The key strategies we leverage as a UX-driven studio to improve retention and get users coming back to apps, again and again
Retention is the lifeblood of any startup. Even the apps with the most innovative, flashy features don’t stand a chance if users aren’t coming back.
At Lumi, we believe that getting users to keep returning to your app again and again means keeping things simple, valuable, and user-focused.
Here’s how we make it happen ⬇️
Did you know it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one?
Designing with retention as a constant focus isn’t just a good practice, it’s a business imperative. Why?
Because if your user downloads your app with a clear purpose in mind, but for some reason they can’t achieve that specific goal, that’s a major UX problem and chances are you’ve probably lost that customer for good.
→ When you design for retention, you make sure that every part of the process is understandable and enjoyable for the user.
Here at Lumi, we apply this to every single project. When we worked with Robokiller for example, it was all about retention – designing and redesigning the UX process, again and again, shifting small things. That’s how we were able to achieve 30% retention by the end, which is considered an exceptional rate.
By the way, the average app will lose 77% of its daily users within the first 3 days. Makes you want to think again about designing without prioritising retention, right?
Yes, the key to growing a successful app is building it with retention in mind. But how exactly do you do that?
Here are our most-used UX strategies to improve retention as a digital product design studio ⬇️
Every time your user comes back to the app, welcome them with something new. It doesn’t need to be a completely new functionality or feature but maybe just something interesting for them to discover. Small, meaningful updates can be hugely effective.
A good example is an app for fitness and wellbeing called Welltory. Every time you go on the app, you’re greeted by a new tip for your wellbeing. The tips are based on your recent sleep and heart rate variability so they change dynamically. It’s something small, but it’s a truly powerful way of keeping the user engaged.
Keep users curious by offering them a reason to return. Duolingo for example uses ‘daily streaks’ to give users fresh incentive to keep on returning without overwhelming them with big changes.
Personalisation can transform a static app into an ever-changing, colourful experience. Take Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist – doesn’t it feel like Spotify just knows your musical tastes? Users keep returning to the app because they get an experience that suits them. We’re confident this curated approach is why it is by far the most used streaming service out there.
The key here is to make the overall experience nicer and more rewarding for the user. We like to aim for something unexpected so it’s different every time you open the app – something simple that adds value. Some examples are:
The Apple Photos app does this in a really efficient way for example. It prepares dynamic albums and videos based on your photos so that you can rediscover your memories every time you open the app. It’s the kind of nice, subtle personalised touch we love!
In the words of UX expert Steve Krug, ‘Don’t make me think.’ Users shouldn’t struggle to find what they’re looking for on your app. If they do, you risk them not coming back.
Take Hubspot, for example. Is it just us or does it always seem like you can’t find the function you’re looking for in the navigation? That minute or so of extra thought can become very frustrating.
→ Our ethos here at Lumi is that if a product is seamless, smooth, and satisfying for the user, growth will follow.
Start by thinking about why the user downloaded the app. Put yourself in the user’s shoes, is the overall experience frustrating? Is the setup breaking? Does everything work seamlessly?
For example, we use Superhuman for emails, and we love it. It doesn’t break, it’s really smooth, and it does exactly what you’d expect – when you press ‘R’ it replies, ‘F’ it forwards, etc. This type of product actually enhances your life in a seamless way.
That is exactly where we want to take the products we work on — to a non frustrating, spot-on experience.
There’s a fine line between continually fine-tuning your app’s UX and avoiding the trap of feature bloat.
Apps like Instagram started with a simple photo-sharing functionality and built on user needs over time, instead of adding every possible feature all at once. Doing too much too soon can dilute the core purpose of your app and confuse the user.
→ Focus on the main feature, on the true value proposition of the app – on what your users are (mostly) using the app for. Make this the core experience and then add features organically without overwhelming users.
On the Famly app for example, the core feature is that you get updates about your baby’s time in childcare. But if you want to, you can also find out:
There’s real depth to the core function and the user is in total control of which depth to go to.
Testing isn’t a one-and-done task. Think of your app as a living product — each update should refine the experience.
Testing doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though. It’s not a question of testing every single button, just keep continuously exploring the reasons why users are leaving or coming back to your app.
→ The whole experience needs to be thoroughly thought through (oof, that was a mouthful).
It starts with things that might seem simple, like curating a smooth onboarding experience and not giving too many options so that you’re not deterring users from making a choice, or using colour psychology to hint at different emotions. Simplifying everything is the way to go as the goal is always to make their experience enjoyable, not frustrating.
When we start working with clients, we always start with a workshop to truly understand what a product does, what the goals are, and how we can align these with the user’s objectives.
→ Dive into the ‘why’ behind every action. Why did users leave at this stage? Why are they using a feature?
The goal? Make the users feel like they got what they wanted out of the experience. We use UX tools to help refine the way users move through the app’s core features and help them understand the app ⬇️
💡 Head over to our guide to user-centred design if you want to see more UX tools!
Last but not least, make the experience enjoyable. When users have fun using an app, they’re more likely to keep coming back. We always try to infuse some aspect of gamification in all the apps we work on to make things interactive.
When we worked on the FYTA app, we added gamification elements like reward systems for completing onboarding tasks. Users could earn points and exchange them for discounts or physical items. These elements made the experience interactive and shareable which is great for encouraging engagement.
For more ‘serious’ apps, consider adding elements that create a positive experience. For example, a notification system that reminds users to take action, or periodic emails that show their progress, can motivate them to stay connected to your app.
→ We always try to build a ‘think bigger’ mindset, and answer the question ‘how else can we reach the user?’
The bottom line?
Listen to your users, understand their goals, and design with empathy – always 💌
Need a hand rethinking your app for better retention? Talk to us, we’re always here to help!
