What is User-retention Rate: How to use it for SEO and CRO?

The retention rate indicates the percentage of people who remain as the company’s customer base after a defined period of time. As the key performance indicator (KPI) of online marketing, the retention rate is reflected as a key figure for assessing the success of the company or a website. In German, the measure is also used as a customer retention rate. The retention rate is based on a calculation based on collected tracking data.

User retention rate is a metric that measures the number of users who continue to use a product or service over a certain period of time. It is an important metric because it shows the effectiveness of a business’s efforts to retain its customer base and provides insights into the value that a product or service provides to its users. User retention rate can be calculated as the number of users who remain active divided by the total number of users who started using the product or service in the same period. Some standard metrics used to measure user retention include gross retention rate, net retention rate, stickiness, and churn rate. A high user retention rate is influenced by factors such as the value a product provides, user engagement and satisfaction, quality and reliability, ease of use, and customer support. Improving user retention rates can result in increased revenue, reduced customer acquisition costs, improved brand reputation, and greater insights into customer needs. Best practices for boosting user retention include understanding the customer lifecycle, engaging with users, optimizing product design, measuring the success of retention efforts, providing excellent customer support, using data and analytics, and balancing acquiring new users with retaining existing ones.

Cohort Analyse
Cohort Analysis visual from Analytics to see User-retention Rate over days.

Here are 15 questions related to user retention rate and its use for SEO:

  1. What is the user retention rate, and how is it calculated?
  2. Why is user retention rate important for SEO and CRO?
  3. What are some industry benchmarks for user retention rate, and how does your website compare?
  4. How can you track user retention rates using analytics tools like Google Analytics?
  5. What factors can impact user retention rate, and how can you identify these factors on your website?
  6. What strategies can you implement to improve user retention rate, and how can you test their effectiveness?
  7. How can you use user retention rate to inform your content strategies, such as by identifying popular topics or formats?
  8. How does user retention rate impact other key SEO metrics like bounce rate and time on site?
  9. How can you use user retention rate to identify opportunities for conversion rate optimization (CRO)?
  10. What are some common mistakes to avoid when measuring user retention rate?
  11. How can you segment your audience based on user retention rate to better understand their behavior and needs?
  12. How can you use user retention rates to inform your social media and email marketing strategies?
  13. What are some case studies of companies that have successfully improved their user retention rate through SEO and CRO tactics?
  14. How can you set goals for improving user retention rate, and what metrics should you track to measure progress?
  15. How can you use user retention rate to inform your overall digital marketing strategy and budget allocations?
Contents of the Article show

What is the user retention rate, and how is it calculated?

User retention rate is an important metric for website owners and marketers to measure user engagement and loyalty. Understanding this key indicator can help inform SEO and CRO strategies, as well as provide insights into how users are interacting with a site or application over time. To calculate the user retention rate, you need to choose a specific time frame, such as daily, weekly, or yearly, and then divide the number of returning visitors by the total number of visitors during that same period. This will give you an accurate percentage, which can be used to track trends in visitor behavior over time.

For example, if 1,000 people visited your website in January but only 500 returned in February, your user retention rate for February would be 50%. By tracking these numbers on a regular basis, it’s possible to identify any areas where improvements could be made through changes such as better content optimization or improved usability design features, all of which may lead to increased customer satisfaction levels and higher conversion rates overall.

In conclusion, understanding user retention rates is essential when it comes to improving both SEO performance and customer experience goals within any given business model, whether that’s e-commerce sites looking at longer-term metrics across months or years or news websites focusing on shorter periods like days or weeks, etc. By regularly monitoring this metric alongside other KPIs (such as page views per session), organizations have access to valuable data points from which they can make informed decisions about future marketing efforts and investments accordingly.

Why is user retention rate important for SEO and CRO?

User retention rate is important for both SEO and CRO for the following reasons:

  1. SEO: Search engines like Google use engagement metrics like user retention rate as a ranking signal. If a website has a high user retention rate, it indicates to Google that users find the website valuable, which can help to boost the website’s visibility in search results.
  2. CRO: User retention rate is a key metric for conversion rate optimization because it can indicate whether visitors are finding what they’re looking for on a website. If a website has a low user retention rate, it may be an indication that there are issues with the user experience or content that are preventing visitors from taking desired actions (such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter).

