An app that sells, or conversion optimization in mobile apps

Today there are 4.3 million apps in the two most popular app stores – Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, not all of them gain popularity, and even fewer actually work. All this is because an app that effectively sells is not a coincidence. To build it, you need to know how to optimize conversions in mobile apps and what solutions to implement to lead customers straight to the desired destination. Let’s find out what features the best mobile apps have that really get customers and conversions.

Mobile-app conversion-coefficient – what is it?

By optimizing conversions in a mobile app, we increase the conversion rate. But what does it mean in the case of apps? It is the ratio of the number of users who completed a specific goal (e.g. made an in-app purchase) to the total number of app downloads or the total number of app purchases. How to calculate the conversion rate for a mobile app? Check the number of users who took action in your app and divide it by the total number of users who downloaded your app for free or after purchase, and multiply by 100.

What might constitute a conversion in a mobile app? It depends on the industry the app is in. For example:

• for a travel app, it could be booking a flight, accommodation, tourist attraction,
• for an entertainment app – subscribing, reading content, video, rating content, etc.
• for food app – ordering food with delivery, booking a table at a restaurant, rating a restaurant,
• for e-commerce apps – adding a product to a shopping cart, purchasing a product,
• for social media applications – add comment, add friend, post,

8 ways to increase conversion rate in a mobile app

How to increase conversion rate in your app? Check out our solutions, straight from the experts at mobile app campaigns Up&More.

1. Focus on the most important tasks

In the market, you are competing for users’ attention with many applications. Therefore, you need to focus on your app’s ability to quickly and efficiently perform the most important user tasks. In practice, – instead of focusing on all the features of your app, which can be overwhelming for users, focus on the core features of your app – the ones you are confident will be used frequently.

How to optimize an app for conversion by focusing on its most important functions and tasks?

• Start with the core functions of the application, and then gradually add new, additional solutions.
• Use analytics to determine which features users use most often and focus on the former as you add new features to your app.
• Make sure you have a good understanding of why each feature is so valuable to users You can communicate these benefits in your marketing efforts (and throughout your app).
• Place the app’s most popular features at or near the top of the menu so users can easily find them.
• Use elaborate and bold icons to help users quickly recognize and identify these features, even if they have not used your app before.

2. Identify friction points and bottlenecks in a mobile application

One extra step that you force the user to take can result in thousands of viewers never returning to your app. Therefore, to optimize conversions in your mobile app, start by identifying obstacles and remove them. Make sure that all process steps are absolutely necessary, and make going through them an enjoyable experience for users by trying to make each step as simple and intuitive as possible. Valuable sources of bottleneck data can be user feedback and surveys, as well as direct communication with users. Also, don’t overlook the importance of analytics – check in which situations users leave the app and on which screens this happens. Remember to simplify key processes – the theory is that you should be able to complete any task in no more than 3 steps from launching the app and displaying the start screen.

3. Create seamless flows of UX in a mobile app

Creating seamless UX (user experience) flows in mobile apps is key to increasing user satisfaction and conversion rates. A smooth flow means that the user can easily and intuitively move through the app, achieving their goals without frustration or unnecessary obstacles. To achieve the goal:

