Offering a trial to subscription app users is an efficient method to acquire and activate users. The final goal of this acquisition method is to nudge trial users to test out the services and features the app provides and finally subscribe to them. To better achieve this goal, we need to improve the trial conversion. This article is going to talk about some tips that can help us do that.
What is Trial Conversion for Subscription Apps？
Trial conversion for subscription apps is the percentage of trial users that are converted to a paid subscription from a specific trial period. This is an important indicator that suggests whether or not your subscription app is providing enough value that users will be willing to pay for it.
Tracking trial conversion, for subscription apps, provides insights into your acquisition channels, targeted audiences and app performance.
How to Calculate Trial Conversion for Subscription Apps?
The trial conversion for subscription apps is calculated by the number of subscribers divided by the number of all the trial users in that time period. The formula is:
Trial Conversion Rate=(Subscribers from trial / All free trial) *100%
For example: If you get 300 trial users within a certain time period, and 150 of these users subscribe to your app, regardless of during or after the trial period has ended, the trial conversion is 50%.
Pro tip: Appflow.ai tracks the number of trial users and subscribers in real-time, you can just select a time frame and then the trial conversion in that time period will be shown directly to you without troubles of calculation.
How to Improve Trial Conversion for Subscription Apps？
Here are 6 tips for improving trial conversion for subscription apps.
1. Target the Right Channels and Audience
Targeting the right channels and audiences is crucial to acquire trial users that will most likely subscribe to your app. The reason is simple, only those who have needs and want to solve their particular problems will want to subscribe to your app.
If you are targeting the wrong audience or if your messaging is attracting the wrong type of users, then of course, your trial conversion rate will be low. So make sure you are targeting the right marketing channels and audiences.
Pro tip: Appflow.ai can track the performance of every acquisition channel and display the conversion rate between trial and subscription. If you notice the trial conversion in one of the marketing channels is quite low, then it is necessary for you to examine that particular marketing channel and find solutions to solve the issue.
2. Optimize the Trial Length
The trial length you offer should be long enough for users to experience the core features of your app and derive value. And it should also be short enough to create a sense of urgency for users to subscribe to your app preventing unnecessary monetization delay.
The length of the trial depends on the nature of your subscription app. So how to figure out the right time frame your users need to see the value of your app? Well, you do A/B testing to find out the “right” free trial length that has the highest conversion.
3. Make Your App Easy to Use
The key to convert trial users into subscribers is to let them realize your app's value. Make sure your product is easy for users to use so that they can quickly grasp the usage of app features and get to their “aha” moments when users realize the value of the app and decide whether they will continue to use the app.
One of the methods of making your app easy to use is to smooth the frictions that users may encounter. To find out the friction points, you can use appflow.ai’s funnel analysis to track users' journeys in the app. If you find that there are low conversion rates between two events, try to find out why and optimize the feature to make it easier to use.
4. Personalized Trial User Experience
Personalizing user experience is a powerful method to improve user engagement and arouse a sense of importance. If trial users can feel that you care about them and want to provide value and solutions to solve their problems, they will be more likely to explore your app. When they find that your app does meet their needs, they will subscribe eventually.
User data plays an important role in personalizing trial users' experiences. Because you have to know what users are doing in your app in order to show personalized information. Appflow.ai can track custom events and send in-app messages or push notifications based on the tracking events. For example, when a trial user does not come back to the app on the second day of their trial period, you can send a customized push notification to bring him back to the app. Or send an in-app message that reminds users that their trial period is about to end.
5. Build a Reasonable Subscription Model
Your subscription pricing model must be reasonable for users to subscribe. Do a survey on how your competitors price their services so you can get a sense of how much your service is worth. After setting up a subscription model, you should always do A/B testing to perfect your subscription model, which would make both your product profitable and users happy to pay. An affordable subscription price will definitely improve the trial conversion rate.
6. Do User Survey
Asking why your free trial users are not willing to subscribe to your services is the directest way to figure out unexpected issues that need improvements.
Set up an automatic push notification that is triggered when free trial users do not convert and ask them to take a survey. Although you may get a low response rate, users’ answers can always show a sign of improvement. For example, they just don’t see the value of your product because your product is too complicated. Make good use of this information to optimize your product, so you can improve the trial conversion rate.
Pro tip: Appflow.ai’s push notifications can be triggered by events and time, you can set up a push notification to be sent to users when a specific event occurs.
Final Take Away
Improving the trial conversion rate is one of the most efficient ways to boost app revenue and grow app business. Free trial conversion rates can be increased by targeting the right audiences, making your app easy to use, offering appropriate trial length and reasonable subscription models, and making sure users get personalized care. All in all, the more free trial users you convert into customers, the more money you’ll make.
Create a free Appflow.ai account (no credit card needed) now and start improving trial conversion rate today!
6 Tips to Improve Trial Conversion for Subscription Apps