By tracking and improving user retention rates, websites can improve their SEO and CRO performance, leading to better visibility, higher engagement, and increased conversions. Additionally, the user retention rate can be a useful metric for identifying potential issues or areas for improvement on a website and can help to inform content and design decisions that can further enhance the user experience.

What are some industry benchmarks for user retention rate, and how does your website compare?

Depending on the type of website, industry, and business model, industry benchmarks for user retention can vary greatly. Nevertheless, some frequently cited metrics for user retention rate include:

  • Over a period of 90 days, a good user retention rate for e-commerce websites is typically between 25 and 30 percent.
  • For subscription-based businesses, a user retention rate of 80 percent or higher is generally regarded as satisfactory.
  • Media and publishing: The average 30-day retention rate for media and publishing websites is between 20 and 25 percent.
  • The average user visits social media platforms five to ten times per day.

It is important to note that these standards are not universal and may vary depending on a variety of factors, such as the size and scope of the website, the target audience, and the business’s specific goals.

To determine how your website stacks up against industry standards, you can use web analytics tools such as Google Analytics to track your user retention rate over time and compare your performance to industry norms. If your retention rate is lower than industry averages, it may indicate that you need to address issues with the user experience or the content.

How can you track user retention rate using analytics tools like Google Analytics?

Use the “User Retention” report in Google Analytics to track the user retention rate.

This is how.

  • Log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the “Audience” section.
  • Navigate to the “Audience” section within your Google Analytics account.
  • Click “Behavior” followed by “User Retention.”
  • Choose the time frame you wish to analyze. You can modify the default 90-day period of the report as needed.
  • The report will display, by time interval, the percentage of users who returned to your website during the selected time period. If you select a 90-day period, for instance, you will see how many users returned during the second 30-day period, the third 30-day period, etc.
  • This report can be used to determine trends and patterns in user retention over time. For instance, you may observe that retention rates decline after a certain point, indicating that users are losing interest in the site or encountering problems.
  • You can segment the report based on various criteria, such as traffic source or user type, to drill down further into user retention data.

By monitoring user retention rate with Google Analytics, you can gain a better understanding of how users interact with your site over time and identify areas in which you may need to enhance the user experience or content.

What factors can impact user retention rate, and how can you identify these factors on your website?

Several factors can influence the user retention rate of a website.

Here are some of the most prevalent causes.

  • Content Quality: Users are less likely to return if your website’s content is of poor quality or does not meet the needs of your target audience.
  • Site speed and performance: If your website is slow to load or is plagued by frequent errors or downtime, users may be dissuaded from revisiting.
  • Navigation and usability: If your website’s navigation is unclear or difficult to use, users may have difficulty locating the information they demand, and they may be less likely to return.
  • Mobile responsiveness: With an increasing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, a website that is not optimized for mobile can result in a poor user experience and lower retention rates.

To identify factors that may be influencing the user retention rate of your website, you can conduct a website audit and examine user feedback and behavior data. Here are some possible actions:

  • Conduct a usability test to determine how simple it is for users to navigate and locate content on your website.
  • Analyze the loading speed and performance of your website using tools such as Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GtMetrix
  • Utilize heat maps and session recordings to determine where users are clicking and scrolling on your website, as well as potential trouble spots.
  • Examine user feedback, such as comments and reviews, to identify common complaints and improvement opportunities.

By identifying and addressing factors that may affect user retention on your website, you can enhance the user experience and increase the likelihood that users will return in the future.

What strategies can you implement to improve user retention rate, and how can you test their effectiveness?

User retention is an important metric for any business, as it directly impacts the company’s success. Implementing effective strategies to improve user retention rates can be a great way to ensure your business remains profitable and successful in the long run. Here are some strategies you can use to improve user retention rate, and how you can test their effectiveness:

First, focus on creating a positive customer experience. This means providing users with high-quality products or services that meet their needs and expectations. Additionally, make sure that customers have access to helpful support resources such as FAQs or tutorials when they need assistance using your product or service. By focusing on delivering excellent customer experiences consistently over time, businesses will be able to retain more users in the long run.

