Which app changes should we make to keep users coming back?

Start with the moments that make core tasks feel slow, confusing or effortful, then make those journeys simpler and more trustworthy. App retention grows when people can achieve what they came for with minimal friction, while useful content and features give each return visit a clear reason to matter.

Make the most important jobs feel effortless

The app changes most likely to support continued use are the ones that remove friction from the jobs users return to do. Focus on the journeys where people need to check something, complete something or solve a problem quickly. Clear navigation, fewer steps and less effort can make a digital experience feel more useful than a long list of new features.

Usability is not the same as visual polish. A polished interface can still create cognitive load if people cannot find the right action or understand what happens next. Prioritise the core tasks that users repeat, then simplify the path to completion. Trust and reliability also matter: users are more likely to return to an app that works clearly, handles their information responsibly and communicates in plain language.

Sources: All the way to the bank: why we should be paying attention to Monzo and the fintech revolution

Give every return visit a reason to feel worthwhile

Feature adoption and continued use need more than ease of use: the app experience must also feel relevant and meaningful to the person using it. Review whether content, prompts and feature messages help users understand what is useful to them, rather than adding noise or creating a sea of sameness.

Personalisation should make the next action clearer, not simply make the app busier. Give users useful choices in how they explore detailed information, especially where technical content could otherwise feel heavy. Illustration, animation or more immersive content experience formats can make complex information more engaging, but only when they support understanding. Decorative interaction that slows a task down is not an improvement. The strongest changes balance pragmatic experience, emotional experience and clarity.

Sources: Four creative lessons B2B designers can learn from B2C, The Prompt: Why brand matters more than ever in an AI world

Retention comes from clarity, not a louder app

We believe the best app changes make the experience easier to use and easier to believe in. More features, more content and more automation can look like progress, but they can also create friction, confusion and interchangeable experiences. We start with the human job behind the screen: what someone is trying to achieve, what is getting in the way and what would make the journey feel worthwhile. Our work in brand strategy, messaging, content and digital marketing is built around making complex ideas clearer and more meaningful. We use engaging formats when they help people absorb detail, and we protect distinctiveness when speed or automation risks making communication feel generic.

Sources: All the way to the bank: why we should be paying attention to Monzo and the fintech revolution, Four creative lessons B2B designers can learn from B2C, The Prompt: Why brand matters more than ever in an AI world

FAQs

Which app features should we improve first to increase retention?

Improve the features and journeys users rely on to complete their most important tasks with the fewest clicks and least effort. Start with points where users struggle to find an action, repeat work, abandon a task or need extra reassurance. A feature matters for retention when it makes the app more useful, clear or reliable in a repeat visit.

Does better app usability keep users coming back?

Better usability can support continued use because it reduces the effort required to get a job done. Users are less likely to value an app as a regular tool when routine tasks feel unclear, slow or difficult. Usability works best alongside trust, transparent communication and a service that reliably helps users achieve their goal.

How can personalisation improve an app experience without becoming intrusive?

Personalisation improves an app experience when it helps users find relevant information, understand their options or choose a simpler path. Keep personalised prompts connected to a clear user need, and avoid adding messages, choices or content that create distraction. Relevance should reduce cognitive load, not make the app feel crowded.

Should we add immersive content to improve feature adoption?

Immersive content can help when it makes detailed or technical information easier to engage with and remember. Animation, illustration and interactive formats should give users a clearer way to absorb information, not become a barrier between them and a task. Keep the format proportionate to the job users need to do.

Can AI-generated app content make the experience feel less distinctive?

AI-generated content can make an app feel less distinctive when automation produces competent but interchangeable communication. Retain human judgement over messaging, tone and the moments that shape trust, so content remains useful, recognisable and meaningful to users. Speed is valuable, but not when it removes the character that gives people a reason to care.