mobile app / 4 min read
Great communities thrive on engagement
By Julie / May 19, 2025
Why a custom mobile app is your ultimate connection tool
In today’s digital age, engagement is the lifeblood of any thriving community. Whether you’re building a brand, running a membership-driven organisation, or fostering a local group, meaningful interaction is what keeps people connected and invested. While social media and email campaigns are valuable tools, nothing strengthens engagement quite like a custom mobile app.
The Power of a Custom Mobile App
A mobile app is more than just a convenient digital space—it’s a direct channel between you and your community, offering personalised interactions and real-time updates. Here’s why launching your own app can take your engagement to the next level:
- Seamless and Direct Communication
Push notifications allow you to send instant updates, event reminders, and announcements straight to your audience’s phones. No more lost emails or overlooked social media posts—your community stays informed without extra effort.
- Tailored User Experience
Unlike generic platforms, a custom app lets you design the experience around your community’s needs. You can include features like discussion forums, live chats, and exclusive content, fostering deeper connections and real-time interaction.
- Increased Accessibility and Convenience
A mobile app provides easy, on-the-go access to your community’s resources. Whether it’s a news feed, event calendar, or members-only perks, everything is available at their fingertips—no desktop required.
- Strengthened Brand Identity
A custom app reinforces your unique presence. Your logo, branding, and interface create an immersive experience that strengthens your community’s identity and fosters loyalty.
- Monetisation and Growth Opportunities
Want to offer premium content, online courses, or membership perks? A mobile app allows you to integrate subscription models, e-commerce features, and donation portals, helping your community grow while providing valuable benefits.
Is It Time to Launch Your Own Community App?
Investing in a custom app is more than a technical decision—it’s a commitment to engagement, accessibility, and community growth. Whether you're leading a nonprofit, running a local business, or managing an online forum, a well-crafted mobile app is a game-changer for fostering stronger relationships and keeping your audience connected.
Here are some key statistics on app engagement:
- Entertainment apps have the highest average session length, at seven minutes.
- Sports apps are opened the most times in a month, while food & drink and shopping apps are opened the least.
- News & magazine apps have the highest percentage of active users using their apps once per day.
- Users spend the most time on social networking apps, averaging 44 minutes per day.
- Indonesians spend the most time on apps daily, at 5.7 hours per day.
These insights highlight how different app categories engage users in unique ways. If you're considering launching a custom mobile app, understanding these trends can help tailor features to maximise engagement!
These engagement statistics can serve as a blueprint for designing a mobile app that maximizes user interaction. Here’s how they can influence app features and design choices:
- Session Length Insights: Since entertainment apps have long session times, features like immersive content, engaging visuals, and interactive elements (e.g., gamification) can encourage users to stay longer.
- Frequency of Use: Sports apps are opened the most in a month, meaning frequent updates, live scores, and notifications drive engagement. If your app aims for high retention, timely and relevant content is key.
- Daily Active Users: News & magazine apps have high daily usage, showing the power of fresh, dynamic content. If your app fits into this category, integrating real-time updates and personalised recommendations will keep users engaged.
- Average Time Spent: Social networking apps dominate daily screen time, meaning community-building features like chats, forums, and interactive feeds can boost retention.
- Regional Habits: Indonesians spend 5.7 hours daily on apps, so if your audience includes users from regions with high app engagement, consider localisation efforts and culturally relevant content.
By leveraging these insights, you can create an app that resonates with user behaviours, making engagement a natural and rewarding experience.
Examples of successful apps that used these insights
Many successful apps have leveraged engagement insights to refine their features and boost user interaction. Here are a few standout examples:
- TikTok: This social media giant capitalized on users' preference for short-form content and high session lengths. Its algorithm-driven feed keeps users engaged by continuously serving personalized videos.
- Duolingo: The language-learning app uses gamification, push notifications, and streak rewards to encourage daily engagement, mirroring the retention strategies seen in news and magazine apps.
- Nike Run Club: This fitness app integrates real-time tracking, social challenges, and personalized coaching to keep users engaged, similar to how sports apps drive frequent interactions.
- Amazon: The e-commerce giant optimizes engagement through AI-driven recommendations, one-click purchasing, and personalized notifications, ensuring users return frequently.
- Headspace: This meditation app uses daily reminders, guided sessions, and progress tracking to encourage consistent usage, aligning with engagement strategies seen in wellness apps.
These apps demonstrate how understanding user behaviour can shape features that maximize engagement and retention. If you're designing an app, incorporating similar strategies could help boost user interaction.
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