TL;DR

• Store redirection and deep links stopped working on X for iOS in early November due to changes in X’s internal WebView.
• App-scheme and App Store redirects were blocked, leaving users stuck on a blank screen.
• This resulted in a significant decline in conversions from organic posts on X.
• The issue was isolated to X iOS and didn’t affect Android or Safari.
• You can recover your flows by using an https fallback or a controlled landing page powered by AppsFlyer’s Deep Linking Suite.

X broken deep linking and redirection – what happened and how to fix it

Deep linking and redirection are designed to be seamless for the user with zero friction. But just recently, they were neither… 

A sudden and consistent failure surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) at the beginning of November, when deep links on iOS stopped opening apps or the App Store. The disruption resulted in no less than an 86% drop in conversions from Organic posts on X.

AppsFlyer’s proactive monitoring identified the problematic store redirection early on and found a quick-win solution that was released immediately.

What exactly happened and how was it resolved? Let’s dive in.

What did end-users experience and why?

According to AppsFlyer’s data, iOS users who tapped on a link in a tweet that was supposed to direct them smoothly to an app, saw their in-app browser freeze on a blank screen. 

With deep linking and deferred deep-linking working properly, it should have opened the app or redirected them to the relevant store (if the app was not installed). There was neither a fallback nor an error message. The end result was a broken flow, a frustrated user, and immediate drop in conversions.

The root cause of the problem was X’s internal WebView, the embedded browser X uses to open links inside the app.

A recent WebView update introduced two important behavioral changes:

While using Standard Universal Links is still possible as a method to open the app, it is strongly recommended not to go down that path as it can lead other flows to stop working. Bottom line: Whether the app was installed on the device or not, it was a dead end for end users, resulting in critical business impact for advertisers and app developers.

The problem was limited to X iOS because each major app maintains its own WebView with its own logic.

This restrictive behavior was introduced specifically in X’s iOS WebView and did not impact other apps on Android or Safari. 

Solution alternatives

For obvious reasons, the state of linking in X is a no-starter as it carries immediate business impact.

To address this, there are several possible solutions. In this blog, we’ll focus on two (but know that there are more options):

Option 1: Fallback store redirection when an app is not present and is based on https:// web URL.

• Pros: Handles the ‘app not installed’ scenario , preventing broken flows for new users. A good fit if your focus is to acquire new users to your app.
• Cons: Doesn’t work well when you have existing users you’re trying to re-engage because it means they’ll have to go through the store before their app is opened. An extra step in the process could result in a lower conversion rate, leading to a negative business impact.

Option 2: Maintaining an intermediate landing page on your own website allowing you to take back full control of the flow.

• Pros:
  • You can use the preferred method for opening the app for existing users from a security and performance perspective (Universal Links).
  • You can use a smart solution like AppsFlyer’s Deep Linking Suite backed by OneLink technology to manage your links, measure, and attribute this traffic to app conversions. Our suite allows you to redirect to the app if the user has the app installed, or to the store if they don’t.
• Cons:
  • Adding another step in the process for store redirection may lead to a lower conversion rate for new users. That said, based on AppsFlyer’s data (like in this example), marketers who built the landing page correctly generated a performance lift. Just take into account that you would need to invest time and effort to do it right. Putting together the new page experience, A/B testing the colors, CTA, messaging, etc. So, although it has the potential to increase conversion, it requires more work that might not have a priority given it was an existing flow that is broken out of nowhere.

OneLink flexible solution for your alternative of choice

AppsFlyer’s deep linking and redirection suite of solutions has got you covered with its OneLink technology.

If you’d prefer to use option 1, you can set up your URI scheme as an ‘https://’ based scheme, rollout a new version of the app to the App Store, and set up the link with af_dp. This option is not recommended because of the cons mentioned above.

For option 2, using OneLink technology with its social app landing page feature is a good option. Not only will you cover both UA & app re-engagement with OneLink to support new and existing users, but also you can customize the landing page’s creative to showcase your most engaging content. And the best part is that it’s a fully managed AppsFlyer’s capability, so you don’t need any developer help. It’s completely self-serve.

The recommended setup for iOS is through Universal Links. If your links were previously based on the URI scheme, you’ll need a one-time setup as follows:

• Update the OneLink template with the universal links team ID to trigger an AASA file update.
• Release a new version of the app and to the store and force an update so that app users will receive the updated AASA file.
• Ensure Universal Links domains match your OneLink configuration.

The bottom line

Deep linking and redirection should work everywhere, regardless of silent updates or shifting WebView policies. Clear detection of the issue, rapid validation and forward-compatible recommendations ensure that journeys remain reliable across platforms.
Want to learn more about the Social App Landing Page on X? Click here.

The post Why deep links stopped working on X for iOS and what you can do now appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• Automate without coding: Build powerful marketing workflows using AI agents and no-code tools, zero engineering support needed.
• Get real-time insights: Connect directly to AppsFlyer data through MCP for instant campaign performance visibility.
• Reclaim your time: Eliminate hours of manual reporting with automated dashboards delivered to your inbox
• Prevent budget disasters: Set up 24/7 monitoring that alerts you before overspend happens, not after.
• Two ready-to-use workflows: Start today with plug-and-play templates for performance reporting and budget monitoring

Stop waiting on developers: Build AI-powered workflows in minutes 

What if your reports could simply write themselves every morning without manual data pulls, dashboards, or delays?

What if your campaign budget caps were monitored 24/7 by a digital assistant who alerted you before overspend, not after?

For marketers constantly balancing dozens of tasks, automation isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s the only way to keep up. Yet too often, it’s locked behind dev queues, complex tooling, or unclear roadmaps. That’s changing.

Thanks to the rise of generative AI agents, AppsFlyer’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), and no-code platforms like n8n.io, you can now automate critical workflows using real-time AppsFlyer data without writing a single line of code. Think of it as building your own marketing ops team, powered by AI, with zero engineering overhead.

This blog shows you exactly how to get started. Below, you’ll find two plug-and-play workflows that marketers are already using to save time, prevent budget waste, and stay one step ahead, all powered by AI agents and real-time data from AppsFlyer.

Your data at your fingertips: The MCP advantage

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is what makes automated workflows possible without technical complexity. Instead of waiting for developers to build custom API integrations or data engineers to write extraction scripts, MCP gives AI agents direct, secure access to your AppsFlyer data through simple, natural language requests.

Getting started is simple and takes only a few seconds to minutes: just input AppsFlyer’s MCP URL and supply your token. When your AI agent needs to check campaign performance or monitor spend thresholds, it simply asks through MCP and gets instant answers. 

For marketers, that means complete autonomy to build and iterate on workflows without waiting on technical teams.

