Growth Masterminds: mobile growth podcast Singular

How do you achieve insane mobile app retention rates? One way is magic. Another is pure accident. The third is by applying smart frameworks to science (and magic) your way to better retention.

In this episode of Growth Mastermind, host John Koetsier speaks with mobile growth expert Jacob Rushfinn about achieving high app retention rates.

They discuss four frameworks for tackling retention: Darius Contractor's Psych Framework, RICE Prioritization (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort), Eisenhower's prioritization matrix, and Elena Verna’s Conversion Rate Decline Diagnostic.

Jacob shares insights from his diverse experience at companies like Balance, Level Up, Amwell, and Automattic. The conversation covers the practical application of these frameworks, the value of early user engagement, and the impact of better retention metrics on long-term success.

00:00 Introduction to Killer App Retention
01:15 The Journey into Retention
04:27 Understanding Frameworks for Retention
07:26 The Psych Framework Explained
14:16 Framework Number Two: RICE Prioritization
20:06 Balancing Quick Wins and Big Bets
21:14 The RICE Approach to Prioritization
21:49 Eisenhower's Prioritization Matrix
25:48 Elena Verna's Conversion Rate Decline Diagnostic
33:58 The Impact of Better Retention
38:32 Final Thoughts and Resources

Should you stop A/B testing creative right now?

In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Ellad Matarasso, Director of Growth at Alison.ai.

They discuss the limitations of traditional A/B testing in growth marketing and how Google and Meta do essentially massively multivariate simultaneous testing. Matarasso shares insights on how AI can analyze creative elements frame by frame and correlate them with performance data, thereby recommending the best combinations to maximize ad campaigns.

They also chat about the importance of creative in advertising, common mistakes marketers make, and emerging trends such as generative AI in creative production.

00:00 Stop A/B Testing?
00:31 The Evolution of A/B Testing
01:54 How Allison.ai Tests
07:12 How Important is Creative?
12:59 Human Creativity vs. AI
15:51 Trends in Creative Optimization
17:04 Challenges with Major Platforms
19:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Protected Audiences has grown a lot since it was FLEDGE, and even this year. As such, it’s going to be useful for much more than just retargeting, according to 2 experts.

In this episode of Growth Mastermind, host John Koetsier explores the intricacies of Google's Privacy Sandbox with a particular focus on the Protected Audiences API.

He’s joined by experts Omri Gal, Head of Privacy Sandbox at Singular, and Lucky Harpley, a Product Manager at Remerge.

The discussion covers the evolving landscape of retargeting and attribution on Android. They delve into the technical workings, the impact on marketers, and insights from recent testing. The conversation also highlights the challenges and preparation steps for the transition from GAID to Privacy Sandbox, emphasizing the importance of understanding and adapting to new industry standards.

Finally, they highlight the key difference between attribution and optimization via GAID right now versus Privacy Sandbox on Android in the future.

00:00 Introduction to Privacy Sandbox and Its Evolution
04:10 Deep Dive into Protected Audiences API
11:32 The Future of Targeting and Retargeting in Privacy Sandbox
19:16 Testing and Implementing Privacy Sandbox Solutions
27:22 Preparing Marketers for the Privacy Sandbox Transition
31:10 Closing Thoughts and Next Steps

Everyone needs better app retention. Especially in health and wellness categories.

One app, Welltory, has an insane 56% retention rate for users over the last 3 years. As in ... people installed 3 years ago, and THEY ARE STILL USING THE APP today.

How?

Perhaps some Jedi mind tricks, which Asya Paloni, VP of Strategy, shares with us in this episode of Growth Masterminds.

We chat about Welltory's success in overcoming the notoriously poor retention rates in the fitness and wellness app industry by implementing innovative strategies. We also talk about making the app experience magical, hyper-personalizing content, offering new experiences with each app interaction, and ensuring users never feel bad for not meeting their goals.

With a focus on making mundane data engaging and displaying it in real-time in a way that makes sense to users, Welltory has achieved a remarkable 56% usage retention rate over three years. The conversation highlights the importance of user engagement, the psychological aspects of app design, and the power of keeping users interested without relying on notifications or making them feel inadequate.

00:00 Introduction to Jedi Mind Tricks for App Retention
00:53 Unlocking Jedi Mind Tricks: Insights from a Content Creator
02:37 The Wellness App Dilemma: Retention Challenges and Solutions
07:31 Welltory's 5 Core Strategies for User Retention
08:48 Exploring Welltory's Innovative Features and User Engagement
22:47 The Impact of Welltory's Strategies on User Retention
28:48 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Should you have an AI agent assigned to every single app user?

In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John interviews Shaun Wheeler, a data scientist at Aampe. They focus on mobile user engagement and the innovative approach of assigning an AI agent to each app user.

They discuss the limitations of traditional user engagement strategies, such as generic pop-up messaging, and the power of AI agents in providing tailored interactions based on individual user behavior. Through examples, including a nursing scheduling app and e-commerce platforms, they explore how AI-driven personalization can significantly impact user retention, monetization, and overall satisfaction, while also reducing communication volume.

The conversation highlights the use of surrogate models to predict user behavior, the importance of first-party data, and the future potential of AI in enhancing mobile user experiences.

00:00 Introduction to AI in User Engagement
01:15 A Deep Dive into Messaging Strategies
07:01 The Power of Personalization with AI Agents
09:50 Exploring the Impact of Over-Instrumentation
20:05 Case Studies and Real-World Applications
29:20 Concluding Thoughts on AI-Driven Engagement

What are the most common blockers to growing games profitably? In other words, why won't your game grow?

You built a game and it’s awesome, but it’s not growing like you want it to. What’s wrong? Maybe this episode of Growth Masterminds holds the answer.

Today we’re chatting with who reminds me of Ben Affleck in The Consultant, because she’s called in when nothing else is working

Her name is Sara El Bachri. She runs ShamsCo, does the mobile gaming growth masterclass, and has worked with 40+ gaming studios over the last few years including EA, Rovio, Gameloft, DoubleDown, Netflix Games, and TutoToons.

All of that means: she’s seen a few things. And fixed a few things.

We hear about the biggest blockers for growth for games both big and small ... and a little about Sara's journey to becoming an internationally renowned UA consultant.

00:00 The Growth Dilemma
00:33 Introducing Sarah El Bachri
01:27 Mobile Game Growth: Strategies and Insights
11:44 Bridging the Gap: Communication and Creativity in Game Studios
18:10 Unlocking Organic Growth: The Power of Testing and Education
21:49 The Importance of Internal Education and Collaboration
27:12 The Complexity of User Acquisition