Mobile Apps Terms You Know As You Build, Launch, And Grow Your App
Guess what? You launched an app…
…and now you’re sprinting through a maze of app dev and marketing acronyms.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Check out this glossary of mobile app terms to help you build, launch, and grow like a pro.
Table of Contents
Development
- SDK (Software Development Kit)
- Definition: A set of tools and libraries for creating applications on specific platforms.
- Importance: Essential for building and integrating app functionalities.
- API (Application Programming Interface)
- Definition: Protocols and tools for building and interacting with software applications.
- Importance: Enables different software systems to communicate.
- IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
- Definition: Software providing comprehensive facilities to programmers for software development.
- Importance: Enhances productivity with tools for writing, testing, and debugging code.
- CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment)
- Definition: Practices of automating the integration and deployment of code changes.
- Importance: Improves code quality and speeds up development cycles.
- MVC (Model-View-Controller)
- Definition: A software design pattern for implementing user interfaces.
- Importance: Separates internal representations of information from how it is presented.
- PWA (Progressive Web App)
- Definition: Web applications that load like regular web pages but offer additional functionality.
- Importance: Provides app-like experiences with web technologies.
- REST (Representational State Transfer)
- Definition: An architectural style for designing networked applications.
- Importance: Simplifies web services development with stateless communication.
- JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
- Definition: A lightweight data-interchange format.
- Importance: Easy to read and write for humans, and easy to parse for machines.
- XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
- Definition: A markup language for encoding documents in a format readable by humans and machines.
- Importance: Widely used for data representation and transfer.
Marketing
- ASO (App Store Optimization)
- Definition: Optimizing mobile apps to rank higher in app store search results.
- Importance: Proper optimization of your App Store listings increases the chances of users finding and downloading your app through search and browsing.
- CPI (Cost Per Install)
- Definition: The amount paid by advertisers for each app installation.
- Importance: Key metric for evaluating user acquisition costs.
- CPA (Cost Per Action)
- Definition: The amount paid for a specified user action, such as a purchase.
- Importance: Measures cost-effectiveness of ad campaigns.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)
- Definition: The percentage of users who click on an advertisement.
- Importance: Measures ad effectiveness and user engagement.
- CTA (Call to Action)
- Definition: A prompt that encourages users to take a specific action.
- Importance: Drives user engagement and conversions.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Definition: Improving the visibility of a website or app in search engine results.
- Importance: Drives organic traffic and discoverability.
- SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
- Definition: Marketing strategies to increase visibility in search engine results through paid advertising.
- Importance: Enhances online presence and user acquisition.
- UGC (User-Generated Content)
- Definition: Content created by users, such as reviews and social media posts.
- Importance: Builds trust and enhances engagement.
- UAC (Universal App Campaigns)
- Definition: Automated ad campaigns by Google to promote apps across platforms.
- Importance: Simplifies app promotion and optimization.
- A/B Testing
- Definition: Comparing two versions of a webpage or app to determine which performs better.
- Importance: Optimizes user experience and conversion rates.
- Metadata
- Definition: All the information you provide about your app that appears on its store listing page (title, description, keywords, screenshots, category).
- Importance: Well-crafted metadata is key for users to find your app in searches and browsing, boosting app store discoverability.
Metrics
- MAU (Monthly Active Users)
- Definition: The number of unique users engaging with an app monthly.
- Importance: Measures user retention and app usage.
- DAU (Daily Active Users)
- Definition: The number of unique users engaging with an app daily.
- Importance: Indicates daily engagement and user loyalty.
- ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)
- Definition: The average revenue generated per user.
- Importance: Measures revenue potential per user.
- CLV (Customer Lifetime Value)
- Definition: Total revenue expected from a customer over their relationship with the business.
- Importance: Helps in understanding long-term customer value.
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
- Definition: The cost of acquiring a new customer.
- Importance: Determines profitability of acquisition efforts.
- ROI (Return on Investment)
- Definition: Measure of the profitability of an investment.
- Importance: Evaluates financial success of marketing and development efforts.
- LTV (Lifetime Value)
- Definition: Another term for Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
- Importance: Crucial for long-term business planning.
- KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
- Definition: Measurable value indicating how effectively a company is achieving key objectives.
- Importance: Tracks progress and success.
- CVR (Conversion Rate)
- Definition: Percentage of users who take a desired action in your app (purchase, signup, etc.).
- Importance: By analyzing CVR, you can identify areas for improvement and optimize your app to drive user conversions.
- Churn Rate
- Definition: The percentage of users who stop using an app over a specific period.
- Importance: Indicates user retention and satisfaction.
- Retention Rate
- Definition: The percentage of users who continue using an app over time.
- Importance: Measures user loyalty and app success.
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