No-code meets AI: Building workflows with n8n.io + AI agents

If you haven’t used n8n.io before, it’s a powerful, drag-and-drop automation platform that makes workflow creation intuitive and code-free. It integrates seamlessly with AI-based agents, making it easy to build intelligent automations using natural language and real-time data.

These examples use n8n.io, but the same principles apply to Make.com, OpenAI AgentKit, Google Opal, Zapier, or whichever automation platform fits your workflow.

Why this matters for marketers

• Faster iteration: Test and launch workflows at your own pace
• Full control: Own your data flows, alerts, and reports from start to finish

Two ready-to-use workflows you can launch today

In the past year, we talked to marketers across the industry to understand their biggest pain points. It is what led us to build  these plug-and-play workflows to solve the real problems app marketers face daily.

Workflow 1: Periodic performance dashboard

The challenge

Marketing teams spend hours every week manually pulling data from AppsFlyer, copying it into spreadsheets, creating charts, and distributing reports to stakeholders. By the time the report lands in inboxes, the data is often outdated. This manual ritual steals time from strategic work and creates a lag between insight and action.

The solution 

This workflow eliminates the entire manual reporting process. An AI agent connects to AppsFlyer via MCP, pulls your specified performance metrics (installs, revenue, ROAS, retention rates, etc.), and automatically generates a formatted visual report. The n8n workflow then delivers it to your inbox (or your team’s) on a pre-determined schedule you choose: daily at 9am, weekly on Monday mornings, or after major campaign launches.

The AI agent doesn’t just dump data, it contextualizes it, highlighting trends, flagging anomalies, and even comparing performance week-over-week or against your benchmarks. The end result: you get  insights alongside the numbers.

Why this matters for marketers

• Saving hours per week on manual reporting
• Getting fresher insights: reports generated with the latest data, not last week’s snapshot
• Focus on strategy, not spreadsheets: spend your time optimizing campaigns, not copying/pasting data
• Never miss a beat:consistent reporting cadence

Ready to set it up? Head to the GitHub repository for complete setup instructions and the workflow template.

Workflow 2: Cost threshold alerts

The challenge

Budget overruns happen silently. You set campaign budgets across multiple media sources, but by the time you check the dashboard, you’ve already blown past your cap. 

Manual budget monitoring means checking AppsFlyer multiple times a day, and even then, you might be too late to prevent waste. For marketers juggling dozens of campaigns across platforms, this reactive approach burns budget and erodes performance.

The solution

This workflow acts as your 24/7 budget watchdog. The AI agent monitors total campaign spend by media source through AppsFlyer’s MCP connection. You set custom cost thresholds for each media source (e.g., “Alert me when Facebook spend hits $5,000” or “Notify me if Google Ads exceeds $10,000”). 

The moment a threshold is crossed, n8n instantly fires an alert to your Slack channel, email, or both, showing you which media source triggered the alert and the current total spend.

Why this matters for marketers

• Agents that are using accurate cost data for accurate results
• Preventing budget overruns before they happen, not after
• Saving thousands in wasted spend by catching issues in real-time
• Offering ease of mind: no need to obsessively check dashboards throughout the day
• Respond instantly: get alerted wherever you work (Slack, email, SMS)
• Media source visibility: measure spend across all your traffic sources in one place

Ready to set it up? Head to the GitHub repository for complete setup instructions and the workflow template. 

Key takeaways

Marketing autonomy accelerates everything: Build workflows in minutes instead of weeks. When you control your own data flows, optimization moves at the speed of decision-making, not engineering queues.

Lead the AI shift in your organization: Pre-made templates get you started in under 30 minutes. Prove the value quickly and become the catalyst for transforming how your team works.

Shift from reactive to strategic: AI-powered automation catches issues before they escalate, freeing you from firefighting to focus on high-impact work.

With generative AI agents, AppsFlyer MCP, and no-code tools like n8n, the modern marketing stack is smarter, faster, and built for autonomy.

Ready to start?

• Go to the Github repository and start with the 2 ready-to-use workflows
• Learn how to customize AI agents with AppsFlyer MCP- Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar series launching in January.

We’re committed to supporting your AI automation journey. To learn more on this opportunity you can read more here and start building your automation strategy, and improving your workflows.

The post NEW! Build AI marketing agents in 30 minutes without writing code appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• Reactivating dormant customers costs significantly less than acquiring new ones
• Behavioral segmentation outperforms demographic targeting in conversion rates  
• Real-time audience syncing across media networks eliminates manual campaign management
• Banks using smart remarketing can reduce acquisition costs while improving customer lifetime value
• AppsFlyer maintains banking compliance while enabling sophisticated remarketing using first-party data with explicit user consent

The costly mistake most banks make

Customer acquisition costs in banking have risen significantly, with traditional retail banks averaging $561 per customer and commercial accounts reaching $760 in early 2025. Compounding this challenge, 34% of new checking accounts become inactive within a year, making their acquisition costs a sunk investment. Yet most financial institutions continue allocating the majority of their marketing budget toward new customer acquisition. This approach overlooks a significant opportunity: dormant high-value customers who already demonstrate trust and engagement history.

Consider this scenario: A customer completed three mobile transactions monthly for twelve months, then activity stopped completely for 90 days. This isn’t a lost customer. It’s a relationship with proven value waiting for the right re-engagement approach. These users cost significantly less to reactivate because they already understand your products and trust your institution.

The challenge lies in how banks approach dormant user identification. Traditional segmentation relies on demographic assumptions rather than behavioral indicators that predict re-engagement likelihood. Marketing teams spend weeks building segments based on age, income, or geography while missing the behavioral patterns that actually matter.

Manual audience creation compounds the inefficiency. By the time segments are built and campaigns launch, the most receptive dormant users may have already moved to competitors offering more timely and relevant engagement.

How to build audiences that actually convert

AppsFlyer’s audience segmentation focuses on what customers actually did, not who we think they are. Instead of targeting by demographics like age or location, banks can target based on specific behavioral patterns such as transaction frequency, product usage, and engagement timing. Past behavior predicts future behavior more accurately than demographic assumptions.

Instead of broad demographic targeting, focus on specific behaviors that signal reactivation opportunities. A customer with high deposits who hasn’t logged in for 30 days gets a personalized high-interest savings offer. A user who checked loan rates but didn’t apply receives simplified approval messaging.

See audience segmentation in action:

Real-time audience updates protect your marketing budget from chasing customers who’ve already moved to competitors. When engagement patterns shift, audiences automatically refresh so your team stops wasting spend on outdated segments that no longer convert.

First-party data enrichment adds meaningful context without compromising privacy. CRM attributes, transaction history, and product ownership information enhance behavioral segments while maintaining GDPR and CCPA compliance. This creates remarketing that feels personalized rather than generic.

