User Retention: A Key Metric for Almost Any Site or Shopping App

Do you use a multi-step sales process? Do prospects have to think about investing with you? How often do they return?
SIA Team
October 1, 2021

Do you know what kind of economy we’re in? 

Years ago, I read a report by Rich Schefren, titled The Attention Age Doctrine. From what I recall, Schefren said that we live in an attention economy, that attention is the biggest asset we can have.

As I type now, I think about that statement, and I think it’s quite appropriate for the subject of this article.

If you offer a simple, low-cost item that people don’t have to think about, then you may have little use for the Retention topic in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). 

However, if you offer something that people have to weigh, consider, and compare with other options, then user retention may be of interest to you. 

Also, if you market via a funnel-like process, or there are otherwise a series of steps, or pages, that are meant to walk your prospect through a conversion process, then user retention may also be something you want to implement. 

Yesterday (September 30th, 2021), there was a Tweet on the Google Analytics Twitter channel that asked a question:

Yes, acquiring attention, and retaining it (or, at least being able to re-acquire it) is a key ability for any marketer to have. 

Do I Still Have Your Attention?

Good. I’ve been able to retain it thus far.

You see how important consistent retention is? (And that’s just for a simple article!)

Anyway, I think I’ve made my point clear. The tweet mentioned above links to a Google Analytics that gives an overview of Retention reports

A Few Ways to Capture and Maintain Attention

Since this is about retaining users, I thought I might share some tips on this subject.

Asking stimulating questions is one way to get people to think along a certain line of inquiry. 

Having a great, thought-provoking headline is another way. 

Using images where appropriate is a way to break through the tedium of long text.

Using shorter words, sentences, and paragraphs is a good way to keep attention. 

The Zeigarnik effect is one way of maintaining attention (or, at least creating a curiosity that beckons people to return).

We live in an age where we should do what we can to be consistently in the front of our prospects’ minds. What I’ve offered here should hopefully give you some direction in how to do this.

Source: Google Analytics Twitter channel