An active user is someone who interacts with the app for a specific period of time. This can include any kind of interaction, such as opening the app, using its features, or buying an item. In general, the active user measures engagement and retention.
For example, a fitness app might define an active user as one who uses and can track their workouts for a period of time. The specific definition of an active user can vary depending on the app and its specific goals.
Some apps might consider users active if they open the app for a certain time. While others might need more meaningful interactions, such as completing a task.
It’s important to note that not all users who download an app will become active users. In fact, the majority of app downloads are never even opened once.
But, the percentage of active users is a crucial metric for app developers to track. As it helps to understand the performance of the app and identify areas for improvement.
How is active user measured?
Active users are individuals who use their mobile app, often on a daily or weekly basis. To consider an active user, someone must engage with an app in some meaningful way.
There are several common ways to measure the number of active users for their app. The most common way to measure active users is through a daily, weekly, or monthly active user (DAU, WAU, or MAU) metric.
1. Daily active user (DAU)
A DAU measures the number of unique users who have interacted with the app on a daily basis.
Example: Let’s say you are the product manager for a mobile game app. To measure DAU, you would track the number of unique users who have opened and played the game in a 24-hour period. So, if your app has 1,000 unique users who played the game on Monday, your DAU for Monday would be 1,000.
2. Weekly active user (WAU)
A WAU measures the number of unique users who have interacted with the app over a seven-day period.
Example: Suppose you are the product manager for a music streaming app. To measure WAU, you would track the number of unique users who have opened your app. The users who had listened to the music in your app in a seven-day period. So, if your app has 5,000 unique users who listened to music on the app in the week ending on Sunday. Then the WAU for that week would be 5,000.
3. Monthly active user (MAU)
MAU measures the number of unique users who have interacted with the app over a 30-day period.
Example: Let’s say you are the product manager for an app to measure its success. To measure MAU, you would track the number of unique users who have opened and used the app in a 30-day period.
So, if your app has 10,000 unique users who used the app in a particular month, your MAU for that month would be 10,000.
Why are active users important?
The number of active users is a crucial metric as it correlates with an app’s success. The more active users an app has, the more likely it is to generate revenue through in-app purchases or ads. Active users also show a higher level of engagement towards their app.
Users who often interact with an app are more likely to be loyal to it and to recommend it to others. By comparing active users over a period of time, it can identify the app’s performance. It shows that they are actually growing or shrinking in popularity. This can help increase the app’s user base and drive its revenue. That means it is a good indicator of customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Active users can also provide valuable feedback to app developers. By regular usage, they can identify bugs, and glitches, that hinder user experience. So, they can then use this feedback to make improvements and updates to the app. This in turn can help to attract and retain even more users.
Active users are also an important metric for investors and potential buyers. If an app has a large number of active users, it indicates that there is a strong demand for the app’s services. That means it has the potential to generate significant revenue in the future. This can make the app more attractive to investors for increasing its value. A high number of active users is a sign of a successful app that has the potential for growth and monetization.
How to increase active users?
Increasing the number of active users is a key goal for many businesses. Let’s explore some of the common strategies that help to increase user engagement:
1. Focus on User Experience
The user experience is critical to keeping users engaged with an app. They should focus on creating a simple interface that makes it easy for users to navigate the app. Additionally, regular updates and bug fixes can improve the app’s stability.
By tailoring the app experience to each individual user’s preferences and behavior. This might include personalized recommendations, notifications, or customized interfaces. This can increase engagement and encourage users to return to the app.
2. Offer Incentives
Incentives can be a powerful way to encourage users to engage with an app. This might include offering discounts or rewards for completing tasks within the app.
It could be such as in-app purchases or referring a friend. This can help to incentivize users to continue using the app by attracting users.
3. Use Push Notifications
Push notifications can be a powerful way to re-engage users who have not used the app in a while.
By sending notifications about new features or updates to users often. They should focus on creating new content that encourages users towards the app. This can encourage users to return to the app and increase their engagement.
FAQs
Ques 1. What is the difference between active users and downloads?
Ans. Active users are the number of users who actively use a mobile app. Downloads refer to the number of times the app got downloaded and installed on a device.
Ques 2. What is a good monthly active user?
Ans. DAU/MAU is a metric used to measure user engagement, and a ratio of over 20% is considered to be good.
Ques 3. What is an active user base?
Ans. Active user base refers to the number of users who often engage with a mobile app.
Ques 4. What are engaged vs active users?
Ans. Engaged users are those who interact with a mobile app in a regular way. Active users are those who use the app during a specific period of time, usually daily or monthly.
Ques 5. What is a good daily active user percentage?
Ans. A higher daily active user rate of a mobile app would be good. A healthy DAU rate is considered to be over 20 percent.