• Know your users – conduct regular surveys to understand who your users are, what they need, and what expectations they have of your application. Create detailed user personae that will help you identify different types of users and tailor UX paths to them.
• Create detailed user personae that will help you identify different types of users and tailor UX paths to them.
• Reduce the number of elements on the screen to a minimum to avoid information overload and make it easier to focus on tasks.
• Maintain consistency in design by using the same element layout, color schemes and typography, which contributes to building an intuitive understanding of the application.
• Place navigation elements in easily accessible locations and make sure they are easy to understand.
• Use mobile-specific gestures, such as swipes, to make it easier to navigate the application.
• Design micro-conversions (small animations and visual effects) that add to the fluidity and enjoyment of the application.
• Make sure the UX is optimized for different screen sizes and device orientations.
• Offer personalized paths and content based on user data, such as browsing history or shopping preferences, making the UX flow to increase user engagement.
• Display screenshots of apps in the app store
• Make a good first impression – the first screenshot should attract attention and present the key value or strongest feature of the app. This is the most important screenshot because users often do not scroll further if the first image does not interest them. Subsequent screenshots should gradually present other important features and benefits of using the app, creating a logical and compelling narrative.
• Make sure your screenshots are attractively designed – make sure the screenshots are high-quality, well-lit and without any unnecessary interface elements that could distract, add elements of your brand identity, such as your logo, corporate colors and typography, to make the screenshots recognizable and consistent with the rest of your marketing communications. Consider using graphics of the devices on which the screenshots are shown so users can get a better idea of how the app will look on their phones or tablets.
• Use short, compelling text in the screenshots to reinforce the message about the app’s values and features. Try to have each screenshot communicate one key benefit or feature. Instead of just showing the interface, try to visualize the benefits of using the app For example, if the app saves time, show how quickly a task can be completed.
• Use push notifications to attract users
• new collection, pre-sales,
• discount action,
• discount of favorite products,
• individual product recommendations,
• Make sure the buttons in the mobile app are visible and functional
• Size and color – use distinctive colors and a large enough size for the buttons of the most important actions (e.g., “Buy Now”, “Register”) so that they stand out from other interface elements.
• Style buttons – contrasting colors and shadows can help buttons stand out, but avoid overdoing it so as not to overwhelm the user.
• Easy accessibility – place buttons in easily accessible places, usually at the bottom of the screen, where users can easily touch them with their thumb, especially on large phones.
• Consistency – keep action buttons (e.g., navigate, accept, cancel) in consistent locations throughout the app so users quickly learn where to look for them.
• Minimalism – too many buttons on the screen can overwhelm the user. Focus on the key actions you want the user to perform.
• Clear labelsy – use clear and concise button labels that describe exactly what will happen when they are pressed. Avoid ambiguous words that may confuse the user.
• Visual and audio feedback – provide immediate visual (e.g., color change, animation) or audio feedback when a button is pressed to confirm the user’s action. This reinforces engagement and improves the user experience.
• Testing with users – conduct regular usability tests with real users to understand how they interact with buttons and other interface elements. This can reveal unexpected visibility, functionality or comprehension issues.
• Responsiveness – make sure buttons are large enough and easy to press on different screen sizes and devices. Interactive elements should be suitable for both finger and stylus touch.
• Use standards – align with the design guidelines for Android (Material Design) and iOS (Human Interface Guidelines) to ensure that your buttons are intuitive and easy to use for most users.
• Accessibility for people with disabilities – make sure your buttons are also accessible to people with vision, motion or hearing limitations. Use sufficient color contrast, large tactile areas, and text descriptions (labels for screen readers) for all interactive elements. Also remember to add alternative navigation methods, such as support for gestures or voice commands, to make the application easier to use.
• Simplify registration and payment processes
• Minimize input data – ask users only for the necessary information for registration. Consider whether you actually need an address or phone number at this stage. The fewer fields, the better.
• Registration via social media – allowing users to register via existing accounts on social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Google) greatly speeds up the process and reduces the risk of abandonment.
• Add a “Skip Registration” – consider allowing users to access the app without registering. You can encourage account creation later by offering additional benefits.
• Fast verifications – if verification is necessary, make sure it is as fast as possible. Use text messages or emails with an activation link or code that allow for quick verification.
• Feedback in real time – inform users of errors in the registration form in real time, such as incorrect email address format, too short password. This facilitates quick correction without having to guess what went wrong.
• Limit the number of steps to the minimum necessary Ideally, the entire process should fit on a single screen or be broken down into a few simple steps.
• Simplify the payment process – minimize the number of steps to the minimum necessary. Ideally, the entire process should fit on one screen or be broken down into a few simple steps.
• Implement data storage – offer the ability to store payment data for future transactions, with all security standards, of course. This can significantly speed up subsequent purchases.
• Offer a variety of payment methods – include a variety of payment methods, such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Mobile Wallets (e.g., Google Wallet) or BLIK payments, so that each user can choose his or her preferred option.
• Provide cost transparency – ensure full cost transparency, including all taxes, surcharges or shipping costs before finalizing the transaction. Unexpected charges at the end of the process are one of the leading causes of shopping cart abandonment.
• Offer support and assistance – provide easy access to help or support during the payment process. This could be a live chat, FAQ section or a simple contact form.
• Add a confirmation and thank you note – send the user a clear confirmation of the purchase along with a thank you note. This can be an email with a summary of the transaction and delivery information.
• Improve the speed of the application
• Use image compression tools, preserving visual quality but reducing file size, which speeds up loading.
• Choose file formats that are optimal for loading speed and quality, such as JPEG for photographs, PNG for graphics with transparency, and SVG for vector illustrations.
• Implement lazy media loading, a technique that loads graphic and video content only when it is needed (e.g., when the user scrolls the page toward them).
• Use tools to minify JavaScript, CSS and HTML code, which reduces their size and speeds up loading time.
• Bundle CSS and JavaScript files into fewer packages to reduce the number of HTTP requests, which also affects faster application loading.
• Use cache memory – allowing apps to store copied resources in the device’s cache can significantly speed up app reloading and content access.
• Use indexes in databases to speed up data retrieval.
• Analyze and optimize database queries to make them as efficient and resource-intensive as possible.
• Load data asynchronously, without reloading the entire page/application, which improves responsiveness and speed of the user interface.
• Invest in fast and reliable hosting servers that can efficiently handle application traffic.
• Consider using a CDN to distribute content, which can significantly speed up users’ access to data, regardless of their geographic location.
• Regularly update the libraries and frameworks used to the latest versions, which often include performance optimizations.
• Monitor application performance with specialized tools, such as Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, or WebPageTest, to identify and resolve potential bottlenecks.