Finding Growth and Connection: Benchmarking Social Apps and Embracing Solitude

Finding Growth and Connection: Benchmarking Social Apps and Embracing Solitude

Introduction:
In today's digital age, social apps have become a significant part of our lives, offering us connections and interactions with others. However, in the pursuit of growth and success, it is crucial to benchmark these apps and understand the metrics that determine their performance. At the same time, amidst our constant connectivity, there is value in embracing solitude, disconnecting from the virtual world to find a deeper connection with ourselves and the larger world around us. In this article, we will explore the benchmarks for social app growth and the importance of solitude in our lives.

Benchmarking Growth in Social Apps:
When it comes to benchmarking growth in social apps, it is essential to define a core metric. For most consumer social apps, daily active users (DAUs) serve as a primary metric. The goal is to have users engaging with the app every day, making it a part of their routine. However, for apps with less frequent use, weekly active users (WAUs) can be an acceptable starting metric.

To gauge the success of monthly user growth in seed-stage consumer social companies, the following benchmarks can be considered:

• OK: 20% growth
• Good: 35% growth
• Great: 50% growth

Furthermore, organic growth is vital for social apps. These apps often struggle to monetize early on, making paid marketing less feasible. Ideally, most of the growth should come organically, driven by users' desire to invite their friends and enhance the overall experience. If a significant portion (more than 10-20%) of users are acquired through paid sources, it might be necessary to rethink the acquisition strategy and focus on improving the product itself.

Engagement Metrics: DAU/MAU and L-ness Curve:
Apart from user growth, engagement metrics play a crucial role in evaluating the success of social apps. DAU/MAU (Daily Active Users to Monthly Active Users) ratio provides insights into how frequently users engage with the app.

Benchmarks for DAU/MAU ratio are as follows:

• OK: 25%