What is app personalization

Mobile app personalization refers to the process of tailoring experiences, content, and interactions to meet the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of individual users, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach.

Users expect seamless and relevant experiences. Personalization helps users find the content, products, or features that matter most to them, cutting through unnecessary noise and saving time. A customized experience feels tailored to their preferences, making them feel valued and understood by the app, which fosters loyalty and encourages ongoing engagement.

In sum, when apps are customized to meet individual user needs, they enhance:

• Engagement
• User satisfaction
• Retention

Conversely, a lack of personalization can lead to app abandonment, as users may quickly uninstall apps that don’t meet their expectations. With the rise of AI technologies, what was once a heavy lift in implementing app personalization has now become more achievable, making it easier for brands to deliver tailored experiences at scale.

Benefits of personalization in e-commerce

McKinsey & Company research shows that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized customer experiences, and 76% get frustrated when personalization efforts are lacking. The shopping vertical, in particular, has widely adopted app customization strategies to meet these expectations. M-commerce apps can personalize everything from search results and product recommendations to push notifications, ad retargeting, and even dynamic pricing.

Personalization is also an effective way to increase the impact of deep links. A user receives an ad for a product—either one they've previously viewed or one that matches their interests based on browsing history—that takes them directly to the product page within the app. With just a few taps, their purchase is on its way. Or, they see an influencer campaign for a product that uses TrueLink’s short, branded, customizable links.

This approach becomes scalable with Audiences—part of Adjust’s Engage—which uses machine learning to automatically segment users. From there, TrueLink, a multi-platform deep linking solution, delivers the relevant content. On the user side, the experience is seamless.

Personalizing e-commerce apps results in:

• Higher average revenue per user (ARPU)
• Higher retention rates and lower churn rates
• Higher lifetime value (LTV)
• Shorter time to purchase
• More frequent purchases and more monthly active users (MAUs)
• Better customer experience (CX)

Personalizing apps involves deeply analyzing attribution data to identify patterns in user behavior, preferences, location, and demographics. This data is then used to create a customizable app experience, such as tailored content, product recommendations, personalized push notifications, and even unique UI/UX elements.

Personalization extends beyond in-app experiences and can significantly improve advertisements. By leveraging user data, apps can deliver personalized ads tailored to individual preferences, behaviors, and demographics. This approach not only boosts ad performance but also strengthens user trust by delivering ads that feel more like helpful suggestions rather than intrusive distractions. Personalized ads enhance relevance, leading to:

• Higher engagement.
• Better conversion rates.
• A more seamless experience between app content and advertisements.

For example, Revolut, a finance app, ran a campaign targeting female rabbit owners with their customizable card feature. The ad displayed a playful image of a rabbit alongside a card with the text "Bunny Mommy," allowing users to personalize their financial tools to reflect their interests. This kind of targeted, niche ad taps into users’ passions, creating a deeper emotional connection with the brand.

Similarly, the gaming app Monopoly GO! used personalization to reach users interested in holistic and financial well-being. In one ad, Mr. Monopoly is shown in a heart prayer position next to the phrase "Manifesting getting rich." This ad cleverly ties the app’s wealth-building gameplay with the growing mindfulness trend, creating a highly relatable and engaging experience for users who value both financial and personal wellness.