Second, consider personalizing content based on each individual’s preferences and interests, so they feel like they’re getting tailored offers from your brand instead of generic messages sent out en masse every day. You should also create loyalty programs where customers receive rewards for being loyal members of your community – this encourages them to stay engaged with what you offer longer term, rather than just making one purchase and then leaving forever! Lastly, don’t forget about marketing automation tools which allow brands to automate certain tasks related to engaging potential new users while keeping current ones interested via personalized emails/messages etcetera; these tactics help build relationships between people & companies alike leading towards higher rates of return visits (and thus better overall conversion).

Finally, testing all these strategies’ effectiveness is key; use A/B tests whenever possible – split test different versions against each other to see which performs best – track KPIs such as engagement levels & conversions over time to determine if changes made had desired effect(s). Also, look into analytics software to analyze data collected from various sources and get insights into why people may no longer visit websites/buy products – take corrective action accordingly (e g redesign page layout add features, etc.). Ultimately, measuring results helps understand true ROI efforts put forth, ensuring maximum returns for future campaigns invested in!

How can you use user retention rate to inform your content strategies, such as by identifying popular topics or formats?

User retention rate is a powerful metric for content managers and website owners when it comes to informing their content strategies. By understanding user retention rates, they can identify popular topics or formats that are resonating with their audience and use this data to create more effective content.

The first step in using user retention rate as part of your strategy is to understand what it actually measures. The user retention rate tracks the percentage of users who return after an initial visit. So, if you have 100 visitors and 10 come back, then your User Retention Rate would be 10%. This metric can give you valuable insight into which topics or formats are most engaging for users on your site, making them more likely to return again in the future.

Once you know how many people are returning from each piece of content on your site, you can start looking at trends across different types of posts – such as articles versus videos – or by topic area (such as sports news). This will help inform decisions about which type of format works best for certain audiences, allowing marketers and webmasters alike to tailor their strategies accordingly. Additionally, analyzing user engagement metrics like time spent per page view could also provide further insight into why some pieces perform better than others do with regard to retaining viewers over time.

By leveraging the power behind user retention rates through analysis and strategic planning around popular topics/formats seen within those numbers, website owners and SEOs alike will be able to develop high-quality targeted campaigns that drive increased customer loyalty and satisfaction levels while simultaneously increasing ROI potentials long term. The benefits of focusing on user retention rate can be significant, including improved search engine rankings, increased traffic, and more conversions. Ultimately, by understanding the data behind user retention rate, content managers and website owners can make more informed decisions about their content strategies, leading to more engaged audiences and greater success for their businesses.

How does user retention rate impact other key SEO metrics like bounce rate and time on site?

User retention rate is an important metric for SEO, content managers, and website owners. It measures how often users return to a website over time and can be used to assess the success of marketing campaigns or user experience improvements. User retention rate directly impacts other key SEO metrics such as bounce rate and time on site.

Bounce rate is an important measure of user engagement that indicates whether visitors are interested in the content they find when they arrive at your site. A high bounce rate could mean that users don’t find what they were looking for or aren’t engaged with what you have to offer, both of which can negatively affect search engine rankings if not addressed quickly. By improving user retention rates through targeted campaigns or UX enhancements, you may see a decrease in your overall bounce rates since more people will continue browsing after their first visit instead of leaving immediately upon arrival.

Time spent on-site is also closely related to user retention rates – higher levels indicate greater engagement from visitors who spend longer periods exploring different areas within the website before moving on to something else entirely; this gives search engines valuable data points about how well-received certain pages are by readership, which helps them rank these pages accordingly according to relevance compared with competing websites offering similar services/products, etc. Additionally, it shows Google that there’s value being provided by visiting your page, so it should be rewarded accordingly with better SERP results too! Ultimately, all these factors contribute towards improved organic traffic growth over long-term periods – making sure customer loyalty remains high should always remain a top priority as part of any successful online strategy as we advance.

How can you use user retention rate to identify opportunities for conversion rate optimization (CRO)?

User retention rate is an important metric for website owners and content managers to track, as it can be used to identify opportunities for conversion rate optimization (CRO). The retention rate measures the percentage of visitors who return to a website over time. This provides valuable insight into how well users are engaging with your site’s content, products, or services.

