Know your audience: A profile of paid app users

Most The applications available in the Android and iOS stores are free And while it is common to download apps at no cost, many others are sold for a fee. According to a report by eMarketer, Only a third of app users have ever paid for an app.But what characterizes the public that makes some type of purchase related to apps?

Which app users are most likely to purchase an app?

According to John B. Dinsmore, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Wright State University, the Types of people most likely to buy an app or make in-app purchases are those with a more impulsive profile, followed by those called early adopters or pioneers and ostentatious users.

Dinsmore says that “younger smartphone users tend to make more in-app purchases, which he links to the tendency to be more daring at younger ages.”

Next on the list are impulsive users. The logic applied to this type of app consumers is as follows: try to reduce pain points to quickly obtain their satisfaction.

In practice, this means that, for example, in a freemium version They know that it is worth paying for additional tools because they will get an extra benefit or that by paying to remove ads they will get a better experience.

What type of app users are least likely to make in-app purchases?

The group of users least likely to end up buying apps or making in-app purchases are people who are particularly conscientious or thorough.

“The more conscientious the user is, the less likely they are to make these types of purchases,” says Dinsmore. These people are more attached to achieving goals And if that means not spending on “unnecessary” purchases, such as removing ads or accessing extra functionality, they won’t do it.

New opportunities for app developers

With this data we can draw some conclusions: Since more than 60 percent of app developers generate less than $500 a month in revenue through their apps, according to Vision Mobile, there are some points that they could focus on to increase their profits:

1. Target specific application user type

First you need to focus on your target audience. If you develop an app based on their needs you can make them love it. Based on this premise, you should gather all the data necessary to develop a good marketing plan and, consequently, create a successful app.

A big mistake is to develop a very nice or very fun application that nobody needs, hoping that some people will find it useful.

By knowing your target audience better, you will be able to determine the business model of your app, whether it is a paid, free or freemium.

2. Create more engaging apps for your users

As reflected in the studies, People who are most likely to buy are the first movers or those looking for the latest trends. You should always be on the cutting edge, from the design of your app to its functionality and usability.

3. Includes more social features

He social engagement or the presence and use of your brand in the social setting can also lead to users making in-app purchases. Gamification is one option, so you could launch features or games that encourage competition and allow users to pay for extra functionality or convenience.

If the application does not have its own social pages, the company that developed it should create them.These pages can be used to build a community and inform users of new updates and features. If you don't use these channels, you'll miss out on the opportunity to communicate about your product or service, which translates into revenue-generating sources.

4. Think in marketing terms

People are discovering apps through a wide variety of channels using their smartphones. You, as an app owner, should not miss out on any opportunity to be found in the digital world.

• Rely on search engines

The Search engines are the main source for finding new applicationsAn example could be someone who is a frequent business traveler, has to travel to New York urgently, and needs a place to stay. They will search for “hotels in New York” on Google and might find an app that lists all available hotel rooms and prices for last-minute vacancies. Since our user is always on the go, they decide to download the app to help them decide where to stay.

A great opportunity for you who want to be found in search engines!

• Perform remarketing actions

The remarketing actions can help users to remember the benefits of your application and get them to wear it more often. Imagine a user is about to take part in a marathon and needs a new pair of shoes. He searches for “running shoes” and since he has already installed your sports store app, an ad (via the search engine and the social network) will appear. display), will remind you that you can make the purchase through your app where you will offer a discount.

You can make other marketing efforts considering the following data:

• 30% of users would download an app again if they were offered a discount in return.
• Roughly 25% says they would reopen it if they received some sort of exclusive material.

Always take advantage of all the marketing tools and signals left by the user.