User engagement in mobile apps

The mobile app industry offers a wide variety of mobile applications targeted at different types of users. Despite the type of mobile application, there is a clear amount of competition within each industry, thus making it difficult for companies to build mobile applications that stand out from the rest. However, having a mobile application does not mean instant success, instead, each mobile application needs to be able to put a user engagement strategy that responds to users demands and changes. This thesis is commissioned by PrimeSmith Oy (Jevelo Jewelry). Jevelo is a mobile application that allows users to design their own jewelry using pictures from their mobile devices. The piece of jewelry is crafted by hand using high 3D printing technology and goldsmithing. Jevelo´s value promise is to empower customers to design their own jewelry and create meaningful designs that will help remember special moments in life, making it a disruptor in the jewelry industry. The first objective of this thesis is to provide Jevelo App with the basic guidelines and suggestions on how to properly engage their customers through mobile. Secondly, in order to give a general understanding on user engagement, topics such as consumer behavior, involvement, and relationship marketing are discussed, which aim to help Jevelo app through a conscious understanding towards the origins and importance of user engagement. The research was conducted through semi-standardized interviews and done by interviewing three different professionals within the mobile app industry. Each interviewee was given an open-ended questionnaire with seven questions that would give answers related to the importance of user engagement, the best user engagement techniques, and its measurability. Together with the questionnaire, a benchmarking research was conducted in order to find out the most relevant user engagement techniques for the commissioner. The results of this thesis end with suggestions for the commissioner that include different techniques of how Jevelo App can engage users. The most relevant user engagement features each app should have are related to the value promise of the product and how its value stands out from the rest, same as with the constant user research that will help app developers and marketers find out which parts of the mobile app need improvement. The results helped the researcher gain a better understanding of how critical user engagement is in mobile apps and that a mobile application is a product that needs constant monitoring