What is Dormant User? 

A Dormant User is identified as someone who, after initially engaging with a mobile app, ceases active participation or interaction over a specific timeframe. These users, having neither deleted the app nor continued its usage, represent a unique segment that holds the potential for reactivation. Their state of inactivity poses both a challenge and an opportunity for marketers to re-engage and reintegrate them into the active user base, thereby maximizing the app's overall engagement and extending its reach within the target audience.

How to know whether your users become “Dormant”?

“Dormant User” differs, based on the types of apps and goals. However, Setting and Tracking are always needed to pinpoint the right inactive users:

Setting 

You should define Engagement Criteria by identifying actions that qualify as "active" engagement, like app opens, task completion, purchases, or social interactions. Then, establish a Timeframe to categorize users as dormant based on inactivity duration, which depends on the app type and user expectations—daily apps may use a week, while subscription services might use a month.

Tracking

Now that you know what your dormant user looks like, it is time to keep track of them. This can only be done by the analysis of their in-app events and real-time user data. Using a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) like Airbridge will provide you with powerful tracking tools.

How Dormant Users Can Harm Your Marketing Campaign

Dormant Users present a subtle yet significant challenge to your marketing campaign's effectiveness. The resources and efforts expended to acquire these users can go to waste when they cease active engagement without uninstalling the app, thereby missing out on potential Return On Investment (ROI). Moreover, a high volume of Dormant Users can skew your analytics, leading to misinterpretation of engagement metrics and user behavior data, which, in turn, could result in strategic missteps in campaign planning and execution.

Another important part that will be affected by Dormant User is App store optimization (ASO). Normally, app stores take user engagement into account when determining app rankings. Consequently, an app with a considerable proportion of dormant users might suffer from reduced visibility, making it harder to attract new users. Recognizing and addressing the impact of dormant users is crucial for maintaining the health and effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

How to Win Back Your Dormant Users?

Re-engaging dormant users requires a strategic approach that leverages personalized communication, special offers, and improvements to the app based on user feedback. Here are several things you should do to convince your users to come back:

• Send notifications of new features via email: Even if a user has removed your app, they might still be subscribed to your email list. Use this opportunity to create a sense of urgency or FOMO by informing dormant users about what they’ve been missing out on since they last used the app, such as new features, content, or community activities. That might spark their interest in reinstalling the app.
• Exclusive Offers and Incentives: Design special offers or incentives exclusively for dormant users to encourage them to return to the app. This could be in the form of discounts, premium content access, or rewards for completing certain actions within the app.‍
• Simplify Re-engagement: Make it as easy as possible for dormant users to re-engage with your app. This might involve streamlining the login process, offering guided tours of new features, providing immediate value upon their return, or deep linking your email re-engagement campaigns via MMPs like Airbridge.

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