Automated partner syncing distributes audiences across Meta, Google, TikTok, and 140+ advertising platforms simultaneously. Manual audience uploads become unnecessary as segments sync automatically across all channels, ensuring consistent targeting while reducing operational overhead.

Cross-platform measurement finally gives your CFO the proof they need about marketing ROI. See exactly how email, push notifications, and paid advertising work together to drive account growth and fee income, so you can confidently defend marketing budgets and reallocate spend to what actually works.

Four remarketing use-cases for banks 

1. High-value customer reactivation 

Target customers with strong historical engagement who haven’t used core banking features for 30-90 days. Use transaction patterns and product usage history to create relevant comeback offers. 

2. Loyalty program revival 

Reactivate customers who earned rewards but stopped engaging with loyalty features. Segment by reward tier and spending patterns to deliver appropriate incentives. Create urgency through exclusive member benefits or expiring point notifications that drive immediate action.

3. Cross-sell to engaged users

Target customers who use one product intensively but haven’t explored complementary services. Use product usage patterns to identify natural expansion opportunities and remove barriers to adoption through simplified onboarding flows.

4. Acquisition budget optimization 

Exclude existing customers from paid acquisition campaigns to eliminate wasted spend. Use cross-platform identity matching to prevent serving acquisition ads to current users, reallocating those budgets toward genuine prospect targeting.

Customer reactivation: The impact on revenue and retention

The shift toward remarketing reflects broader industry changes in marketing efficiency and privacy regulations. AppsFlyer research shows remarketing campaigns are 5 times more cost-effective than acquisition, with contextual campaigns delivering 12.3% conversion rates compared to 4.9% for generic messaging.

Banks using behavioral remarketing see conversion rates improve while cost per conversion drops compared to acquisition campaigns. The difference comes from targeting users who already trust your institution and understand your products. A dormant customer costs less to reactivate and often shows higher long-term loyalty than a newly acquired user.

Automated audience syncing reduces manual campaign management significantly. Marketing teams shift focus from operational tasks to strategic optimization as real-time audience updates eliminate constant segment maintenance. This operational efficiency allows teams to concentrate on performance improvement rather than data management.

Customer lifetime value increases as dormant users return to regular engagement. Reactivated customers often demonstrate higher loyalty than newly acquired users because they’ve already established trust and understand your products. Banks typically observe improved retention rates among successfully reactivated users.

Next steps to reactivate dormant users

Start with dormant high-value customer reactivation as your highest-impact remarketing scenario. This approach targets users with proven engagement history and clear reactivation potential while generating immediate revenue improvements.

Focus measurement on incremental revenue rather than engagement metrics. Measure reactivated users who complete high-value actions like account funding, loan applications, or investment product adoption. Business impact matters more than click-through rates.

Scale gradually from single remarketing scenarios to comprehensive programs. Begin with dormant user reactivation, prove the concept through measurable results, then expand to cross-sell optimization, loyalty revival, and acquisition suppression as your team gains expertise.

The reality for banking marketers

You know the pressure. Every quarter, leadership asks for more customers while cutting your budget. Your acquisition campaigns cost $561 per customer, and you watch 34% of those expensive acquisitions go dormant within twelve months. Meanwhile, your compliance team questions every new platform, your IT department wants six months for any integration, and your CFO wants proof that marketing actually drives revenue.

The good news? Your dormant customers are waiting for you to find them again. They already trust your institution. They understand your products. And they cost significantly less to reactivate than acquiring new customers.

AppsFlyer’s audience segmentation combines behavioral targeting, automated cross-platform syncing, and banking-grade compliance to turn dormant customer data into active revenue streams. Want to see how it applies to your specific situation?
Schedule a strategic consultation with our banking specialists.

The bottom line

Your dormant customers represent untapped revenue opportunities that cost significantly less to activate than new customer acquisition. While most banks continue chasing expensive new prospects, smart financial institutions are leveraging behavioral remarketing to reactivate existing relationships.

AppsFlyer provides the leading platform specifically built for this opportunity, combining behavioral audience segmentation, automated cross-platform syncing, and banking-grade compliance in one solution. With real-time audience updates, deep linking for seamless user experiences, and comprehensive attribution across all touchpoints, AppsFlyer transforms dormant customer data into active revenue streams.

The technology exists. The opportunity is quantifiable. The compliance is built-in.

Ready to transform dormant customers into active revenue drivers? Discover how AppsFlyer’s financial solutions help banks turn existing relationships into competitive advantages through intelligent remarketing.

Key takeaway: Your existing customer relationships are your most valuable marketing asset. AppsFlyer helps you reactivate them strategically.

The post How to reactivate bank customers at 5x lower cost appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• Banks excel at retention: Retargeting drives 55–85% of their conversions, but new user growth has flatlined.
• Neobanks lead in acquisition: In France, they attract twice as many new users as traditional banks, but only 3–4% of conversions come from retargeting.
• Investment apps are international and volatile: Over 85% of installs come from non-European providers; growth rises and falls with crypto cycles, while retention drops to just 4% by Day 30.
• Money transfer apps grow fastest: US and Nigerian providers dominate; retargeting drives up to 40% of conversions, one of the highest rates in finance.
• The opportunity lies in cross-learning: The next winners will combine the strengths of each model — banks’ retention, neobanks’ digital-first acquisition.

Europe’s finance app market has matured — and fractured

Europe’s finance app market is in transition. The digital banking boom that once powered rapid user growth has reached a point of maturity. Today, competition is no longer about launching a finance app — it’s about sustaining and scaling one in a crowded, data-driven market.

Across the region, consumers are more mobile — both literally and digitally. They’re switching between traditional banks, neobanks, and global platforms with unprecedented ease, drawn to new features, better experiences, and real-time access to financial tools.

Using anonymised data from more than 180 million installs across 187 apps in the UK, France, and Germany, AppsFlyer’s latest analysis reveals how different players are performing in this new stage of the market. The findings show sharp contrasts in strategy — and major opportunities for those willing to learn from other segments.

Traditional banks, neobanks, and international platforms each dominate in their corners. But while every segment has cracked part of the growth equation, none have built a balanced strategy across acquisition and retention. The next winners will be those who step outside their silos and borrow from their neighbors’ strengths.

Key findings by segment

AppsFlyer’s latest analysis across the UK, France, and Germany shows the scale of the challenge. More than 85% of installs in investment apps now come from international providers, money transfer apps are the fastest-growing finance segment, and in France, 

neobanks are attracting twice as many new users as traditional banks.