By tracking user retention rates, you can determine which areas of your website need improvement in order to increase visitor engagement and ultimately lead them down the path toward making a purchase. For example, if you notice that many users drop off after viewing certain pages on your site, then this could indicate that there is an issue with these pages – either they contain too much information or lack relevant visuals – so changes should be made accordingly in order to improve user experience and encourage more conversions.

Additionally, by analyzing user data such as age group demographics or geographic locations, you may find new audiences who have a higher potential for converting on offers from your business; this allows webmasters to adjust their marketing strategies accordingly in order to maximize ROI from their campaigns while also increasing overall conversion rates across all channels. Ultimately, by monitoring visitor activity through metrics like retention rates, webmasters will gain invaluable insights into what works best when it comes to optimizing their website’s CRO efforts.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when measuring user retention rate?

Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when measuring user retention rate:

  • Not defining retention consistently: It’s important to have a clear definition of what “retention” means for your business and consistently apply that definition to your data analysis. This will help ensure you’re measuring the right metrics and can accurately assess your retention rate over time.
  • Focusing on the wrong timeframe: Retention rate can be measured over different timeframes (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), and it’s important to choose the right one for your business. Focusing on too short of a timeframe can lead to fluctuating and less reliable results, while focusing on too long of a timeframe can mask potential issues and make it harder to take action.
  • Not segmenting your data: It’s important to segment your user retention data to understand how different user groups are interacting with your website or product. Failure to do so could result in inaccurate data analysis and misguided decision-making.
  • Not considering external factors: User retention rate can be influenced by a variety of external factors, such as seasonality, changes in the market, or product updates. It’s important to take these external factors into consideration when analyzing retention rate, as they can impact your results and lead to incorrect conclusions.
  • Failing to take action: Finally, it’s important to use retention rate data to drive actionable insights and improvements. Failing to act on insights gained from retention rate analysis can result in stagnation and lost opportunities for growth.

How can you segment your audience based on user retention rate to better understand their behavior and needs?

By segmenting your audience based on user retention rate, you can gain a deeper understanding of user behavior and needs, thereby optimizing your content and user experience. Here are additional guidelines for approaching each segment:

These users are already engaged with your content or brand and are therefore likely to convert. Analyzing this segment can help you determine what is working well in terms of content, user experience, and features, as well as what motivates them to return to your website. For instance, you can analyze which topics or formats are most popular with this audience and create more of those types of content to maintain their interest.

Low user retention rate: This segment consists of site visitors who did not return. Analyzing this segment can help you determine which aspects of your content or user experience are not engaging users, so you can make the necessary adjustments. For instance, you can analyze which pages or features have a high bounce rate among this segment and optimize them to be more user-friendly.

These users have visited your website multiple times, but they may not be fully engaged or converted yet. This segmented analysis will help you determine which types of content and features are most effective at retaining users over time. For instance, you can analyze which pages or features are the most popular in this segment and optimize them to maintain user engagement and encourage repeat visits.

These users are first-time visitors to your website and represent a potential conversion audience. This segmented analysis can help you determine which types of content and user experience elements are most effective at converting new users into repeat users. For instance, you can analyze which pages or features are most popular with this segment and then optimize them to make a favorable first impression and encourage users to return.

Overall, segmenting your audience based on user retention rate can assist you in optimizing your content and user experience to better meet the needs of each segment, thereby increasing your user retention rate and conversion rates.

How can you use user retention rates to inform your social media and email marketing strategies?

User retention rates can provide valuable insights for optimizing social media and email marketing strategies. Here are some ways to use user retention rates to inform these strategies:

Identifying top-performing content: Analyze which types of content perform best on each social media platform and use this information to create more of the content that your audience finds valuable. For example, if your audience engages more with videos on Instagram, focus on creating more video content for that platform.

Optimizing email frequency: Use user retention rates to identify the optimal email frequency for different segments of your audience. For example, you may find that users who have just signed up for your newsletter preferences to receive emails more frequently, in the beginning, to stay engaged, while users who have been subscribed for a long time prefer to receive emails less frequently.

Segmenting your audience: Use user retention rates to segment your audience based on behavior and interests, and tailor your social media and email marketing efforts accordingly. For example, you can create targeted email campaigns for users who have abandoned their shopping carts or who have previously purchased from your website, to encourage them to make another purchase.

