Time of Inactivity

Time of Inactivity is the duration a user remains disengaged from an app.

Why it matters

Affects user retention and engagement metrics.
Helps identify potential churn risks.

How to measure

Track last active timestamp against current time.
Commonly measured in hours, days, or weeks.

Details

Understanding the Time of Inactivity is crucial for mobile engineers and growth teams aiming to enhance user engagement. By analyzing inactivity periods, teams can tailor re-engagement strategies, such as push notifications or personalized content, to bring users back to the app. Monitoring inactivity also aids in identifying patterns that may indicate app usability issues or content gaps.

For growth teams, reducing the Time of Inactivity can lead to improved retention rates and increased lifetime value (LTV). By segmenting users based on their inactivity duration, targeted campaigns can be developed to re-engage dormant users effectively.

Examples & formulas

Consider an app where the average Time of Inactivity is 7 days. A strategy to reduce this might involve sending a push notification after 3 days of inactivity.

Inactivity = Current Time - Last Active Time

Common mistakes

Ignoring inactivity patterns can lead to missed re-engagement opportunities.
Over-reliance on push notifications may annoy users and increase churn.