App Virality – What drives it and how you can set up your app for success

MADA SEGHETE • Founder, Branch

@mada299 • @branchmetrics

INTROAbout me

• Originally from Romania

• Designed and built featured app - Kindred Photobooks

• Mobilegrowth.org - 16k members

• @mada299

Mada Seghete

mada@branch.io

• Palo Alto, CA

• 20 months in business

• $53M+ in funding

• 60 full time employees

• 10000+ apps

• Over 1.5 billion users deep linked

A mosaic of app icons from the Branch community

INTROAbout Branch

Getting something to go viral is HARD

…doing it on mobile is nearly IMPOSSIBLE

Here’s what it takes on an app

User A engages in app

User A shares app

User B clicks on link

User B downloads app

User B engages in app

User B shares app

Double viral loop

1

2

3

4

5

• @mada299

@mada299

SHARING Getting the CLICK

@mada299

3 LEVERS TO PULL

Incentives

Ego

Emotion@mada299

INCENTIVES

@mada299

Incentives

@mada299

Invite a friend to skip the line

Incentives

@mada299

29%

Referral best practices

It’s better to get something than a discount on something.Give an incentive

If you can only reward one, reward the new user.Two-sided are best

Make it incredibly easy for users to share.One-step sharing is best

People share when it makes them look good.Appeal to ego

@mada299

EGO

@mada299

EGO

@mada299

Users click and share because something drives an emotion in them.

In general, positive emotions make people share (the happier the post, the more likely it is to be shared)

Negative emotions drive more clicks

EMOTION

@mada299

Emotion: Acceptance and surprise Title: 83 reasons why cats are the best pet. You won’t believe number 45Click rate: 5.1%Share rate: 0.22%Like rate: 0.14%

Emotion: AcceptanceTitle: 83 Reasons why cats are better than dogsClick rate: 4.7%Share rate: 0%Like rate: 0.18%

Virality and cats

@mada299

Emotion: AngerTitle: 83 Reasons why you should not get a catClick rate: 5.4%Share rate: 0%Like rate: 0%

Emotion: Pride Title: 83 reasons why you should date a cat owner Click rate: 2.4%Share rate: 0%Like rate: 0%

Virality and cats

@mada299

Branded links work

VS.

@mada299

Enable users to create things they are proud of, and prompt them to share those creations.

Default sharing text should highlight how awesome the user is. Make sharing links rich deep links: the actual content should show up in Facebook, Twitter, SMS, and e-mail.

Create a Brand YOUR users what to be associated with.

From CLICK to DOWNLOAD

Click-to-install Conversions BY CHANNELPercentage of clicks that result in an Install and the app being opened for the first time

@mada299

Referrals aren’t the best

@mada299

Content drives growth

Standard Deep link to content

16% 29%

Activation Rate by Download Link

@mada299

Enable users to create things they are proud of, and prompt them to share those creations.

Default sharing text should highlight how awesome the user is. Make sharing links rich deep links: the actual content should show up in Facebook, Twitter, SMS, and e-mail.

Create a Brand YOUR users what to be associated with.

ENGAGEMENT

Paid

Affiliate

Blood, sweat, tears

App stores

ViralAwareness Share

ActivateDownload

Necessities for growth

@mada299

Paid

Affiliate

Blood, sweat, tears

App stores

ViralAwareness Share

ActivateDownload

@mada299

USED BY:

CUSTOM ONBOARDINGEngage new users with custom welcome

78%conversion to signup

PERSONALIZED WELCOMESWelcome users with rewards and context

78%install to signup

FUN ONBOARDINGFirst-touch UX

Blackbox by Ryan McLeod // @warpling

DEEPVIEWSShow your users app content before install

6xclick to install rate

Optimize the welcome

Tap into your user’s emotions + ego

Two-sided incentives with one-step sharing

@mada299

Thanks!

MADA SEGHETE • Founder, Branch

@mada299 • @branchmetrics