Localytics Predicts 2015’s Hottest Trends in App Marketing

Apps have made that monumental transition from being exclusive to smartphones and tablets, to fixtures in watches and automobiles (a process known as “appification”). In addition, some of the most functional and well-designed websites are actually apps.

On December 5, 2014, Localytics, released its annual report on app marketing and analytics. Entitled “State of the App: 2014 Review & 2015 Predictions,” the report reviewed app usage and engagement in 2014, as well as 2015’s hottest app trends. “In 2013, marketers focused on user acquisition. In 2014, with people spending almost 90% of their time spent on media through apps, the focus was on engagement – and how to use data to improve user interaction,” noted the report.

In 2015, app marketers will be leveraging appification and dynamic analytics to produce “even smarter marketing”, with a particular focus on user engagement and the personalization of the app experience. According to Localytics, 2015’s hottest trends are:

Appification
Cross-Channel Makes for Smarter Marketing
The Rise of Personalized App Marketing
Remarketing Outside of the App
Predictive App Marketing

App Engagement in 2014 Reached New Heights

2014 saw app engagement reach new heights, with consumers launching apps more frequently and spending more time in them. According to Localytics, 2014 witnessed 22% more app launches, 21% more time spent on apps, and 34% more time spent in apps on large devices than in 2013. Last year, users opened apps an average of 11.5 times a month, an increase of 22% from 9.4 times in 2013.

The significant increase in app engagement on larger devices is in part due to the popularity of phablets, which have large screens measuring between 5.3 and 6.9 inches. Localytics noted that the introduction of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last year, as well as the strong performance of the Galaxy S Series and Galaxy Note Series, boosted time spent on music, gaming, and photography apps. [See Figure 1]

Figure 1 (Source: Localytics)

2015: The Year of Smarter App Marketing

This year, emerging trends like predictive app marketing, remarketing, and personalization will change the way marketers engage, entertain, and retain their users. Localytics predicts that app insights will be leveraged across all marketing channels, which in turn will help marketers accurately predict their customers’ next move and how to best engage with them.

Personalized app marketing—which seeks to deliver customized app experiences to users—will also see greater exposure this year. According to Localytics’ data, targeted push messages can increase app retention by two to three times; double app open rates; and triple app conversion rates.

Moreover, Localytics predicts that ad remarketing will gain greater momentum this year. Users who’ve come close to completing a desired action will now get “gentle reminders” outside their apps to “nudge them in the right direction”. Lastly, increasingly powerful analytics will allow marketers to transform data into actionable insights, which in turn will facilitate predictive app marketing.

About
Latest Posts

Marketing Digest Writing Team

The Marketing Digest Writing Team provides the content you need to keep you well-informed on the latest developments and trends in the digital marketing industry.