The Key to Keeping Users Active on Your App
As mobile app experts, we are often asked: How can I increase app engagement? and What marketing strategies should I use to improve retention? These are crucial questions—no matter how great your app is, it won’t succeed if users don’t return.
With millions of apps competing for attention, keeping users engaged is more important than ever. That’s why app developers and businesses need to focus on strategies that drive user interaction and long-term retention.
This guide will cover:
- What app engagement is and why it matters
- How to increase app engagement and user retention
- Proven marketing strategies to get users to come back—again and again
What is App Engagement?
App engagement refers to how users interact with your app—how often they open it, how long they stay, and how deeply they engage with its features. It is measured using key metrics, such as:
- Daily Active Users (DAU) & Monthly Active Users (MAU) – The number of unique users engaging with the app daily or monthly.
- Session Length & Frequency – How long users stay in the app and how often they return.
- Retention Rate – The percentage of users who keep using the app over time.
- Churn Rate – The percentage of users who stop using the app.
- Conversion Rate – How many users complete a desired action (e.g., making a purchase, signing up for a subscription).
Understanding these metrics helps developers and marketers refine user engagement strategies, improve retention, and increase app revenue.
Now, let’s explore the best strategies to keep users engaged.
How to Increase App Engagement & Retention
1. Engage Users Through Email Marketing
Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to nurture relationships with app users. Once users download your app, you can collect their email addresses during onboarding and use targeted email campaigns to keep them engaged.
How to use email marketing for app engagement:
- Send personalised onboarding emails to introduce new users to key features.
- Use re-engagement emails to remind inactive users of your app’s benefits.
- Offer exclusive promotions, tutorials, and content to keep users interested.
- Segment users based on their activity level and preferences for more effective targeting.
When executed correctly, email marketing can significantly improve app retention, helping you remind users of your app’s value and drive them back to engage.
2. Create a Community Around Your App
Users are more likely to stay engaged if they feel like they are part of a bigger community. Building a loyal user base can drive app engagement and boost retention.
Ways to foster a community within your app:
- Create forums or discussion boards where users can interact.
- Run challenges or competitions to keep users engaged.
- Encourage users to share their experiences with your app.
- Implement a social media integration feature, allowing users to connect their app activities with their social profiles.
For example, fitness apps like Move With Us and Traininpink encourage users to share their progress with a supportive community, increasing motivation and engagement.
3. App Store Optimisation (ASO) to Drive Downloads & Engagement
Your app’s success starts in the App Store. App Store Optimisation (ASO) ensures your app is easily discoverable, helping attract new users who are more likely to engage.
Key ASO strategies to improve engagement:
- Use high-ranking keywords in your app title and description.
- Add compelling screenshots and videos to showcase features.
- Encourage user reviews and ratings to improve credibility.
- Ensure your app’s content remains fresh and relevant, making it useful to users even if they haven’t opened it in a while.
The better your App Store presence, the higher the chance of attracting high-quality users who will actively engage with your app.
4. Use Push Notifications—But Do It Right
Push notifications are a powerful tool for re-engaging users—if used strategically. They can remind users about new updates, promotions, or personalised offers that encourage them to open your app.
Best practices for push notifications:
- Personalise notifications based on user behaviour and interests.
- Use attention-grabbing copy that makes users want to click.
- Offer value—don’t spam users with irrelevant alerts.
- Allow users to customise notification preferences.
Apps that overuse push notifications risk annoying users and increasing churn, so make sure every notification delivers real value.
5. Encourage Ratings & Reviews for Social Proof
Users are more likely to trust and engage with an app that has positive reviews and high ratings. Reviews also help with App Store Optimisation (ASO), improving your app’s visibility.
How to boost ratings & reviews:
- Prompt users to leave a review after positive app interactions.
- Offer in-app incentives for honest feedback.
- Respond to reviews—both positive and negative—to show you value user input.
Actively engaging with user feedback improves retention, as users feel heard and valued.
6. Offer Incentives & Rewards to Keep Users Engaged
A great way to retain users is by offering exclusive incentives for continued engagement. Gamification and rewards increase user motivation and encourage repeat interactions.
Ways to use incentives for engagement:
- Implement a loyalty program with points, badges, or levels.
- Offer discounts, free trials, or premium features for engaged users.
- Encourage referrals by rewarding users who invite friends.
For example, eCommerce apps often reward users with discounts after multiple purchases, while fitness apps offer streak rewards for completing workouts.
7. Retarget Lapsed Users with Paid Ads
Many users download apps but forget to use them. Retargeting lapsed users with targeted paid ads can bring them back and increase engagement.
Retargeting strategies for app engagement:
- Use social media and Google Ads to re-engage past users.
- Personalise ads to remind users of your app’s value.
- Offer exclusive promotions for returning users.
For instance, an eCommerce app can target users who haven’t made a purchase in 30 days with a special discount to bring them back.
Build Apps That Your Audience Loves with PixelForce
PixelForce specialises in creating high-engagement mobile and web apps that keep users coming back. Whether you’re looking to improve your current app’s retention rate or build a brand-new app from scratch, we have the expertise to help you succeed.
Want to increase engagement on your app? Let’s chat.
Call us at (08) 7006 3226 | Visit pixelforce.com | Book your FREE consultation here
FAQs
How will I know if my mobile app has a high retention rate of users?
There are ways to measure retention that can help you determine whether or not your app has a high retention rate compared to the industry standard. Finding out the retention rate of mobile apps specific to your industry will also help you determine whether your retention rate is high or low compared to the industry
standard. To help you understand retention, let's look at an example. Let's say that 100 people download your app and 20 of those users continue to use it after two weeks - this is a retention rate of 20%.
How can marketing strategies increase engagement?
Marketing is an integral part of any business, and it's no different when you're launching and marketing your mobile app. There are many marketing strategies that you can implement to ensure your users return to your mobile app, such as:
Email marketing
Push notifications
Incentives & rewards
Re-target lapsed users with paid advertising
How do you make an engaging app?
There are many elements that go into making an engaging app, some of the key factors:
Responsive UI/UX design
Clean website design
Simplistic navigation
Graphics, icons and elements
Content that speaks to your target audience