Mobile Marketing Insights: A Deep Dive into User Acquisition and Retention Strategies

An In-Depth Look at the Current State of Mobile Marketing

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, understanding the dynamics of mobile marketing is crucial for businesses aiming for growth. Branch, a prominent linking and measurement partner, has unveiled its latest report titled State of App Growth 2025, providing essential insights into user acquisition, retention, and the challenges faced by marketers today.

Key Findings from the Survey

The report is based on survey responses from over 700 marketing and product executives across global companies. Here are the highlights:

1. Unified View of App Performance
A mere 8% of surveyed companies reported having a complete and unified view of their app marketing performance across multiple channels. This lack of visibility can hinder effective strategy formulation and execution.

2. Challenges in User Acquisition
User acquisition remains a priority, yet 36% of marketers face difficulties in scaling their acquisition efforts without escalating costs. Other notable challenges include converting ad clicks into app installs at 24% and targeting the right users with paid campaigns at 23%. Interestingly, 61% believe that deep linking can significantly enhance ad campaign performance, suggesting that this could be a key area of focus for marketers.

3. Impact of Privacy Regulations
Privacy changes, such as GDPR and SKAdNetwork, have introduced complexities in attribution and measurement strategies. Approximately 41% of respondents expressed increased difficulty in cross-channel attribution due to these regulations, and 74% acknowledged that privacy regulations have led to challenging measurement blind spots.

4. Retention Challenges
Retaining users is a critical issue for mobile marketers. Key obstacles include the inability to activate user data for personalized experiences (47%), tracking and measuring retention success (47%), and gaining visibility into user behavior after acquisition (43%). The report underscores the importance of addressing these challenges to maintain a loyal user base.

The Path Forward

Marketing experts emphasize that true growth does not merely stem from an aggressive acquisition strategy but rather relies on a balanced approach that focuses on user retention and engagement. Paula Mantle, VP of Marketing at Branch, stated, "Brands achieving breakthrough success are those that prioritize retention, engagement, and consistency across every platform. A loyal user base is the engine driving real growth."

Conclusion

In the current climate marked by stringent privacy regulations and competitive markets, the insights provided by Branch's report equip marketers with the knowledge needed to refine their strategies. As brands navigate the complexities of mobile marketing, a shift towards retention and deep linking could prove beneficial in achieving sustainable growth. The full State of App Growth report is available for interested parties looking to enhance their understanding and approach in the mobile marketing arena.