Fickle apps users need engagement for repeat use

A recent study from the mobile apps analytics firm Localytics found that 26% of the customers it studied didn’t use downloaded apps more than once.

The firm studied thousands of users of apps across all operating systems and found that for customers using an app for the first time between January and March 2010, 22% of them never opened the app again. In the second and third quarters of 2010, the rate of one-time usage was 26%.

For mobile app developers, the news is mixed. It means apps must be engaging enough for users to not only download, but come back to and use again. However, the ongoing growth of the app market also means users are hungry for new solutions and likely to download or buy—often on impulse—apps that appeal to them, even if they don’t see a long-term use.

The flip side of the stat is also encouraging, of course. As Localytics points out in a blog post, “Having 74 percent of new customers go on to use your app at least once more is pretty encouraging.”