Age and location tell me nothing about who actually converts.
Tried behavioral segmentation based on onboarding actions and saw way better retention patterns.
What segments have you found that actually predict user lifetime value?
People who complete optional features during onboarding convert at much higher rates than those who skip everything.
I track users who upload photos, connect social accounts, or fill out preference surveys even when these steps are marked as optional. They end up being the ones who actually pay for premium features later.
The pattern makes sense because they are already investing time before seeing any real value from the app.
Users who abandon their cart or cancel a subscription attempt but stay active in the app for another week are valuable. Many dismiss them as lost leads, but they are actually your highest intent segment. They wanted to pay but something stopped them. Price, timing, or the need for more value first. I’ve seen conversion rates five times higher when retargeting this group with different messaging or pricing. They already showed purchase intent, unlike regular active users who might never convert.
Users who return after getting zero results first try.
Users who engage with support or help docs in their first week are golden. Found this pattern across three different apps I’ve worked on.
These users might seem “needy” but they’re actually invested enough to figure things out. Their LTV was consistently 2-3x higher than silent users who never asked questions.
Also noticed that people who customize their profile or settings early tend to stick around longer. It’s like they’re mentally claiming ownership of their account.
The sneaky one though - users who share content within 72 hours, even if nobody engages with it. They’re buying into the social aspect before seeing results.
Users who change their notification settings right after installing usually stick around longer.