User Acquisition (UA)
User acquisition is typically the process of acquiring new users for an app, platform, or other type of service. The goal of a user acquisition campaign is to build an audience through marketing-focused activity.
Unlike traditional strategies, most user acquisition approaches today focus on using data-driven advertising campaigns. Additionally, there are different growth strategies (paid and organic) that will be discussed later in this article.
The purpose of user acquisition is to convert users into customers. A user becomes a customer after the first transaction is completed. This process brings in customer acquisition, another term that is the first action of the user. Therefore, the end game is to maximize customer acquisition, which of course depends on a successful user acquisition strategy.
Here are some examples of how a user can become a customer and the differences between mobile, desktop and app acquisition:
- An OTT (over-the-top) media streaming service acquires a user by offering a free trial; When a paid subscription is purchased, that user becomes a customer.
- A news app is downloaded by a user; when that user selects premium content, there is a user-to-customer bounce, known as mobile acquisition.
- A gaming platform (whether through an app, online or a console) allows free play; once an in-app purchase is made, the user is now a customer.
- When an account is created for an e-commerce site, it is a user; When the first purchase is made, this is customer acquisition.