Banks: masters of retention, but stuck on growth

Traditional banks are unmatched in their ability to keep customers engaged. Retargeting drives up to 85% of their conversions, helping them achieve day-30 retention rates that are 1.5–2x higher than neobanks. They’ve built sustainable acquisition models by cross-selling to existing customers and converting web or branch users into app users, with nearly half of installs generated by owned media.

But growth has flatlined. Across Western Europe, there’s no recorded increase in new users. Banks’ reliance on their existing base makes them strong in the short term, but leaves them vulnerable to neobanks and fintech apps that are winning the race for new users.

Neobanks: winning new users, missing out on retention

While banks lean on retention, neobanks have taken the lead in acquisition. In both the UK and France, they’ve surpassed traditional banks in attracting new customers. In France, the shift is striking: consumers now show a two-to-one preference for neobanks and digital wallets over traditional banks.

Their growth comes from diversification. Around 35% of their installs still come from owned media, but they’ve invested heavily in SANs — led by Google, with TikTok playing a key role in reaching younger audiences underserved by traditional banks — alongside ad networks and DSPs. This approach has helped them capture younger demographics that banks struggle to reach.

Yet retention remains their weak spot. Just 3–4% of neobank conversions come from retargeting, leaving long-term value untapped.

Investment apps: global dominance, volatile performance

Investment apps operate on a very different model. They are overwhelmingly international, with more than 85% of non-organic installs across the UK, France, and Germany coming from providers outside Western Europe.

More than three-quarters of installs are paid, and growth rises and falls with Bitcoin and other crypto prices. When markets rally, installs spike; when they fall, churn accelerates. Retention is especially weak: only 19% of users remain on day one, and by day 30 the figure drops to just 4%.

The media strategies behind this growth are also unusual. Over 80% of paid installs come from smaller agencies and ad networks, while only 15–20% come from SANs or owned media. This long-tail mix enables scale but often results in sub-par traffic quality, compounding churn during downturns.

Money transfer apps: fast growth, high reliance on existing users

Money transfer apps tell yet another story. This is the fastest-growing sub-vertical in Western Europe, led by providers from the US and Nigeria, with Indian players also gaining traction in the UK.

Unlike investment apps, money transfer apps thrive on re-engagement. Between a quarter and 40% of their conversions come from retargeting. That reliance on existing customers has helped them grow quickly while maintaining active usage.

Missed opportunities across segments

Each category has carved out a winning formula, but also exposes weaknesses. Banks are experts in retention but ineffective in net-new user growth. Neobanks scale acquisition rapidly but neglect retention. Investment apps drive volume but churn heavily. Money transfer apps are thriving today but must defend against intense global competition.

Taken together, these blind spots create a fragmented market where no single player has a complete growth strategy. Closing those gaps will require a more collaborative mindset — learning from what’s already working in other parts of the ecosystem.

What finance apps can learn from each other

Each segment has developed its own strengths — but no single approach works in isolation.

• Banks can modernise acquisition by borrowing from neobanks’ diversified, digital-first strategies and experimenting with new channels like TikTok.
• Neobanks can strengthen lifetime value by adopting banks’ retargeting frameworks and applying ecommerce-style predictive LTV and re-engagement models.
• Investment apps can use banks’ retention and cross-sell playbooks to engage users beyond the first transaction and build resilience during downturns.
• Money transfer apps show how retention-led growth can scale sustainably — a model other categories can emulate as they mature.
  

The strategic imperative

Specialisation has carried each segment this far. But the future belongs to those who blend the best of every model: banks’ retention, neobanks’ acquisition agility, investment apps’ scale, and money transfer apps’ re-engagement strength fuelling their growth.

Banks must expand digital acquisition without losing their retention edge. Neobanks that already offer investment products should put more focus and campaigns behind them to compete directly with global platforms. Investment apps must reduce their dependency on volatile crypto cycles with stronger engagement strategies. And money transfer apps should continue leveraging their strong retargeting base while preparing for intensifying competition.

The bottom line: in today’s crowded market, the most effective strategies aren’t always invented in-house. They’re borrowed, adapted, and refined — often from competitors who have already proven what works.

About the data

This analysis is based on anonymous, aggregate data from 187 finance and fintech apps across the UK, France, and Germany, covering the period from January 2022 through July 2025. It includes data on more than 180 million app installs and over 65 million retargeting conversions annually. Non-organic installs, retargeting conversions, and retention metrics were derived from AppsFlyer’s attribution platform.

The post The European Finance app market is changing. Here’s what the data shows appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• MyTheresa uses App Store Events to turn product drops into must-see digital moments
• Premium in-app messaging keeps luxury shoppers engaged with curated, exclusive content
• A powerful referral feature is hidden in account settings, missing massive viral potential
• Without attribution and deep linking, even brilliant UX can underperform
• Better measurement could connect the full customer journey and unlock owned media growth

A luxury app with a hidden growth opportunity

Picture this: You’re scrolling through the App Store and see Mytheresa’s latest drop featured as an exclusive event. One tap, and you’re inside their luxury world, curated collections, personalized offers, premium everything. It’s mobile commerce done right.

But dig a little deeper, and there’s a feature hiding in the shadows that could transform how they grow.

It’s like a designer piece hidden in the back of the store. Bring it forward, add the right incentive, and suddenly you’ve got a viral growth loop.

MyTheresa has built something special. The question is: are they getting the full value from it?

Turning product drops into installs

MyTheresa knows how to create a moment.

They’re one of the few luxury brands actively using Apple’s Apps Store Events features, turning seasonal edits and product launches into front-page campaigns. These aren’t just listings, they’re digital events that drive discovery and transform drops into digital occasions.

It works, especially for iOS users hunting for exclusivity. But here’s the thing: the value of these installs depends on what happens next.

Without attribution, that visibility ends at the download. With proper measurement, marketers can connect each install to in-app purchases, repeat engagement, and lifetime value. And it matters.

Personalization that feels premium

Inside the app, the UX screams luxury. Editorial layout, polished visuals, and that “members-only” vibe everywhere you look.

Even the welcome offer, 10% off for new users, feels more like a private invitation than a discount. The message center doubles as a personal concierge, delivering curated alerts, personalized drops, and in-app messaging that keeps the brand top-of-mind without being pushy.

Their in-app content is pure luxury. They understand their audience and deliver exactly what high-end shoppers expect.

Other luxury brands can do the same with the right audience segmentation. They can understand which customer segments respond best to different personalization strategies, whether that’s VIP early access offers or curated collections based on purchase history. This level of insight helps teams deliver the right message to the right user at exactly the right moment.

But even the best UX needs feedback loops. Which offers are converting? Which users are coming back? That’s where measurement becomes critical.

A hidden referral engine

Here’s the gap. MyTheresa includes a “Share the App” option, but it’s buried in account settings.

