What’s one of the biggest challenges facing mobile marketers today? For many (most, in fact), it’s getting users to stick around. On average, users uninstall apps six days after downloading them, and 19% delete an app after the first use.01 To prevent users from uninstalling your app, it’s crucial to keep them engaged. That’s where in-app messaging comes into play. When used effectively, in-app messaging increases engagement and retention, making it a great method for countering app abandonment rates. In-app messages have many uses, from greeting and onboarding your users to keeping them reeled in over time with special offers and updates. To learn more about in-app messages, keep reading this guide, or jump to our infographic below. What Are In-App Messages? in app messages definition on a phone screen as an example In-app messages are notifications that appear within an app while it’s being used. Marketers use these notifications to engage users at various points of the user journey and to enhance the overall experience. There are different types of in-app messages that can be leveraged at specific points in the user’s timeline, and they each have their own purpose and application. Here’s a quick list of the most common uses: Onboarding — Help users learn how to use your app after they download it. Special promotion — Give customers a coupon, discount, or freebie. New feature — Explain new functionality users have access to in your app. Transactional — Confirm a purchase, registration, or any other action. Announcements — Share important company news with users. For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus on using in-app messages for onboarding and engagement. In-App Messages vs. Push Notifications push notifications vs in-app messages Push notifications are text or rich media messages that appear on your status bar or home screen, whereas in-app messages are notifications that appear as you’re actively using an app. After downloading, you can opt-in (or out) of receiving push notifications. Similar to in-app messages, push notifications exist to engage users. Push notifications can boost retention rates by as much as 23%, and they are a great way to draw back the users who may have forgotten about your app.03 push notification example Push notifications can also deter users from using your app. Too many messages and you risk annoying them — especially if you’re constantly promoting a new product or service. You could also provide too much information in your push message that actually deters someone from opening the app. A breaking news headline, for example, could provide users with sufficient information. In-app messages, on the other hand, don’t have a word count. In general, users are more likely to interact with in-app messages because they are more personalized, contextual, and designed to target users at specific points in their journey. How To Use In-App Messages for Onboarding Engagement illustrations with three users pointing at various components of the in-app message User onboarding is the process of actively guiding first-time users through your app to help them find value in your product. An effective onboarding flow should make users feel welcome and encourage them to take the needed actions to use your app. One way to seamlessly onboard new users is to greet them with in-app messages. By crafting personalized messages, you can provide users with the necessary instructions, tips, and tutorials they need to derive the most benefit from your app. Depending Colombia Phone Numbers List on your product, you might give them tooltips or prompt them to take a certain action, like following a friend or posting a profile picture. Whatever the case may be, users shouldn’t feel lost or confused after they download your app. It should be abundantly clear what steps they need to take so they can start using your app as soon as possible. In-app messages give you the platform to do this without hindering the overall user experience. When done right, the user should feel confident using your product. How To Use Your In-App Message To Increase Engagement in-app message engagement example with thumb engaging with an in-app message example In-app messages are also a powerful tool for engaging users over time. These periodic touchpoints are an effective means of introducing new features and updates or conveying important information to your users. According to a recent study, apps that use some form of in-app messaging see a 40% increase in retention in the first and third months following a user’s first session.02 Additionally, in-app messaging can increase overall retention by as much as 3x. Users want to be prompted to take certain actions rather than figure the app out themselves. If your app fails to direct its users, they are more likely to leave or lose interest. In-App Message Examples from Engagement Experts There are many ways to use in-app messages effectively so that they guide y