How does APP do data analysis?

Nowadays, data analysis is a must-talk about every operation , especially APP operation. The purpose of data analysis is not the data itself, but to create a data feedback loop. Collect data, design basic data indicators, cross-analyze different indicators in multiple dimensions, use data to identify problems, and then reversely affect the product, ultimately forming a closed loop of data-driven product design.

From an operations novice to a product manager , when it comes to APP data analysis, we must talk about DAU, MAU, retention rate , frequency, duration... So, how do we combine these data analyses with daily operations? When analyzing data for the same product, we must do the analysis based on the product life cycle (PLC, Product Lifetime Cycle). The focus of data analysis in different periods is also different. The following will talk about several important periods of the product - the start-up stage, growth stage, maturity stage, and decline stage, combined with cases .

1. Start-up period

This stage is a period to test whether the product positioning and operation are correct in their judgment of users and the market, that is, to verify whether the product or service solves the problems of a certain group, which is often referred to as the pain point; for operations, it is whether they can find the fit between users and products, and quickly iterate and adjust the product based on user feedback, so as to acquire the first batch of seed users and expand their influence.

The MVP concept should be adopted in the product and operation stages, and relatively low costs should be used to verify the product and operation methods. In an Internet environment with homogeneous products, the cost of acquiring long-tail users is much lower than the cost of seizing users from giants. Therefore, products in their early stages must accurately position themselves, otherwise they will easily fall into operational difficulties.

For example:
When NetEase Cloud Music was already a major player in the music market, it focused on relatively niche genres such as folk songs and independent musicians when it first went online. At the beginning of its launch, NetEase Cloud Music spent a month traveling to well-known live houses in Chengdu, Lijiang and other places, signing many independent and free folk song creators, and attracting a group of niche group users. As a result, this niche organization became larger and larger, with more and more users, laying a solid foundation for NetEase Cloud Music to exceed 400 million users in 4 years.

Key data - target population profile

Before any product goes online, it will have its own target audience portrait set. Only in this way can it be highly targeted and attractive.
The user data that needs to be analyzed in the initial stage generally includes: gender, region, age, and client. After obtaining a certain amount of data, we analyze user preferences based on the user browsing interface, and use this to create content, forming a virtuous circle between product-user-operation. At the same time, these data can be used to optimize the app’s interface, process, and push content, ultimately achieving accurate user personalized recommendations.

Key data - retention rate

When the current users meet the characteristics of the target audience, the core focus is on indicators such as the retention rate, usage time/frequency, and user stickiness of these users. Here we will discuss the retention rate that products and operations are more concerned about.

Retention rate analysis is very important for operations and product personnel. In the absence of reference indicators in the early stages, you can understand the industry data to know the level of your own APP in the entire industry, and then compare the differences between your product and the industry average level from multiple dimensions such as new users, active users, number of launches, usage time, etc., as well as the ranking of your product's corresponding indicators in the entire industry, and then consider optimizing and adjusting the product.

2. Rapid Growth Stage

After the initial stage of product polishing, the product has accumulated a certain number of users, and operational measures have been taken to allow the product to enter a period of rapid growth. During this period, it is necessary to pay attention to data such as user retention , user time, and changes in user portraits , but the focus can be on the management of the user's entire life cycle, focusing on the entire funnel analysis of new user growth, activation, and conversion to stable and active product users.

New user growth and activation

For operations, this stage means a marketing blitzkrieg of small steps, fast progress, and rapid trial and error, in order to achieve viral marketing to the greatest extent and scope and realize self-growth of users.

The so-called “small steps and fast progress” means executing marketing projects quickly and non-stop. Don’t spend too much time on pre-project discussions, but use actual results to test project quality.

Let’s take a look at what NetEase Cloud Music did at this step. In the months before the Spring Festival in 2015, it had creative ideas and dissemination almost every week, with about 4-5 H5s, and published more than a dozen soft articles on various public accounts and forums, released dozens of PR articles, and invited dozens of KOLs to comment on Cloud Music, etc. At the same time, it also held offline activities such as "Campus Music Open Day" almost once a week. They also seized on the newly emerging Uber to engage in cross-border marketing.

Moreover, according to an insider of NetEase, each creative idea like this costs about 40,000 yuan. In fact, many companies can still afford this cost, and the effect is a test of the quality of the operation staff.

3. Maturity

When a product enters the mature stage, it means: the technology is stable, the cost is reduced, large-scale production is achieved, potential buyers gradually turn into real buyers, there are many loyal users; and competitors are also more numerous and powerful. Operations personnel need to adopt more proactive strategies to extend the maturity period.

At this time, the data that needs to be paid attention to are: total number of users, new users, lost users, and returning users; daily active users (DAU), weekly active users (WAU), and monthly active users (MAU) of each channel ;

Loss and Return

User churn is inevitable, but product and operations personnel must understand the reasons for user churn and incorporate operational measures to recall churned users and awaken dormant users.

Marketing advertising channel conversion rate

For some stable delivery channels, we should pay more attention to the conversion rate and optimize the channels. At this time, we can use some third-party data analysis service products to monitor the playback and conversion of advertisements and take some operational measures to improve the conversion rate.

For example, first focus on the delivery and conversion rate of each channel, analyze the ratio of each landing page and bounce page, and then adjust and optimize the product page.

The advertising monitoring page of 99click Business Aid Technology can display the user sources, browsing tracks, and bounce rates, etc. It can analyze the reasons for the high bounce rates, assist in user surveys, draw more accurate conclusions, and finally optimize and improve the products.

4. Recession

Any product may enter a decline period with the development of technology and the upgrading of market consumption. If a product wants to continue to attract new users, it needs to attract users with excellent content and outstanding product functions.

As an APP, whether it is user surveys or algorithm analysis, it is necessary to analyze users' concerns. Only in this way can we keep up with user needs and capture their appeal.

For example, a music APP has its main user group consisting of college students, and what users care most about is “rich music resources”, so some costs will have to be spent on this later. If you do the opposite and only focus on marketing without expanding your resource library, you will lose a lot of users.

The author of this article @99click compiled and published by (Qinggua Media). Please indicate the author information and source when reprinting!

Product promotion services: APP promotion services Advertising platform Longyou Century