Unleashing the Potential of Social Apps: Benchmarking Growth and Creating Engaging Experiences

Unleashing the Potential of Social Apps: Benchmarking Growth and Creating Engaging Experiences

Introduction

Creating a successful social app can often feel like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Many of the most popular social apps we know today started off with humble beginnings, such as Facebook beginning as a way for Harvard students to rate their classmates' attractiveness. However, despite the seemingly random nature of success in the consumer social space, there are ways to assess a social app's performance and potential. In this article, we will explore how to benchmark the growth of social apps and delve into the concept of creating engaging experiences using the principles of flow theory.

Defining Core Metrics: Daily Active Users (DAUs)

When measuring the growth of a social app, it is essential to define a core metric that reflects the app's success. For most consumer social apps, this core metric is daily active users (DAUs). The goal is to have a growing number of users engaging with the app on a daily basis. While perfect consistency may not be achievable, the overall trend should be an upward trajectory. However, true acquisition and growth potential lie in maintaining consistent growth above a baseline level. Organic growth is key, as social apps should inherently be viral, with users incentivized to invite their friends and enhance the overall experience. If a significant portion of users are coming from paid sources, it may be necessary to reevaluate the acquisition strategy.

Engagement Ratios: DAU / MAU

To further assess the performance of a social app, engagement ratios such as DAU / MAU (daily active users divided by monthly active users) can provide valuable insights. This ratio indicates the percentage of monthly users who are actively engaging with the app on a daily basis. Benchmarking this ratio can help determine the level of user engagement and the app's ability to retain users. A benchmark of 40% or higher is considered good, indicating that a significant portion of monthly users are consistently using the app.

The L-ness Curve: Assessing User Retention

Retention is a crucial aspect of a social app's success. The L-ness curve is a metric that looks at the distribution of users based on the number of days they are active within a specific time period. Best-in-class social apps exhibit an L-ness curve that "smiles" or skews right, indicating that users are regularly using the app. This signifies that the app has become an integral part of their daily lives. Benchmarking L5+ performance, where L5 represents the number of days active within a specific time period, can provide valuable insights into user retention. A benchmark of 40% or higher indicates strong retention, suggesting that users are consistently returning to the app.

N-Day Retention and Weekly Retention

In addition to the L-ness curve, it is crucial to analyze n-day retention, also known as bounded retention. Bounded retention measures the percentage of users who continue to use the app on specific days after their initial download. Benchmarking n-day retention at day 1, day 7, and day 30 provides insights into the app's ability to retain users over time. A benchmark of 60% or higher for day 1, 40% or higher for day 7, and 25% or higher for day 30 is indicative of good retention.

It is also essential to analyze how quickly the retention curve flattens out. Typically, the slope of the line starts to flatten between day 7 and day 14, reaching a plateau by day 20. Significant degradation of retention between day 7 and day 30, without a flattened curve by day 30, may raise concerns about the app's long-term retention potential.

Unlocking the Power of Flow Theory in Game Design

Moving beyond the realm of social apps, we can explore the principles of flow theory in game design to create engaging experiences. Humans, including animals, are wired to learn and adapt to their environment to increase their chances of survival. Learning is inherently enjoyable, as it is tied to the pleasure centers in our brains. Games can be seen as a way to gamify learning, making it an enjoyable experience.

Flow theory suggests that people find activities enjoyable when they are in a state of complete immersion and concentration. This state, known as flow, occurs when individuals are faced with challenges that require the use of their advanced skills. To create a game that elicits a sense of flow, several conditions need to be met:

1. Clear objectives: Players must have clear goals and understand the rules and principles guiding their actions.

2. Intense focus and concentration: Players should be deeply engaged and focused on a specific activity or task.

3. Altered sense of self-awareness: Players experience a fusion of their consciousness with the activity, losing track of time and becoming completely absorbed in the experience.

4. Immediate feedback: Players receive immediate and clear feedback on their actions, enabling them to adjust their behavior accordingly.

5. Balance between skill level and difficulty: The activity should provide an optimal balance between the player's skill level and the difficulty of the challenges they face. It should be neither too easy nor too difficult.

6. Sense of control: Players should feel a sense of control over the situation and their ability to influence the outcome.

7. Intrinsic value: The activity itself should hold inherent value and be enjoyable, making the experience pleasurable rather than a chore.

By incorporating these principles into game design, developers can create engaging and immersive experiences that captivate players and keep them coming back for more.

Creating Engaging Experiences through Virtual and Group Flow

To further enhance the engagement levels of games, developers can utilize the concepts of virtual flow and group flow. Virtual flow refers to the experience of growth and progress within a game, where players feel a sense of accomplishment and pleasure as they overcome challenges and achieve milestones. By providing players with a sense of growth and reward, virtual flow can contribute to enhancing the overall enjoyment and motivation to continue playing.

Group flow, on the other hand, involves creating experiences where players can enter a state of flow together as a group. This can be achieved through shared challenges, collaboration, and communication within the game. By fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared experiences, group flow can strengthen social connections and motivate players to continue playing together.

Conclusion: Three Actionable Advice for Social App Growth and Game Design

1. Focus on organic growth: While paid acquisition can provide short-term boosts, the long-term success of a social app relies on organic growth. Ensure that your app is inherently viral, with features that encourage users to invite their friends and enhance the overall experience.

2. Prioritize user retention: Retaining users is crucial for the continued growth and success of a social app. Benchmark key retention metrics such as daily active users, weekly retention, and n-day retention to assess the app's ability to retain users over time.

3. Incorporate flow theory into game design: By understanding the principles of flow theory, developers can create engaging and immersive game experiences. Focus on clear objectives, intense focus, immediate feedback, and a balance between skill level and difficulty to elicit a sense of flow in players.

In conclusion, understanding the benchmarks for social app growth and incorporating the principles of flow theory in game design can unlock the potential for success and engagement. By focusing on organic growth, prioritizing user retention, and creating immersive experiences, developers can catch lightning in a bottle and create social apps and games that captivate and delight users.