Making a Sticky Product
The Power of Stickiness: A Personal Journey
A year ago, I downloaded two apps to help me organize my chaotic life. One was a sleek task manager promising to revolutionize productivity. The other was a habit tracker, designed to nudge me into forming better routines. I was excited about both, but only one has become part of my daily life.
The task manager was overwhelming from the start. The onboarding process bombarded me with features I didn’t understand, and within days, I was back to scribbling to-do lists on sticky notes.
The habit tracker, however, was a different story. From the moment I signed up, it felt like it was built just for me. The app guided me through a quick setup, asking thoughtful questions to customize my experience. I received small, actionable prompts daily, celebrating even my smallest wins. Over time, it wasn’t just an app—it became my accountability partner, helping me track and achieve goals I never thought possible.
That’s the power of stickiness. The habit tracker didn’t just provide a service; it created a relationship. It integrated into my life so seamlessly that I can’t imagine a day without it.
What Is Product Stickiness?
Product stickiness refers to how effectively a product retains users and keeps them coming back. A "sticky" product is not only used frequently but becomes an integral part of a user’s routine, addressing core needs in a meaningful way. This characteristic is critical for long-term user retention, customer satisfaction, and business growth. Below are key strategies and metrics to measure and improve product stickiness:
Core Metrics for Measuring Stickiness
Daily and Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU Ratio): This ratio provides insights into how consistently users engage with your product. A higher percentage indicates a more habit-forming product.
Time-to-Value (TTV): Shortening the time it takes users to see value in your product increases their likelihood of staying engaged.
Feature Usage Metrics: Tracking how often key features are used highlights their relevance and helps identify underutilized areas needing attention.
What is The Average Stickiness Ratio?
The average DAU/MAU ratio varies significantly by industry and product type, but a general benchmark for many SaaS applications is around 13%. For products with high daily engagement, such as social media or messaging apps, the ratio can exceed 50% (e.g., Facebook). However, products designed for less frequent use, like B2B software or e-commerce platforms, may have much lower ratios and should focus on other metrics like retention or customer satisfaction instead
Teams should aim for a DAU/MAU ratio that aligns with their product's intended usage. For example, a casual game might target 30-40%, whereas a workplace collaboration tool might find 15-20% acceptable. The goal is not necessarily to match industry leaders but to consistently improve your ratio, indicating that users find value in your product and incorporate it into their regular routines
Strategies to Enhance Stickiness
Tailored Onboarding Experiences: Personalized onboarding flows help users quickly grasp the product's value specific to their needs and roles, minimizing friction.
Gradual Feature Introduction: Introducing features in phases prevents overwhelming new users while keeping them engaged over time.
In-App Guidance and Support: Embedding tooltips, walkthroughs, and self-help resources within the product ensures users find the help they need without leaving the platform.
Continuous Engagement: Regularly promote updates and new features through channels like in-app notifications, emails, or banners, encouraging users to explore more of the product.
User Feedback and Iterative Improvements: Engage users through surveys and analytics to refine the product based on their needs, ensuring it evolves in alignment with their expectations.
The Role of Experience in Retention
First impressions are critical. By focusing on these metrics and strategies, companies can build products that not only attract users but also foster loyalty and long-term engagement. So ask yourself, what is your product doing to stick?
