Liftoff-2017移动APP用户获取趋势和基准报告（英文版）-2018-37页-4mb

Summary of the 2017 Liftoff Mobile App Engagement Index

Core Content

The 2017 Liftoff Mobile App Engagement Index provides a comprehensive overview of user acquisition trends and engagement benchmarks across various app categories and platforms. It highlights how the app economy continues to mature, creating both opportunities and challenges for marketers. The Index uses data from September 1, 2016, to August 30, 2017, analyzing 120 billion ad impressions, 1.3 billion clicks, and 41.7 million events across 30 million app installs.

The report underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between cost per action (CPA) and engagement rates, enabling marketers to optimize their campaigns and identify "windows of opportunity" for user acquisition. It also emphasizes the shift in consumer behavior towards mobile-first interactions, with users engaging more frequently with apps than with the mobile web.

Main Points

1. User Acquisition Trends

• The app market is highly competitive, with over 11,000 app submissions per month in the Apple App Store.
• The global app economy is projected to reach $6.3 trillion by 2021, highlighting its economic significance.
• User acquisition costs (CPIs) are relatively stable, with a standard deviation of only $0.22, indicating consistent performance across months.
• CPIs tend to rise around the holidays, especially for Shopping and Gaming apps, due to increased competition and user choice.

2. Engagement by Event Type

• Install: CPAs are flat, suggesting marketers need to focus on deeper engagement to drive conversions.
• Register: This event is more relevant to apps like Dating, Travel, and Finance. It has a higher engagement rate and lower CPA compared to Install, indicating better user commitment.
• Reserve: Engagement rates increased significantly in 2017, with CPAs dropping. This suggests that booking via apps is becoming mainstream.
• Purchase: Engagement rates are lower, but the holiday season remains a peak for both cost and conversion, despite user fatigue.
• In-App Purchase (IAP): IAP costs increased steadily from January to May, with engagement rates hovering around 4%-5%. Creatives and messaging play a crucial role in driving IAPs.
• Subscribe: Subscription-based apps offer high user loyalty and predictable cash flow, but CPAs are higher, especially for females.

3. Engagement by Gender

• Males vs. Females: Engagement rates for both genders have increased, with females showing a more significant jump in Reserve and Purchase events.
• CPA Differences: Females cost more to acquire for Subscription events ($253.46 vs. $158.27 for males), but males show higher engagement rates in some categories.
• Marketing Strategy: Marketers should not rely on gender stereotypes but instead focus on the overall trend of increased app usage and engagement across all demographics.

4. Engagement by Platform

• iOS vs. Android: iOS users tend to spend more and engage more, but Android users are growing in number and offer significant volume.
• Register: Android users have a lower CPA (44% less than iOS) and similar conversion rates (50.4% vs. 47.3%).
• Reserve: Both platforms show growth, with iOS users converting at a higher rate (21.8% vs. 17.3%).
• Subscription: iOS users cost 14.5% less and convert at a higher rate (3.5% vs. 1.8%), indicating potential for higher ROI.

5. Engagement by Category

• The Index breaks down data by app category: Dating, Finance, Gaming, Shopping, Travel, and Utility.
• Gaming Apps: IAP costs and engagement rates are highly variable, with a focus on the need for segmented creative strategies.
• Shopping Apps: Seasonality plays a key role, especially during the holiday season, with significant fluctuations in CPIs and conversion rates.
• Dating Apps: Show high engagement rates, particularly in Subscription and Reserve events.
• Finance Apps: Emphasize the importance of user trust and engagement in early stages (Register and Reserve).
• Utility Apps: Often have high conversion rates due to their essential nature, but lower CPIs.

6. Trends and Insights

• Micro-Moments: Users engage with apps during key moments such as "I-want-to-know," "I-want-to-go," "I-want-to-do," and "I-want-to-buy."
• Seasonality: While some categories (like Shopping) are influenced by seasonal trends, others (like Subscription and Reserve) are less seasonal and more about user behavior.
• Ad Creatives: Play a critical role in driving engagement, especially for IAPs and subscriptions.
• Timing of Campaigns: Marketers should consider the "windows of opportunity" throughout the year to optimize user acquisition and engagement efforts.

Key Takeaways

• The app economy is growing rapidly, and marketers must adapt to this dynamic environment.
• Deep-funnel engagement events (such as Reserve, Purchase, and Subscription) offer higher value but also higher costs.
• Understanding the relationship between cost and conversion is essential for effective marketing.
• User behavior is shifting towards mobile-first interactions, with apps becoming the primary platform for engagement.
• Marketers should avoid relying solely on seasonal timing and instead focus on the diverse "micro-moments" that drive app usage.

Conclusion

The 2017 Liftoff Mobile App Engagement Index equips marketers with data-driven insights to optimize their campaigns. It highlights the importance of balancing cost and conversion, understanding user behavior, and adapting strategies to the evolving app landscape. With the right approach, marketers can identify high-value opportunities and set realistic, ambitious goals for the year ahead.