Mobile App Analytics from A to Z: Part 1
In today's mobile business, one of the key components of success is monitoring statistical data. Numerous mobile services literally allow you to keep your finger on the player's pulse, tracking what interests them and what doesn’t.
In his cycle of articles "Mobile App Analytics from A to Z," Taptica's Vice President Matt Tubergen explained how to work effectively with such data on Pocket Gamer. Below, we offer a translation of the first article dedicated to post-installs, "Planning Analytical Solutions for Post-Installs."
What is a post-install?
Post-install analytics is the analysis of data gathered after an app has been installed. In other words, it is the analysis of user behavior within the app.
The Value of Information
Many market analysts rightly believe that data collected by itself is useless. It’s valuable only in the form of the decisions you make based on it. In any case, it's important to understand that information is a valuable tool because the decisions made are the result of its analysis.
Listen or Ask?
There are two views on how to properly use the obtained data.
According to one view, you need to "listen" to the data. This implies that after gathering as much information as possible, you can "hear" from analyzing the data how users behave in the app.
The alternative view is to first think about what specific information interests you and what specific questions you want to answer. Based on these formulated queries, you don't just monitor all available data but focus on a specific layer. Queries can vary widely, for example, "Do users prefer feature X over feature Y after the 10th activation?"
Neither approach can be deemed definitively good or bad. Both are suitable for use.
Questions Before Answers
Too often, I hear things like "connect this or that analytics, and you'll be able to see everything."
“Listening” to data is undoubtedly important, but it's just as crucial to frame the questions you want answers to. Your chosen solution for your product will depend on them. Moreover, you won't need to scan the entire data array, which in turn requires a lot of time and human resources.
Questions can be varied, just some of them are:
- What do I want players to do in the app?
- Where, when, and why do users leave the app?
- What do users do in the app and why?
- What do loyal users do in the game?
- How often do users use the app?
- How actively do active users interact with the app compared to less active ones?
- What in the app leads a user to action X?
- What is the conversion rate in the project after X days of use/X actions performed in the game?
In general, before starting to work with data, understand which specific question you want to get answered. Then, take the time to decide how the obtained information will help you enhance the app's performance. And go for it!
