App analytics are often an afterthought for most amateur or first-time mobile developers. That’s unfortunate and shortsighted, as knowing everything about an app’s performance is crucial for success. And it’s not only mobile apps that benefit from analytics but also desktop and web apps.
However, the domain of app analytics is complex, requiring significant know-how and expertise from the development team. It’s also one of the reasons why so many new developers avoid it altogether. Or they will implement some basic form of analytics but won’t work with a gamut of analytics tools due to a lack of familiarity with these.
While having some analytics is better than having none, too many blindspots remain. To understand the range of data developers must collect and analyze, we’ll delve deeper into this matter below.
What App Analytics Must I Implement?
Your mobile app development endeavors will only succeed if you implement several analytics strategies. These strategies will involve app performance, its technical integrity, and how users react to your app. The most essential metrics that you will track and measure include the following:
- App download statistics: In most cases, you’ll break this down per region to pinpoint where your app enjoys popularity and where it’s lagging.
- User segmentation: You should segment user demographics, behaviors, and acquisition channels for easier tracking and comparisons of this data.
- Conversion tracking: If you track every aspect of the user journey, you can quickly identify bottlenecks in your conversion funnel.
- A/B testing: You must test two versions of your app to determine which version offers the best user experience (UX), app performance, and feature set. Then, you must repeat the process and finetune your app accordingly to boost its usability and profitability.
- Retention rates: This is one of the most important metrics because it determines whether or not your app is truly engaging users. A higher retention rate means users enjoy your app, whereas a lower retention rate means that users find little value in its use.
- Churn analysis: To determine when and why users lose interest in your app, you must analyze the drop-off point with churn analysis tools.
- In-app purchases: It’s crucial to track all user purchases, including auto-renewable subscriptions, to assess the overall success of your in-app marketing strategies.
- Performance testing: You’ll utilize multiple testing tools to check your app’s response times, energy consumption, and security. And you’ll also analyze loading times, memory usage, and network performance.
Are App Analytics Freely Available?
The good news is that several app analytics tools are available for free. Both Apple and Google provide excellent performance testing tools without you needing to pay a cent. For example, the Android Studio IDE features a profiler that lets you check all technical aspects of your app.
Must I Invest In Additional Analytics Tooling?
Yes, because better marketing and user analytics tools often come from third-party vendors. You’ll want to track multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) and drill down on the broadest range of app and user data. Three examples of paid analytics tools that do this well include Amplitude, Countly, and Mixpanel.
The Bottom Line
Implementing app analytics early on and making it a regular part of the development process is paramount. That’s because the data you collect and analyze will show you all the areas where your app is succeeding and where improvements are necessary.
Image: Pexels