What are some case studies of companies that have successfully improved their user retention rate through SEO and CRO tactics?

There are many case studies of companies that have successfully improved their user retention rates through SEO and CRO tactics. Here are a few examples:

  1. Slack: Slack, the popular messaging app, improved user retention rates by making small changes to their onboarding process. They simplified the signup process, reduced the number of required fields, and added an option for users to try the app without signing up. As a result, they saw a 7% increase in user retention.
  2. Airbnb: Airbnb used SEO to improve their user retention rate by targeting long-tail keywords that were relevant to their audience. By creating content around these keywords and optimizing their website for search, they were able to increase organic traffic and improve user engagement. They also implemented CRO tactics, such as A/B testing and personalization, to improve the user experience and increase conversions.
  3. Spotify: Spotify used SEO and CRO tactics to improve their user retention rate by creating personalized playlists for their users. They analyzed user data to create playlists that were tailored to each user’s preferences and listening habits. They also optimized their website and mobile app to make it easier for users to discover and save new music.
  4. Dropbox: Dropbox improved their user retention rate by implementing a referral program. They encouraged users to refer friends and colleagues to the platform by offering free storage space as a reward. This not only helped them acquire new users, but also improved user retention by creating a sense of community and incentivizing users to continue using the platform.

These are just a few examples of companies that have successfully improved their user retention rates through SEO and CRO tactics. By analyzing user data, personalizing the user experience, and incentivizing user engagement, companies can create a loyal user base that continues to return to their website or app.

How can you set goals for improving user retention rate, and what metrics should you track to measure progress?

Improving user retention rate is an important goal for website owners and content managers. User retention rate measures the number of users that return to your website or app over a period of time, which can help you gauge if people are finding value in what you have to offer. Setting goals for improving user retention rates requires understanding how your current users interact with your site, as well as having a clear vision of where you want those numbers to be.

To set goals for improving user retention rates, start by analyzing the data from existing analytics platforms like Google Analytics or MixPanel about how often visitors come back and use key features within their first session after signing up. This will give you insight into why some users stay engaged, while others don’t stick around long enough to take advantage of all that your product has to offer them. Once this baseline analysis is done, it’s time to set specific targets based on realistic expectations such as increasing repeat visits by 10%, boosting return purchases by 20%, etc., depending on what metrics are the most relevant given the nature of business/product/service being offered through the website/app in question.

To measure progress towards these goals over time, track metrics such as weekly active users (WAU), monthly active users (MAU), customer lifetime value (CLV), and average revenue per paying customer(ARPPC). Additionally, look at engagement levels – track page views per visit & average session duration, along with conversion rates – signups & sales made during each visit. All these metrics combined should provide valuable insights into whether changes implemented have had any effect on user behavior and ultimately achieved desired results in terms of the improved overall level of satisfaction among customers, which leads to higher loyalty & increased chances they’ll keep coming back again and again.

How can you use user retention rate to inform your overall digital marketing strategy and budget allocations?

User retention rate is a critical metric for website owners and digital marketers. It measures the percentage of users who return to your site or app over a given period of time, giving you an idea as to how engaged your audience is with what you’re offering. Understanding user retention rates can help inform your overall digital marketing strategy and budget allocations in several ways.

First, if user retention rates are low, it could indicate that there’s something wrong with either the content or design of your website or app—or even both! Identifying areas for improvement can help increase engagement levels, which will lead to better results from any future campaigns you launch. Additionally, understanding where exactly people are dropping off on their journey through your site/app will also allow you to optimize each page accordingly so as not to lose potential customers along the way due to poor navigation flow or lackluster content quality, etc.

Second, analyzing user retention rate data can be used when allocating budgets toward various channels such as SEO (Search Engine Optimization), PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising and social media marketing, etc. For example; If organic search traffic has high conversion rates, but poor long-term customer loyalty then this may suggest that more resources should be allocated towards SEO rather than other channels – while conversely if paid ads have higher initial conversions but lower repeat visits then this might mean shifting funds away from PPC towards other strategies like email newsletters instead – allowing companies tailor their investments according to specific goals they wish to achieve via online promotion efforts.

