The document discusses how optimizing an app's back-end performance through SDKs can improve user retention. It notes that while front-end design is important for retention, back-end issues like errors, timeouts and slow performance caused by third-party integrations negatively impact the user experience. The document cites studies that found correlations between faster app performance and increased sessions/reduced churn. It recommends measuring app speed, errors and timeouts across countries, and optimizing third-party integrations to improve retention.

1. Using Back-End SDKs to Drive
Sessions, Revenue and Retention
Jay Hinman - Neumob VP of Marketing

2. What We Talk About When We Talk Retention
● App owners and developers rightly place retention focus
on the app’s visible front-end, which can be endlessly
tweaked and optimized
● Product managers, designers, marketers: How do I make
my app more exciting, sticky, personal and relevant
enough to earn a place on millions of smartphones?
● Push notifications, A/B testing, UI personalization, in-app
communication - all essential retention tools

3. Yet What About Your App’s “Plumbing”?
● That traditional focus on an app’s front end (look and
feel) has been rightly placed - but at a performance cost
● Results of all this “fashion”? Slow speeds, plus app
errors and timeouts
● Retention also calls for a deeper look at function - i.e.
your app’s back end
● 3rd-party calls from ad networks, content feeds & SDKs
cause retention-killing performance problems

4. Errors, Timeouts & Crashes = #1 App Store Complaint

5. Mobile App Errors and Timeouts
Errors
● Images
● Ads
● Content feeds
● Purchases
Timeouts
● An app that just
freezes or “hangs”,
and won’t proceed
to the next
interaction

6. Typical Mobile Network Error Rates
● Anywhere between 3-12% - highly
variable and dependent on network
conditions
● United States: average of 3% network
errors
● India, China, and slower networks in
Europe & Latin America: up to 12% in-
app errors

7. Source: Dimension Research
Not Just Errors: The Perils of Slow App Performance

8. Apteligent and
Neumob 2016 studies
also found strong
correlations between
app performance and
app retention.

9. Faster, Error-Free App = Increased Sessions
● Localytics research: 22% of users only use apps once,
but 39% of users return to an app for 11 or more
sessions
○ Direct connection to retention:
○ User who uses an app just 5 times during their
first month is 50% more likely to stick around
than someone who uses the app only twice
● Neumob: Worked with leading, household-name real
time news app
● Error rate dropped from 5% to 1%
● App load time boosted by 80% - even faster in some
markets
● Led to instant 9% increase in app sessions

10. Faster, Error-Free App = Reduced App Churn
Data for Tier 1 travel app, with and without Neumob SDK, January 2017

11. Faster, Error-Free App = Reduced App Churn
● Faster time to checkout means less time to be distracted and abandon
the shopping cart
● Faster app speeds mean stronger app brand loyalty, and an increased
desire to use the app to book travel next time
● Easier and faster path to checkout means more windows for increased
page views, and potentially added transactions
● Better app store reviews, which leads to more app downloads and
higher revenues

12. Checklist: Using Your App’s Back End to Boost Retention
1. Integrate a first-rate analytics SDK to measure app performance
2. If you’re not measuring app speed + load times, it’s time to start
3. Don’t just focus on Crashes; also look at Network Errors and Timeouts
4. Look at multiple countries (wherever your users happen to be)
5. Look closely at the speeds of third-party URLs, Ads, SDKs
6. Measure & Fix!