For a brand with loyal customers and aspirational products, this is a missed opportunity. AppsFlyer’s data shows that referral traffic converts at an average rate of 6.2% to install, with 9.1% of users becoming paying customers, outperforming channels like QR codes (5.8%) and SMS (2.6%) in driving actual purchases. When your customers are already invested in luxury, their recommendations carry serious weight.

Bring it forward, add an incentive, and suddenly you’ve got a viral growth loop.

A luxury referral program doesn’t need to be loud, but it should be accessible, rewarding, and measurable. Think early access to new collections, store credit, limited-edition perks.

AppsFlyer Tip: Referral programs work best when they feel exclusive and frictionless. Use deep linking to send referred users directly to premium content or rewards, while measuring which referral sources drive the highest lifetime value customers.

The experience becomes seamless: from email or SMS to app, straight to the referral reward, even for first-time installers.

Turning luxury UX into measurable growth

Mytheresa’s app is already a benchmark for luxury UX, clean, intentional, and premium. The App Store events create anticipation, the personalization feels exclusive, and that hidden referral feature has serious potential.

But great design alone isn’t enough. Like many leading apps, one challenge remains: tying all these innovations back to performance.

That’s where measurement comes in.

By connecting installs to downstream events, measuring referral flows, and using owned media more strategically, eCommerce brands can unlock the full value of their existing users. 

Whether it’s App Store events, referral programs, or personalized messaging, measurement is what turns great features into growth engines.

Key takeaways

• App Store Events create exclusive digital moments that drive luxury app discovery when positioned as occasions, not just listings
• Premium personalization works when content feels curated and exclusive; editorial layouts and “members-only” messaging resonate with luxury shoppers
• Hidden referral features represent massive missed opportunities. Luxury brands should surface them with exclusive incentives like early access, not discounts
• Audience segmentation helps luxury brands deliver VIP experiences to high-value customer segments at exactly the right moments
• Even beautiful UX needs measurement to connect App Store events, personalization, and referrals to actual business outcome

Ready to optimize your app’s growth potential?  Explore AppsFlyer’s ecommerce solutions to measure every touchpoint, boost LTV, and measure what matters across the full shopper journey.

Not quite ready?
Get the 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing Report for data-backed insights to help guide your next move.

The post MyTheresa’s app: Luxury UX with a hidden growth gap appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• Zalando’s ChatGPT-powered stylist makes shopping conversational and personal
• Stock alerts turn potential drop-offs into re-engagement opportunities
• Social commerce beta brings influencer content directly into the shopping experience
• Crowded homepage risks burying high-performing features in too much content
• Without measurement, even standout features can miss their full growth potential

Ever wished shopping apps could just get you? Zalando’s AI assistant is making that happen.

Their chatbot isn’t just answering questions, it’s your personal stylist in your pocket.

Zalando reported a 4.2% revenue lift last year. The question is: how much of that came from AI, and how can they do even better?

How Zalando uses AI to personalize the shopping experience

Zalando’s AI assistant is like having a stylist in your pocket. Instead of tapping through endless filters, users just ask: “What should I wear to a wedding in Santorini in July?”

The assistant gets it. It checks the weather, understands the vibe, and serves up full outfits that actually make sense.

This goes way beyond traditional search or recommendations. It’s personal, conversational, and seamless, the kind of intuitive experience that converts casual browsers into loyal customers.

But here’s the challenge: standout features like this only go so far without understanding how they impact user behavior. Which AI interactions actually lead to purchases? What types of questions convert best?

Without proper measurement, even the most innovative features can underperform in silence.

Reducing churn with in-app engagement features

When an item’s out of stock, Zalando doesn’t just say “sorry.” They let users sign up for alerts. Simple, but brilliant.

They’re turning a potential pain point into a re-engagement opportunity.

This type of retention thinking works because it captures intent at the perfect moment, when someone wanted something badly enough to be disappointed it wasn’t available.

That’s where audience segmentation and personalization comes in. By identifying the customers most likely to repurchase or engage with specific features, marketers can run more personalized remarketing campaigns that boost retention and long-term value.

The rise of social commerce in Zalando’s app

Zalando’s social commerce beta brings influencer content directly into the shopping experience. Users can follow creators, shop curated wardrobes, and build their own digital closets.

Think of the iconic digital wardrobe from Clueless, what seemed like science fiction in the ’90s is now the shopping reality users crave, where digital inspiration meets instant purchase opportunity.

It’s immersive, shoppable, and sticky. But measuring the ROI of creator content gets tricky fast. When someone discovers a product through an influencer’s wardrobe, how do you connect that inspiration to the eventual purchase?

That’s where smart deep linking strategies become essential, connecting influencer content to in-app actions and revenue with clear attribution paths.

AppsFlyer Tip: Social commerce success depends on attribution. Use deep linking to connect influencer content, social posts, and creator collaborations directly to in-app purchases, measuring which partnerships actually drive revenue versus just engagement.

UX challenge: Too much content, not enough control

Here’s Zalando’s biggest opportunity: their app is packed with innovation – AI suggestions, creator drops, loyalty perks, but the homepage can feel overwhelming.

There’s so much content that some of these brilliant features might get lost in the noise.

The solution?

Give users control. Let them customize their homepage, prioritizing new arrivals, AI tips, or saved styles based on what they actually care about.

Bringing it all together with measurement

Zalando’s app experience is bold, modern, and feature-rich. But like many leading apps, one challenge remains: connecting all these innovations back to measurable performance.

Which homepage sections actually drive the highest lifetime value? How do AI interactions compare to traditional search in terms of conversion rates?

That’s where measurement becomes the game-changer.

Whether it’s AI-powered recommendations, influencer-led journeys, or retention campaigns, measurement is what turns great features into proven growth engines. Teams need to see which interactions drive purchases, which user segments respond best to personalization, and which features actually move the needle.

The goal isn’t just to build cool features, it’s to build features that demonstrably grow the business. And while Zalando sets the bar high, any brand can unlock this level of performance with the right measurement approach.

Key takeaways

• AI-powered personalization drives engagement when it feels conversational and contextually relevant
• Stock alerts and re-engagement features work best when targeted to high-intent user segments
• Social commerce blends inspiration with action, but requires attribution to measure creator content ROI
• Crowded app interfaces risk burying valuable features: user control and data-driven optimization help
• Measurement connects innovative features to business results, turning good UX into proven growth strategies
• Deep linking and audience segmentation help teams understand which touchpoints actually drive revenue

Ready to optimize your omnichannel measurement strategy? Explore AppsFlyer’s ecommerce solutions to connect every touchpoint, boost LTV, and measure what matters across the full shopper journey.

Not quite ready?

