DAU feels like vanity metrics at this point. Users open the app but barely engage.
Tried session duration and feature adoption but retention still feels disconnected from what we’re tracking.
What engagement metrics actually correlate with people sticking around long-term?
Depth of session beats length of session.
Ran tests on a productivity app where we tracked screen depth instead of time spent. Users who went 3+ screens deep in their first session had 67% higher retention at day 30.
Turns out someone scrolling through 5 screens in 2 minutes is more engaged than someone stuck on the home screen for 10 minutes.
Also watch for users who create something in your app. Doesn’t matter what - a profile, a post, a saved item. Creation actions predict retention better than consumption actions.
The people who just browse usually churn. The ones who add something of their own stick around to see what happens with it.
Focus on user activation metrics instead of just DAU. Track how many users finish their first key action in the first week. This can be completing setup or using a core feature. Users who hit these milestones stay active much longer.
Track return frequency for your core action.
Don’t just measure if they did it once. Measure how often they come back to do it again within 30 days.
Someone who posts 3 times in their first month will stick around. Someone who posts once and disappears won’t.
This works for any app. Fitness apps track workouts logged per month, not just first workout. Dating apps track messages sent weekly, not profile completion.
Frequency beats volume every time.
We look at day 7 actions more than day 1. Users who come back and do anything meaningful in week one usually stay past month one.
Focus on weekly active users doing key actions.