Learnings on subscription growth for health and fitness apps

Learnings on subscription growth for health and fitness apps -  acquisition and conversion strategies

This post is brought to you by Appvertiser. It is part of 'Learnings on subscription growth for health and fitness apps', a series co-produced by Appvertiser and Purchasely.

The mobile health app market is booming, projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.1% from 2022 to 2030. This is due to a number of factors, including the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, the increasing demand for personalized healthcare, and the growing adoption of mobile devices by older adults.

However, growing a health app in the mobile space is no easy task. Here are three of the biggest challenges:

Cost: Acquiring users in a competitive market can be expensive, as developers compete for users' attention.

Conversion: Converting mobile users into paying subscribers can be difficult, as users need time to fully understand the value of the app.

Churn: Many health apps face high churn rates, with users unsubscribing shortly after signing up.

5 effective solutions to these challenges

1. Highlight your unique value. 

What makes your app different from the competition? Clearly communicate your unique selling proposition (USP) to potential users. For example, if you have a mental health app, emphasize your special features for tracking moods and managing stress. If you have a fitness app, highlight your user-friendly calorie tracking features.

Here, we see how BetterSleep reminds the user “do you make noise when you sleep? Is it affecting your rest? BetterSleep can help”

2. Build trust and show progress. 

Establishing user trust is essential for converting free users into paying subscribers. One way to do this is to show users their progress within the app. For example, you can provide easy-to-follow tutorials and guidance after hitting milestones. This will help users stay engaged and find ongoing value in your app.

In this example, The Fabulous establishes trust and compromise through a contract with the user, asking for commitment, ensuring their engagement and progress.

3. Educate users to reduce churn. 

Offering comprehensive app usage guides can help reduce churn. Provide simple instructions and demonstrate how the app works to minimize user frustration. You can also partner with your marketing team to emphasize the benefits and features of your app.

Here, The Fabulous educates users on the reasons behind the app actions they will find themselves doing later, motivating them to continue on their experience.

4. Diversify your user acquisition channels.

While established social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are effective channels for user acquisition, exploring new ad networks can be more cost-efficient. When creating ad campaigns, focus on developing engaging hooks that highlight the value of your app and address user concerns with practical solutions.

This is the Ad Networks distribution of SleepCycle, a top sleep tracker app that is currently running ads in Liftoff and Tapjoy, beyond traditional Facebook and Instagram networks.

5. Expand your audience precisely.

You can broaden your audience by using data from your core user groups. As your user base grows, you can create lookalike audiences using customer data. This method allows you to target your growth efforts more effectively.

Tip: You can build lookalike audiences with Bango Audiences, targeting and building your audiences not from scratch, but based on segments of people who meditate, sports people, runners, ADHD, etc.

By applying these strategies, health mobile app marketers can overcome the challenges of user acquisition and conversion, positioning themselves for growth and success in a competitive landscape.