Get the 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing Report for data-backed insights to help guide your next move.

The post Zalando’s AI-powered app: Fashion meets personalization appeared first on AppsFlyer.

TL;DR

• IKEA’s augmented reality (AR) features let customers “try before they buy” with 3D furniture placement
• Seamless omnichannel integration connects app browsing to in-store purchasing
• Built-in loyalty rewards drive post-purchase engagement and retention
• App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt timing could be improved to boost opt-in rates and data visibility
• Smart deep linking could connect every touchpoint from email to in-app experience

IKEA’s app nails the UX but misses one big growth lever

Ever wished you could test drive furniture before bringing it home? IKEA’s app is making that dream a reality with AR that actually works. But there’s one tiny detail they might be missing that could unlock way more growth

After spending years in the retail app industry, I’ve seen what separates good apps from great ones. IKEA’s built something impressive; from AR room planning to seamless store integration, they’ve cracked the omnichannel code. Here’s my take on what they’re doing right, and where I see an opportunity they might be missing.

How IKEA uses AR to boost app conversions

IKEA Place isn’t just another AR gimmick. It’s a conversion machine.

Users can visualize furniture in true-to-scale 3D, place items in their actual rooms, and switch colors instantly. But here’s the smart part, IKEA integrates social proof directly into the experience. Product reviews appear alongside AR previews, and inspiration galleries let customers shop complete room setups.

This removes the biggest barrier in furniture shopping: uncertainty. When customers can see exactly how that bookshelf fits their space, purchase confidence skyrockets.

Inside IKEA’s app-to-store omnichannel strategy

Here’s where IKEA flexes their omnichannel muscles. The app doesn’t just complement in-store shopping, it owns it.

Customers can:

• Check real-time inventory at nearby locations
• Navigate stores using interactive maps
• Scan and pay with Apple Pay to skip checkout lines
• Access member perks instantly

This creates a fluid journey from digital discovery to physical purchase, which means higher cart completions and increased revenue. A smooth customer journey is the fastest way to boost sales, and IKEA’s seamless experience keeps shoppers moving toward purchase without friction.

AppsFlyer tip: To maximize omnichannel success, use deep linking to connect online and offline customer touchpoints. Deep linking sends users from emails, QR codes, or in-store displays directly to specific app destinations, even if the app isn’t installed yet, reducing drop-offs across the customer journey.

How IKEA’s loyalty program drives app retention

IKEA’s loyalty integration deserves applause. The program doesn’t feel like an afterthought. It’s built into every part of the app experience.

Members track rewards progress, access exclusive offers, and save products for later purchase. This creates multiple touchpoints post-purchase, keeping users engaged long after they’ve assembled that dresser and turning one-time buyers into repeat customers.

The result? Deeper app usage, repeat purchases, and valuable first-party data on customer preferences. Every loyalty interaction becomes a learning opportunity.

What’s missing: Improving App Tracking Transparency consent with better UX

Despite excellent UX everywhere else, IKEA’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt appears immediately at launch. This timing likely impacts opt-in rates, as users barely see the app’s value before being asked to share data.

IKEA  could be driving those opt-in rates higher by explaining how opting in enhances the user’s shopping experience, just like they’ve done with their push notification onboarding journey.

The fix? Delay the ATT request until users engage with core features. Show them AR in action, let them browse products, demonstrate the app’s value, then explain how data sharing improves their experience.

The key insight here isn’t just about timing, it’s about building value first. Users who understand the benefit are far more likely to consent.

From great UX to measurable impact

IKEA’s app experience is seamless, intuitive and innovative. But like many leading apps, one challenge remains: connecting all these features back to business impact. That’s where measurement comes in.

Whether it’s AR interactions, loyalty program engagement, or omnichannel customer journeys, measurement is the glue so brands can understand what’s working for your customers, what’s not, and how to improve. Without this insight, you’re constantly playing catch-up to customer expectations, which we all know are getting more demanding. Today’s shoppers expect a 10/10 experience, or they’ll simply leave. And while IKEA sets the bar high, any brand can unlock this level of performance with the right tools.

In my experience, this is where measurement platforms like AppsFlyer become essential. By giving brands visibility into the full customer journey, so as shoppers bounce between channels and devices, you can get insights at every touchpoint, and optimize to constantly improve your customer experience, loyalty, and LTV.

Key takeaways

• AR drives conversions when it solves real problems, not just creates novelty, IKEA’s 3D placement with reviews removes purchase uncertainty
• Omnichannel experiences succeed through seamless integration across every touchpoint, from inventory checks to payment flows
• Loyalty programs work best when deeply integrated into core app functionality rather than feeling like afterthoughts
• ATT timing determines opt-in success, showing app value before requesting permissions dramatically improves consent rates
• Rising customer expectations demand 10/10 experiences across every channel, making measurement platforms like AppsFlyer critical for continuous optimization

Ready to optimize your omnichannel retail strategy? Explore AppsFlyer’s ecommerce solutions to connect every touchpoint, boost LTV, and measure what matters across the full shopper journey.

Not quite ready?

 Get the 2025 State of eCommerce App Marketing Report for data-backed insights to help guide your next move.

The post How IKEA’s app nails omnichannel UX (and what brands can learn) appeared first on AppsFlyer.

On January 28, AppsFlyer North America kicked off the year for the marketing measurement industry in a big way with our first-ever MAMA San Francisco at the stunning Pier 27. With a breathtaking view of the Bay as our backdrop, we brought together some of the brightest minds in mobile marketing for a day packed with insights, innovation, and industry connections.

For years, MAU has been the premier mobile marketing event of Q2. With MAMA SF, the industry has its must-attend Q1 event, where the most influential leaders gather to set the agenda for the year ahead. This wasn’t just another conference; it was a rallying point for the future of mobile marketing.

A day of energy, optimism, and momentum

From the moment doors opened, the excitement in the room was undeniable. The energy wasn’t just about learning – it was about connection. Attendees were eager to share their plans for the year, swap ideas, and forge new partnerships. The timing of MAMA SF also set the tone for what’s ahead: a year of growth, collaboration, and big moves in mobile marketing.

Guiding us through the day was award-winning tech journalist Jennifer Jolly, who brought her signature expertise and enthusiasm to the stage, along with AppsFlyer’s Bobby Sayers and Karina Paramonova, and App Masters founder, Steve Young. Their engaging moderation kept the conversations dynamic and thought-provoking, ensuring every session on both stages and the livestream was packed with insights and real-world takeaways.

Conversations that will shape the year ahead

MAMA SF wasn’t just about reflecting on where the industry is—it was about defining where it’s headed. Some of the biggest names in the space took the stage to deliver forward-thinking insights, industry-wide recaps, and game-changing strategies.

