Are your digital marketing efforts optimized for short-term gains, or long-term customer loyalty? Can you do both?

Been running campaigns for 3 years now and constantly torn between pushing for quick conversions versus building actual relationships with users.

LTV looks great when you focus on retention but monthly numbers suffer. Push too hard for immediate results and churn goes crazy.

Wondering how others balance this or if there’s actually a way to nail both.

Fix your onboarding flow first then you can do both. Most apps lose users right away because they take too long to show value. Get users their first win in under 2 minutes and you’ll boost conversions without hurting retention. I’ve seen apps cut Day 1 churn by 40 percent just by streamlining signup and hitting users with core value immediately. Early wins equal faster conversions and better retention.

I focus on getting the right users from day one. It pays off in both short and long-term. Chasing quick wins is tempting but finding people who need what I’m building is better. It takes longer to grow but these users stick around and spend more. My monthly numbers might look smaller, but they are more stable since I’m not constantly replacing people who bail.

Start with retention metrics. Adding conversion tactics later works better than the other way around.

Focus on long-term loyalty. Short-term gains won’t last.