These days, with so many food options and delivery services just a click away, the food tech world is more competitive than ever. The big challenge? Delivering a digital experience that stands out and keeps users engaged. To really shine, brands need to nail their visual communication, helping users smoothly and making the experience enjoyable.
But what’s the secret recipe for creating an app that users can’t resist? To find out, the InAppStory team analyzed over 5,000 stories created by leading Grocery and Food Tech companies across the globe — including giants like Metro C&C, Carrefour, Spar, Uber Eats, Snoonu, and many more.
The result? A food retail customer engagement report with practical ideas to help you make your mobile app stand out. This article provides a summary of the key insights, with a download link for the full report at the end.
Why Personalization is Your Key to User Retention
Imagine walking into a restaurant where the chef already knows your favorite dish. In the world of food tech, personalization offers that same VIP experience—right in the palm of your hand.
It turned out that over 90% of marketers in the food retail sector use personalization in their cross-channel campaigns. However, only 48% go beyond the basic demographics like name, age and gender.
To really wow your users, your app needs to offer personalized experiences that truly resonate. Here’s how you can do it, drawing on proven use cases:
- Recipes: Tailor recipe suggestions based on users’ past preferences and dietary restrictions, using in-app stories to feature relevant recipes.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
- Life hacks: Provide customized meal plans that align with individual lifestyles, such as vegan or keto, by offering personalized tips and meal suggestions.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
- Collections: Adapt content to match regional tastes and seasonal ingredients.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
The study shows that personalized content can lead to:
- 3.4x higher engagement rates with tailored visual content.
- 6% increase in 30-day retention rates when personalized messages are used.
- Over 80% of app users value personalized experiences, making it a crucial factor in user retention.
So, it’s like adding that perfect spice to every interaction — suddenly, everything just tastes better!
Making Fun Count: Gamification Strategies to Boost User Engagement
Gamification is turning into the magic ingredient for food tech apps. It’s not just about fun and games; it’s a strategy that helps apps shine and build lasting loyalty with users.
The study shows that gamification is powerful for the following reasons:
- 42% of mobile users play games in food retail apps.
- Gamification can lead to a 7.4x increase in app session time.
- Apps that incorporate game elements see nearly 3x higher spending among users.
Some effective gamification strategies include:
- Wheel of fortune: Offers users a chance to win discounts or free items.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
- Cooking quizzes: Engage users with fun questions and reward correct answers with loyalty points or exclusive content.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
- Interactive challenges: Encourage users to complete tasks or challenges for rewards, boosting both engagement and retention.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
Gamification turns every user interaction into a delightful culinary adventure, where every tap and swipe brings something fun and rewarding.
Cross-Channel Messaging: Serving Content Where It’s Most Effective
The days of relying solely on email and push notifications are over. As the report revealed, cross-channel messaging is becoming essential for effective customer engagement. But here’s the kicker—in-app communication channels, like full-screen stories and pop-ups, are leading the charge, offering real-time interaction that’s both timely and relevant.
Source: 2024 Food Retail Customer Engagement Report
And the numbers don’t lie:
- In-app messages can extend user lifetime by 81%.
- Apps using in-app communication see a 27% increase in retention rates.
- 6-10 in-app messages per week lead to the highest session durations.
These in-app messages and stories do more than just talk:
- Enhanced user retention
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Real-time engagement
So, if you’re not already serving up cross-channel messaging in your app, it’s time to get cooking.
Creating the perfect food tech app experience is a lot like cooking a gourmet meal—it’s all about getting the ingredients, timing, and presentation just right. Focus on three key elements: personalization, gamification, and cross-channel messaging. Nail these, and your app won’t just be functional; it’ll be a joy to use.
In 2024, the apps that really stand out are the ones that seamlessly blend these ingredients to offer an experience that’s engaging, personalized, and, most importantly, fun. So, as you work on your next app update, keep in mind: it’s not just about what you serve, but how you serve it.
Want to dive deeper? Explore all 12 use cases, data, and actionable insights in the comprehensive report. It’s packed with everything you need to take your food tech app to the next level.