Some of the hottest sessions from MAMA included:

• Why Do the Best Strategies Often Go Against the Grain?
  Growth expert Adam Miller broke down how counterintuitive strategies, like simplifying measurement and prioritizing scalability, can challenge norms and drive sustainable growth.
• The AI Revolution in Mobile Marketing
  Industry experts like Noelle Russell unpacked how AI is fundamentally transforming personalization, marketing efficiency, and creative automation.
• How Do You Navigate Mobile Marketing in 2025?
  AppsFlyer Chief Product Officer Barak Witkowski explored the key challenges and opportunities shaping mobile marketing in the year ahead.
• How Online Communities Fuel User App Growth
  Reddit’s Ryan Angerami explored leveraging community engagement to unlock sustainable app growth, foster meaningful connections, and amplify your brand’s impact.
• Privacy Sandbox: Is This SKAN All Over Again?
  AppsFlyer’s Eran Dunsky led a deep dive into the Privacy Sandbox, discussing whether it mirrors past industry shifts and how mobile marketers should prepare for what’s next.

MAMA on-demand: The learning continues

Couldn’t make it to MAMA SF? Or want to revisit your favorite session? In just a few weeks, we’ll be releasing MAMA On-Demand, featuring must-watch sessions from the Explore Stage, including insights from:

Noelle Russell, AI expert and thought leader
Adam Miller, growth strategist and mobile veteran
Zynga’s Nebo Radovic, discussing the future of mobile gaming
Eric Seufert, unpacking the latest innovations in measurement and attribution

Stay tuned for details on how to access the full session library—because the conversations we started at MAMA SF are just the beginning.

MAMA SF by the numbers

Nearly 500 attendees came together to kickstart 2025 in style
20+ sessions covering the biggest topics in mobile marketing
18 partner sponsors and 10 exhibitors showcased cutting-edge innovations
First-ever MAMA Live, bringing the MAMA content to viewers at home
MAMA Cares made an impact, raising funds for four charities supporting the Los Angeles community affected by wildfires

A huge thank you!

MAMA San Francisco was about more than just great content—it was a statement from the industry about the enthusiasm that has brought the mobile marketing community together, the energy sparking new ideas, and building the momentum for an exciting year ahead. Thank you to our attendees, speakers, sponsors, and partners for making our first MAMA San Francisco such a success. We can’t wait to do it again!

See you at the next MAMA! 

The post MAMA San Francisco: A bold start to 2025 for mobile marketers appeared first on AppsFlyer.

Over the past two years, the number of re-engagements from owned media campaigns surged, outpacing the growth we’re seeing in paid remarketing campaigns. With growth coming from both directions, marketers are actually mastering the art of combining these activities.

Customer loyalty is a growing priority for brands, with owned media playing a key role in achieving this goal. In a reality of strict ROAS targets and privacy-driven signal loss, leveraging 1st party data signals and deep linking technology in owned media is key to optimizing user experience and ultimately improving lifetime value.

In this blog, we’ll dive into some key data trends from the world of owned media and deep linking, including conversion rate benchmarks and growth rates, while offering some practical and common use cases.

Owned media growth trends

First, the facts. Deep linking and owned media usage are expanding across all major channels: SMS-to-app, email-to-app, QR-to-app, and web-to-app. Our data reveals a 64% increase in owned media conversions in 2024 compared to 2023.

As you can see in the chart below, the owned media charge is driven largely by web-to-app campaigns where conversions surged a staggering 77% in 2024 compared to 2023, with Finance leading the charge with over 200% year-over-year leap.

Web-to-app is driven by the rise of ‘contextual’ marketing, exemplified by the growing adoption of our Smart Script solution. When a deep link is used with Smart Script, the URL automatically generates a script that reproduces, in URLs and links, contextualized elements specific to the user’s journey. The result: a smoother transition from the web to the correct page within the app.

Clearly, more and more brands understand that the app is superior when it comes to driving lifetime value, and direct users to install their app — whether they were immediately driven to install the app from a web acquisition landing page (as web is often cheaper than mobile app inventory) or are existing users of their web site.

Shopping apps saw the biggest gain in email-to-app conversions, while gaming apps saw referral-to-app conversion more than double. The latter method is also a major contributor to lifetime value since players who were referred by a friend are far more likely to make a purchase.

Referrals encourage players to invite friends from within the game by offering an in-game incentive to both sides. Once friends get the invite via a messaging app and click on the link, they are automatically taken to the right app store to download the game. After launching the game, the new player will be redirected to the promised incentive.

The use of owned media and deep linking is not only on the rise across the globe (with the exception of Eastern Europe), it’s also the direction across industries — particularly in Entertainment, Books, and Finance — with multiple use cases in each industry. 

Owned media performance benchmarks 

The fact that owned media is experiencing such an impressive rise is no surprise when you examine the conversion rates. The ability to create great experiences with deep linking drives significant performance uplift in conversion rates — especially in the share of paying users, or re-engagement to purchase conversion rates.

According to our data, the conversion rate of owned media on average per category is almost double compared to paid media (which does not usually use deep linking); in every single category the gap is significant.

Just to name a few examples: Shopping apps in North America enjoy a 14.7% share of paying users in owned media compared to 8.6% in paid media. Finance in APAC see a 17.2% vs. 7.1% difference, while gaming apps in Europe are at 7.5% vs 2.2%.

A breakdown into owned media channels shows that email-to-app has the highest conversion rate at 17.7%, followed by QR-to-app and referral-to-app at 16.6% and 16.5%, respectively.

As we can see in the data, owned media powered by deep linking is extensively used and delivers strong results. But for what purpose exactly and for whom? Let’s explore this.

Survey: Most common uses of deep linking      

A study conducted on behalf of AppsFlyer which will be published in March highlights the central role retention plays. Nearly 75% of marketers’ key objectives center on user retention and loyalty, including UX, re-engagement, and service quality.

A significant number of marketers, CRM / lifecycle managers as well as product managers rely on deep linking to deliver personalized user journeys. A deeper look into the results shows that deep linking usage can be divided into three main goals, across several teams (an explanation follows):

1. Functionality for product. A technical function that seamlessly directs users from point A to point B.

2. Stickiness for marketing and product. The objective is to encourage and keep users active. Marketers typically refer to this as engagement and re-engagement. In this use case, product and marketing teams seek to ensure top notch UX to drive key retention and loyalty metrics, such as time in-app and engagement. From a marketing perspective, the goal here is to generate purchase intent.

3. Revenue generation for marketing and monetization teams. In this third goal, CX serves a short-term strategy. The facilitation of the user journey is primarily intended to encourage the user to take specific action to drive immediate profit and maximization of revenue. In this scenario, purchase intent already exists and the challenge is to remove any obstacles between that intent and the potential purchase.