Finally, tracking customer loyalty metrics gives businesses insight into how effective their current campaigns actually are at driving lasting relationships with consumers – enabling them to make more informed decisions about where best to spend money on future promotions. By leveraging data collected through analytics tools, website owners & marketers alike now have access to powerful insights which were previously unavailable; thus allowing them to create strategies designed specifically to maximize ROI & increase profitability over time.

How can a high user retention rate positively impact search engine rankings?

Having a high user retention rate can significantly impact a website’s search engine rankings. Search engines use metrics such as time on site, bounce rate, pages per session, and repeat visits to measure user engagement and satisfaction with the website content. A high user retention rate indicates that users are finding the content helpful and engaging, leading to longer time on site, lower bounce rates, more pages viewed per session, and repeat visits. This provides positive signals to search engines that the website’s content is relevant and valuable, which can boost its overall ranking in various ways.

It is important for webmasters to focus their efforts on improving their websites’ usability in order to increase user retention rates. Webmasters should ensure that all of their webpages are loading quickly; provide clear navigation options; include appropriate internal links between related topics; make sure all images have descriptive alt tags for better accessibility; create compelling titles & descriptions for each page & post, so they stand out from competitors when appearing in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages); optimize meta tags based upon target keywords associated with each page or post topic, etc., These measures will help keep visitors engaged once they land onto your webpage by providing them with an enjoyable experience which will result into higher visitor satisfaction levels – thus increasing your chances of achieving higher rankings within SERPs over time due increased relevance scores given by search engine algorithms.

In conclusion, having a high user retention rate has many benefits including improved SEO performance as it shows relevance towards target keyword phrases being searched while also demonstrating good usability indicators provided through extended dwell times along with low bounce/exit ratios – both essential factors taken into account when determining rank placement within major search results listings

Which criteria are relevant for the retention rate?

The interaction of active customers at the current time in relation to the customers of a previous time provides the basis for determining the retention rate in online marketing. It should be noted that the customer retention rate can only be determined on the basis of existing data. A specific period is decisive for the calculation. Typical is, for example, observation over a year.

Some of the other UX and Analytics Related Articles:

  1. Breadcrumb Navigation
  2. Conversion Funnel Designing
  3. Mobile-first Design
  4. Click Path Optimization
  5. Eye-tracking for Readability
  6. Heading Optimization for Scannable Content

What are active customers?

It is important to determine which factors should be included in the definition of active customers. It does not have to be the purchase of a product that is relevant here. It is also interesting to consider customers who have had contact with the company. For example, this can be done via customer service. Customers who read the newsletter or visit the company’s website are also relevant. Here too, the retention rate can build on and provide helpful information about brand loyalty. The advantage here: If different criteria are included in the calculation of the retention rate, different cohorts can be formed. The retention rate is thus visible to individual customer groups and their targeted optimization is possible. The success of previous marketing measures can be assessed efficiently.

How is the retention rate recorded?

The retention rate can be calculated using a simple formula. It is important to first deduct the number of new customers from the number of current customers.

The retention rate is the quotient of the current customer base minus the new customers and the customer base at the point in time of departure.

This value shows what percentage of the customers stayed at the end of a defined period, for example within a year, compared to the starting point. The customer retention rate, therefore, indicates the percentage of corporate customers who have not left within the period.

The Importance of Cohort Analysis

The retention rate is analyzed by looking at the so-called cohorts. A cohort brings together people who share a certain event, for example, the purchase of a product. These groups can then be compared. The cohorts are formed on the basis of data that results from tracking the user processes on the website. It is a survey within a specific period of time, for example, a year, which entails corresponding measures.

Usability of the Website for Effective Customer Loyalty

The technical prerequisite for an appropriate retention rate is the user-friendliness of the website: Usability means that customers can access the content conveniently from all devices. Technical errors reduce the retention rate.

It is also essential to continuously update the content: A company’s online presence thrives on regular feeding with current and relevant content. Likewise, it is important to constantly check the existing internal links for their functionality.

How can the User-retention Rate be Optimized?

The most fundamental goal of customer loyalty is to achieve brand loyalty. Knowing information about customer loyalty to the company requires constant observation and optimization of the retention rate. In the area of ​​marketing, various methods are available to influence customer behavior in current and future ways.

