optimization (ASO). An app's conversion rate naturally increases when it achieves the first position in search results. 

       7. Pay Attention to Localization

The Internet and tech advancements have hastened globalization and brought together far and wide geographical regions. However, it is virtually impossible to ignore the differences in these regions, especially the diversity of potential worldwide customers. Engaging users from a particular country doesn't guarantee the same results as using the same converting strategy as users from a completely different country or region. 

With mobile app marketing best practices, ensure you focus on regional marketing. You can translate your app and features into individual countries' local languages and understanding. Localizing your app and its features by adapting to different regional cultural needs and preferences helps you appeal to a massive audience, thus favoring your mobile app conversion rate.

       8. Create and Monitor the In-App Funnel

In-app funnel is an umbrella term addressing a few major phases in a mobile app conversion campaign. Comprehend your venture's in-app funnel, then devise a strategy to increase conversions. Each stage in your campaign emphasizes your app users' influence to discover and consider your product and eventually cement a strong relationship with your brand. 

Each stage should have its unique strategies, which you need to update constantly to achieve maximum results. Regardless of your app business, ensure you identify the stages of the in-app funnel and organize strategies to increase conversions. 

       9. Retargeting

 Retargeting—also known as remarketing—is an online advertising strategy to help you maintain your brand in front of bounced off traffic after users leave your site/app. Retargeting is a tool that helps businesses reach 98% of visitors who don't convert right away. 

It is a cookie-based tech that uses simple JavaScript code to anonymously follow your audience around the web. Retargeting is a powerful branding and conversion optimization tool that functions best ‌with outbound and inbound marketing or demand generation. 

It helps you remain on your app visitor's radar and reminds them of your app whenever they are outside the app. Eventually, retargeting can help you convince them to check out your products/services again and re-consider converting.

       10. Optimize Your Traffic Sources

The App Analytics Update in iTunes Connect/App Store Connect allows you to pinpoint traffic sources driving users to your Apple App Store Product Page. As a result, you can identify a particular traffic source's hidden potential, then optimize your marketing and User Acquisition campaigns. 

In 2018, Google announced an update to the Play Console's acquisition report, allowing one to isolate the search from the browser. This move is crucial to determining your most prevalent app growth opportunities and choosing which channels to optimize. 

       11. Personalized Push Notifications

Push notifications can help you understand your app users' intentions. As previously mentioned on smart user segmentation, creating risk-level groups can help you double your conversion rate. With personalized push notifications, you can plan separate strategies for these groups you formed. 

Subsequently, send push notifications matching each group's needs and expectations to convert the users. A push notification that isn't suitable for a user's intentions doesn't attract their attention. 

Therefore, sending a push notification matching the user's intention, needs, and preferences is a sure way to attract their attention. Sending special customized offers on push notifications attracts the user and increases your chances of converting them. 

Ensure your push or in-app notifications don't appear too pushy and sales. Such notifications can influence your target customers to uninstall your app, reducing your mobile app conversion rate.

       12. Place Meaningful Ads

While ads are a significant income source for app owners, they can also annoy users, prompting them to lose interest. Almost every mobile app user comes across many apps while browsing the app. Ads will probably capture users' attention and scrutiny, especially if they are valuable.

You can take advantage of this opportunity by offering relevant, meaningful, and valuable ads. Ensure you focus on ads likely to excite and interest your users. Analyze your users and ads, then invest in the ad types more likely to attract them. By potentially connecting with your app users at the ad stage, you can significantly increase conversion and purchase rates. 

       13. Make the CTA Buttons Visible

Your app's design facilitates users' decision-making and leads them toward the intended conclusion or bottom line. A Call-to-Action (CTA) button is a fundamental tool that raises the likelihood of meeting your application's purpose, whether to increase sales or offer authoritative information. 

A CTA button is critical in diverting traffic to the target landing page and helping apps increase conversion rates. You need to sell your app and product in a single line, which is the whole time you will have to convert a prospective client. 

Ways to optimize your CTA button include making it bigger to attract users' attention. You can also give a slightly unconventional color and appearance, but not too annoying.