While these three categories are relevant across all industries, each has its own characteristics. The type of service, and consequently, the LTV cycle, varies between a finance or news app, which rely on long-term usage, stickiness, and other categories like travel for instance, where brands often look to secure a one-time conversion. Clearly, in both cases, CX is vital. 

Key takeaways

• Significant growth in owned media. Over the past two years, owned media conversions have surged by 64%, with web-to-app campaigns alone up by 77% in 2024, outpacing traditional paid remarketing efforts.

• Deep linking drives superior conversions. Leveraging deep linking technology creates personalized, contextualized user journeys that nearly double conversion rates compared to standard paid media approaches.

• Channel-specific strengths. Among owned media channels, email-to-app leads with a 17.7% conversion rate, while SMS, QR, and referral channels also deliver strong performance.

• Many benefits across industries. Deep linking is crucial not only for enhancing user retention and loyalty but also for generating quick revenue, making it a versatile tool across sectors like Entertainment, Finance, and Gaming.

The post New performance data reveals owned media + deep linking reigns supreme appeared first on AppsFlyer.

Most marketers maximize the performance of an ad by measuring its ROI (return on investment), because when you know how the ad’s financial return stacks up against its cost, you can make smarter decisions on where to spend your next marketing dollars.

A recent Gartner report shows that customer experience (CX) influences loyalty more than both brand and price combined, and given the influence of customer experience (CX) on user behavior  — it only makes sense to measure return on experience, or ROX.

With ROX in place, CX becomes an efficient, defendable investment that generates delightful experiences for your customers and business results for your team.

The challenge of measuring return on experience

CX is infinitely more complex than an ad, as it includes hundreds of customer interactions, dozens of internal stakeholders, and several outcomes — some of which are less tangible than revenue.

This lack of visibility often leaves CX efforts underfunded, misapplied, and disjointed. The same Gartner report notes that “over 70% of CX leaders struggle to design projects that increase customer loyalty and achieve results.”

Where a simple ROI metric — dollars in vs. dollars out — works perfectly for ad spend, CX needs a measurement framework with a much broader and more flexible scope.

That’s why ROX isn’t always a straightforward ROI calculation, but more of a customer-focused measurement framework you build in-house. 

It consists of whichever investments (like financial or time) you make in creating customer experiences and whichever results (like revenue or brand awareness) those experiences deliver for your business.

1 – ROX helps prioritize CX

Experiences affect customer behavior at every stage, from awareness to advocacy, earning CX a starring role in your business strategies. Unfortunately, the lack of visible outcomes often leaves CX efforts on the back burner. 

ROX, however, makes CX results tangible, so those investments become defensible come budget time.

Why CX deserves top billing

Great customer experience improves common key app performance metrics like new user acquisition and customer lifetime value.

• Good CX drives acquisition through word-of-mouth advertising. 
  
  An eMarketer study showed that 94% of consumers would recommend a brand that gave a positive experience. At the same time, a similar rate of consumers say that positive reviews make them “want to buy from a company”, according to a BrightLocal survey.
  
  As a bonus, positive reviews also bump app exposure. Both Google and Apple place well-reviewed apps higher in app search results.

• Positive experiences boost LTV by increasing repeat purchases and lifting average customer spend. 
  
  Both Salesforce and eMarketer found that CX has the power to turn one-time shoppers into loyal customers. Their surveys show that 91% and 94% of consumers, respectively, would make repeat purchases after a positive experience.

• Customers would willingly pay more in exchange for good CX: 42% of respondents to a PwC survey said they’d pay a premium for a product that was bundled along with a good experience, and that premium can be up to 16% of the product’s price.

CX is underfunded

CX delivers many results for your company, but some aren’t immediately recognizable as bottom-line revenue. All too often, this leaves CX with a smaller line item in the budget than other growth initiatives.

Adobe partnered with Forrester to dig into this issue. They learned that CX could have a positive impact on less tangible business goals like impressions, reach, brand awareness, and social media engagement. Yet less than a third of companies surveyed invested in all three levers (people, technology, process) in order to improve CX.

And more tellingly, the managers who responded said lack of budget was among the most common factors holding them back from being more CX-focused.

ROX turns CX from cost to profit center

Once you have a measurement framework that focuses on the return of experiences, you can show decision makers how the experiences you’ve created have helped the company reach business goals.

Say, for example, your company wants to reposition your department store from mid-price to premium. 

You could update your app with a shopping concierge scheduling feature, and add metrics like positive social media comments and adoption to your ROX framework. Comparing results to the cost of implementing the feature — will turn those soft results into concrete ROI.

2 – ROX defragments CX

CX is a cross-functional responsibility. Every team — marketing, commerce, product, sales — has skin in the experience game. A ROX framework brings those siloed teams together, leading to a seamless experience for your users.

Customers don’t care that one team manages the app, another team handles the sales, and a third-team owns marketing — they see one brand and expect all experiences with it to be consistent. Unfortunately, those expectations rarely line up with reality.

In Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer, 74% of consumers said they use multiple channels to start and complete a transaction. But over half said it feels like sales, service, and marketing don’t share information, and this lack of consistency hurts customer relationships.

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ROX gets everyone on the same page

Working in silos has all sorts of negative outcomes, not the least of which is noticeably differentiated experiences across customer touchpoints. But getting teams to collaborate is not easy — especially when they all follow a different set of KPIs. 

A ROX framework is more comprehensive and flexible than a single metric, aligning all teams towards the common goal of great CX.

For example, ROAS (return on ad spend) is often the north star metric for marketing teams. Meanwhile, the product team’s yearly review may be heavily influenced by feature adoption. Both are worthy goals. 

But if marketing’s messaging is focused on getting the maximum number of new users and product’s roadmap only helps one segment of users onboard a particular feature, a customer is bound to feel a bifurcated experience as they journey from awareness to use.

For that company, ROX would include the most important KPIs for each of those teams. So, if adding a pre-order app feature is attractive to new users, tracking it for UA and adoption rate in your ROX framework — keeps both teams focused on a seamless customer experience.

Building on ROX

Boosting your return on experience means creating frictionless, delightful customer journeys no matter the path people take to, and through, your app. It’s a tall order. Our comprehensive guide will show you how. 

Here are a few highlights to get you started:

• Decide which outcomes are most important and make them the foundation of your ROX framework.

• Use deep links to build frictionless journeys between channels — be it your website, app, email, SMS, social media, or offline (e.g. QR codes).

• Understand where users come from and which pathways perform with a solid attribution game plan.

The post Here’s why measuring your app’s CX should be a top priority appeared first on AppsFlyer.