Newsletter marketing is an important instrument for customer loyalty. Thanks to newsletters, customers stay connected to the company with up-to-date information, facts worth knowing, and exciting topics.

Complaint management is also a powerful tool. Customers want prompt processing and attention to their concerns and suggestions. It is important to distinguish whether a rational problem, such as a defective product, is the cause of the complaint or whether the complaint results from an emotional motivation. Complaint management plays a major role in marketing and customer loyalty. Here brand loyalty can be strengthened enormously.
It is also worth keeping an eye on how competitive the price of products or services is and whether promises can be implemented in reality.

Technical Measures to Improve the Retention Rate

The technical measures focus on working on your own website.

  • The W3C requirements for standards-compliant websites must be taken into account.
  • The web site has to be worked correctly in different devices and browser variants especially in terms of responsiveness.
  • All forms on the website and the display for mobile devices must be guaranteed.
  • Customers usually do not forgive technical errors in these areas, and they also deter potential new customers.

But the constant updating of the website is also relevant. It must be kept up to date in terms of content and therefore regularly provided with new content. Likewise, outdated content has to be deleted and a small or larger redesign has to be carried out from time to time. Last but not least, it is important to continuously check whether all linked websites still exist, because broken links are bad for the usability of the entire page.

Customer Loyalty through Brand Loyalty

Brand loyalty could be described as the freestyle of customer loyalty. It can be divided into three areas or dimensions:

The current customer behavior The behavior planned by the customer The attitude of the customer.

The key point of brand loyalty is customer awareness. So he does not choose a product or service because he is comfortable or does it out of habit. Rather, his choice of product or service occurs consciously and intentionally. So he chose a brand in the past and has come to the conclusion that he wants to continue to do so, even if he has to accept surcharges. This is possible if not only the product and/or service is approved, but the company’s dealings with the customer have a positive effect on their attitude. So it’s about the big picture, which is another reason for professional complaint management. The customer identifies with a product, with a brand, if he can stand behind the entire corporate philosophy.

Customer Loyalty versus Churn Rate

The retention rate is always to be interpreted in comparison with the customer churn rate, also called the churn rate. However, specifying the reasons for the migration is a challenge for online marketing: Because customers rarely communicate the background of their decision. At this point, it is helpful to check whether poor complaint management is responsible for emigration.

How do you Improve the Retention Rate?

As with all KPIs, the retention rate must also be optimized. No matter which time period is chosen, various measures can lead to customer loyalty to the company. A frequently used procedure to keep one-time buyers is the use of newsletters. The needs of the user can be derived from his previous customer journey.

Positive Effects of the Retention Rate

Even for companies that can look back on a customer retention rate of 90 percent, the customer base is halved in an interval of five years by around 50 percent. When you consider that preventing customer churn by as little as five percent can make up to 85 percent of the difference in sales, it becomes clear how important customer retention is. Another point: 72 percent of those who consume brands are not so loyal. For them, branded products are interchangeable, which is also due to the similar communication of advertising for comparable products. This in turn speaks for a particular focus on customer brand loyalty.

An analysis of the retention rate only works if the churn rate is also taken into account. Achieving brand loyalty can be seen as the culmination of customer loyalty.

How to Calculate User Retention Rate

In order to compare the retention rate values, it is important to determine which time interval is used for the company. Information on return rates, repurchase rates, or marketing cycles is useful for this.

For a very simple example, we take a period of 12 months. The question for our retention rate is: What is the proportion of users who are still users in a year.

To do this, we need to know 2 values: how many active customers did the company have 1 year ago and how many of them are currently. The definition of what an active customer is must be decided on a case-by-case basis. Let us assume that the following data are available:

Active customers 1 year ago – aK1: 3,000
Today’s active customers – aK2: 2,500
Retention Rate = active customers today / active customers 1 year ago

For the example this means: Retention Rate = aK2 / aK1 = 83.3%

The retention rate is currently around 83.3%. A picture of how the customer retention rate is developing emerges over several periods. If you also have documentation of marketing measures or website adjustments, influencing factors can be determined.

User Retention is an important term for Holistic SEO. We will continue to improve our guidelines to help Holistic SEOs across the globe.

Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR

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What is User-retention Rate: How to use it for SEO and CRO?

by Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR time to read: 26 min
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