        14. Avoid Repetitive Messages

Repetitive info impacts exploration and conversion negatively. If visitors notice the same message twice, they will probably think there is nothing else to offer and exit your app store page immediately without further browsing. Ensure your visitors receive a new message on every page they come across to keep them interested in exploring and increase the chances of conversion. 

       15. Communicate Your Value Proposition Clearly

Ensure you have something meaningful and valuable to offer. You will need to supply a special advantage for potential or current customers downloading or using the application. In the first few minutes, show the user some value immediately without ‌requiring purchase or registration. However, ensure the process is user-initiated when the time comes for purchasing or registration. 

That way, they will understand fully why they should register or purchase from your app. Ensure there Is an immediate in-kind reward or extra value for the conversion. In a nutshell, make it clear what your app does. You can provide some of that value frictionlessly. 

       16. Get Reviews and Ratings

Consumers love to be sure of what they are getting into by checking out app reviews and ratings. Ratings and reviews are free advertising for app owners. Prompting app users to drop an app review or rating is a promising marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and get more leads. 

The more popular your app becomes, the more installs you can get. Get some high-value users to speak a good word about your app. However, if you have challenges getting your satisfied app users to drop reviews, you can use in-app engagement tools like in-app stories to get them to comment about your app. The more the reviews and ratings, the higher your mobile conversion rate.

       17. In-App Stories

Elevating the experience users enjoy from your app can help you convert users from free to paid subscribers and from product delivery to purchase. In-app stories are easy-to-consume, immersive, and interactive. 

In-app stories allow you to leverage interactive social features, which can positively affect your engagement strategy. Your interaction with app users will probably affect your conversion rate. Increased engagement translates to higher mobile app conversion rates.

       18. Take Full Advantage of Social Media

Social media is one of the most powerful traffic drivers. It contributes to millions of sales every day. Currently, most of your target audience owns a smartphone with social media apps to keep up with the latest trends, from apparel to tech. 

By maximizing social media with proper content, social media apps can help you reach your target audience and keep them tied to your brand. Pushing updates constantly improves engagement and conversion rates. You can use social media not only to sell your product but also to prompt users to download your app or share their app purchases on social media. 

       19. Offer a Seamless User Experience 

App user experience goes beyond the first interaction on the platform. A seamless user experience includes optimizing product browser experience, adding products to carts, checking them out, and providing product reviews.

If you are selling your products in-app, ensure you have a functional and visible search feature. This feature should allow your customers to quickly and easily locate what they are looking for, instead of going through each product one by one. With high-tech mobiles, you can also incorporate a voice search feature. 

Optimize the payment processing section to include several payment merchant options. Payment should also be seamless and fast. 

You should focus on keeping the UI/UX simple. To increase mobile app conversion rates, ensure you focus on the first-glance aspects of your app. You should have an easy-to-navigate User Interface, a vibrant app icon, and a detailed app offer description. 

       20. Conduct Frequent App Analyses

The Google Play and App Store are dynamic. Features that work currently are unlikely to work when the next updates come. You should test your app's functionality frequently to keep you growing and updated with the market. Constant testing is a critical key to achieving an impressive mobile conversion rate.

This translates to regularly tracking and re-evaluating the methods you used to attract and convert your users. Strive to analyze data regularly while implementing strategies and improvements to increase conversion rates. Target your most loyal app users to keep them constantly interested, especially if they appear interested in the long term. 

Bonus Tip: Be a Strict Trend Follower

Customers love when you talk or interact like them. Understanding your audience and showing them what you do will probably increase their trust in you. By pushing trends that people love and accept, your customers will help increase your brand awareness. Ensure you constantly update yourself with ongoing trends related to your audience's needs and preferences. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Berkem Peker

Berkem Peker is a growth strategist at Storyly. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the Middle East Technical University. He/him specializes in growth frameworks, growth strategy & tactics, user engagement, and user behavior. He enjoys learning new stuff about data analysis, growth hacking, user behavior.

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