App Store Domination: Trend Analysis for Developers

Want to build successful mobile apps? You can’t just code. You must understand the market forces shaping user behavior and technological advancement. This how-to guide will show you how to conduct effective analysis alongside analysis of the latest mobile industry trends and news, so you can create apps people actually want. Are you ready to build apps that dominate app store charts? If you’re still in the planning stages, make sure you’re ready to build a mobile app for success.

1. Define Your Analysis Goals

Before you even open a browser, clarify what you want to achieve with your trend analysis. Are you brainstorming a new app idea? Refining an existing product? Understanding competitor strategies? Knowing your goal will focus your research and prevent you from getting lost in the noise.

For example, if you’re developing a fitness app targeting Gen Z in Atlanta, you might want to analyze:

• The popularity of different fitness trends (HIIT, yoga, dance fitness) among Gen Z in Atlanta.
• The features that Gen Z users find most engaging in fitness apps.
• The marketing strategies that competitor fitness apps are using to reach Gen Z in Atlanta.

Pro Tip: Write down your specific questions before you start researching. This will help you stay focused and avoid analysis paralysis.

2. Identify Reliable News Sources

The mobile industry moves fast, so it’s essential to identify reliable news sources that can keep you up-to-date on the latest trends. Avoid clickbait websites and focus on reputable publications, industry blogs, and research firms. I recommend starting with these:

• Statista: Excellent source for market data and statistics.
• TechCrunch: General tech news with a strong focus on startups and mobile.
• eMarketer: Focuses on digital marketing and advertising trends.

Don’t just read the headlines. Dig into the reports, read the fine print, and understand the methodology behind the data. I had a client last year who made a big mistake by relying on a sensational headline without verifying the data source. It cost them thousands of dollars in wasted marketing spend.

Common Mistake: Relying solely on free news sources. Invest in premium subscriptions to industry reports for deeper insights.

3. Set Up Google Alerts

To stay on top of the latest mobile industry news, set up Google Alerts for keywords related to your niche. For example, if you’re developing a mobile game, you might set up alerts for “mobile gaming trends,” “new mobile game releases,” and “mobile esports.”

To set up Google Alerts:

1. Go to the Google Alerts website.
2. Enter your keyword in the search bar.
3. Click “Show options” to customize your alert frequency, sources, region, and quantity.
4. Click “Create Alert.”

I suggest setting the frequency to “As-it-happens” for critical keywords and “Once a day” for less urgent ones. This ensures you don’t miss important news while avoiding information overload.

4. Monitor App Store Analytics

Your own app store data is a goldmine of information about user behavior and preferences. Pay close attention to your app’s downloads, active users, retention rate, and user reviews. This data can reveal emerging trends and help you identify areas for improvement.

Here’s how to monitor app store analytics using AppStore Connect:

1. Log in to AppStore Connect.
2. Click “App Analytics.”
3. Select your app.
4. Explore the different metrics, such as “Impressions,” “Product Page Views,” “Downloads,” “Sales,” “Retention,” and “Crashes.”
5. Use the filters to segment your data by date, region, device, and other criteria.

Pro Tip: Compare your app’s performance to industry benchmarks to identify areas where you’re excelling or falling behind. For example, if your app’s retention rate is significantly lower than the average for your category, you may need to improve your onboarding process or add more engaging features.

Here’s what nobody tells you: app store data is lagged. It tells you what has happened, not what will happen. Combine it with forward-looking trend analysis for best results.

5. Analyze Competitor Apps

Understanding your competitors is crucial for identifying opportunities and avoiding mistakes. Download and use your competitors’ apps, read their user reviews, and analyze their marketing strategies. Tools like Sensor Tower can provide valuable insights into your competitors’ app downloads, revenue, and ad spend.

Here’s how to analyze competitor apps using Sensor Tower:

1. Log in to Sensor Tower.
2. Enter the name of your competitor’s app in the search bar.
3. Explore the different sections, such as “App Overview,” “Store Intelligence,” “Usage Intelligence,” and “Ad Intelligence.”
4. Pay attention to metrics such as “Downloads,” “Revenue,” “Rankings,” “User Ratings,” “Keywords,” and “Ad Creatives.”

We ran into this exact issue at my previous firm. We were developing a new social media app, and we assumed we knew what our competitors were doing. It turned out we were completely wrong. Once we started using Sensor Tower to analyze their strategies, we realized they were targeting a completely different audience and using a different marketing approach. This helped us to adjust our strategy and ultimately launch a successful app.

Common Mistake: Only focusing on direct competitors. Analyze apps in related categories to identify broader trends and potential opportunities.

6. Participate in Industry Events and Webinars

Attending industry events and webinars is a great way to learn about the latest mobile industry trends and network with other professionals. Look for events and webinars that are relevant to your niche and that feature speakers who are experts in their fields. The annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is an excellent example, even though it’s halfway around the world. Many sessions are streamed online.

7. Monitor Social Media and Online Forums

Social media and online forums can be valuable sources of information about user sentiment and emerging trends. Monitor relevant hashtags, follow industry influencers, and participate in discussions in online forums. Look for patterns in user feedback and identify any pain points or unmet needs.

Consider the case of “SnackSnap,” a fictional photo-sharing app. By monitoring social media, the SnackSnap team noticed a surge in users sharing photos of their homemade meals with the hashtag #AtlantaEatsLocal. This insight led them to develop a new feature that allowed users to easily discover and share local restaurants and recipes, resulting in a 30% increase in user engagement. To ensure you’re building the right features, remember to validate user needs first.

8. Use A/B Testing to Validate Hypotheses

Trend analysis can generate hypotheses about what features and strategies will resonate with users. Use A/B testing to validate these hypotheses and ensure that you’re making data-driven decisions. For example, if you believe that users will prefer a new design for your app’s onboarding process, you can A/B test the new design against the existing design and measure the impact on user retention.

Tools like Optimizely and Split make A/B testing relatively straightforward. Remember to test one variable at a time to isolate the impact of each change.

9. Document and Share Your Findings

Trend analysis is an ongoing process, so it’s important to document your findings and share them with your team. Create a central repository for your research and insights, and regularly update it with new information. This will help you to stay organized and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

We use a shared Google Docs folder, organized by project, to keep track of our trend analysis findings. This makes it easy for everyone on the team to access the information and contribute their own insights. We also hold weekly meetings to discuss our findings and brainstorm new ideas. For more on team success, consider these strategies for tech product managers.

10. Adapt and Iterate

The mobile industry is constantly evolving, so it’s essential to adapt and iterate based on your trend analysis findings. Don’t be afraid to change your strategy or pivot your product if the data suggests that it’s necessary. The key is to be flexible and responsive to the needs of your users.

Consider the rise of AI-powered features in mobile apps. A year ago, these were niche. Now, they’re almost expected. If your trend analysis shows that users are increasingly demanding AI-powered features, you need to start incorporating them into your app or risk falling behind. It’s worth considering how AI upskills experts in the mobile space.

Don’t just react to mobile industry trends; anticipate them. By consistently applying these steps to conduct analysis alongside analysis of the latest mobile industry trends and news, you’ll be well-positioned to create successful, user-centric mobile apps that thrive in the competitive app store environment. Now, get out there and start analyzing!