Definition of product stickiness

Product stickiness is a measure of user dedication and loyalty to a product over time. It indicates how indispensable a product becomes in users' routines, making it a key factor in customer retention and lifetime value.

The stickier a product is, the more likely users are to return to it regularly and incorporate it into their daily lives. Sticky products create a strong sense of habit and dependence, making it difficult for users to switch to alternatives.

Product stickiness is often quantified using metrics such as daily active users (DAU) and monthly active users (MAU). The ratio of DAU to MAU, known as the stickiness ratio, provides insight into the proportion of monthly users who engage with the product on a daily basis.

A high stickiness ratio suggests that a significant portion of the user base finds value in the product and uses it frequently. This level of engagement is crucial for driving long-term growth and sustainability.

Analyzing stickiness helps you identify areas of your product that may be causing friction or confusion for users. By addressing these pain points, you can create a smoother, more intuitive user experience that keeps people coming back. Stickiness data also allows you to segment your user base and understand which features drive engagement for different groups.

Ultimately, measuring the stickiness of a product is essential for driving long-term growth and success. By continuously monitoring and optimizing for stickiness, you can create a product that becomes an indispensable part of your users' daily lives. This leads to higher retention rates, increased customer lifetime value, and a more sustainable business model.

DAU/MAU ratio

The DAU/MAU ratio is the most common way to calculate product stickiness. Divide your Daily Active Users (DAU) by your Monthly Active Users (MAU) and multiply by 100 to get your stickiness score as a percentage. A stickiness ratio of around 13% is considered average in SaaS, while 20% or higher is considered good across most industries.

Other metrics for measuring stickiness

Beyond the DAU/MAU ratio, you can also measure stickiness by looking at the frequency of product use within specific time periods. For example, tracking the percentage of users who engage with your product at least 3 times per week or 10 times per month can give you a more granular view of stickiness. Additionally, measuring user engagement with key features or actions that are core to your product's value proposition can provide insights into the stickiness of specific aspects of your product.

Improving the stickiness of a product

To boost the stickiness of a product, focus on streamlining the user onboarding process to quickly guide users to their "aha" moment. Personalize the onboarding experience based on user preferences and behavior to make it more engaging. Throughout the user journey, promote feature discovery to encourage users to explore and adopt key features that drive stickiness.

Another effective strategy is to collect user feedback proactively and use it to identify and eliminate friction points in the user experience. By continuously iterating on your product based on user feedback, you can create a more sticky product that keeps users coming back. Additionally, timing your upsell offers strategically can help you increase stickiness by introducing users to premium features that provide additional value and encourage deeper engagement with your product.

Examples of sticky products

Spotify: Personalized recommendations drive user engagement

Spotify's Discover Weekly and Daily Mix playlists keep users coming back. These features analyze listening habits to suggest new music tailored to each user's taste. Spotify's stickiness comes from its ability to constantly introduce users to fresh, relevant content.

Slack: Integrations and centralization make it indispensable

Slack's extensive app integrations allow teams to consolidate their work in one place. Users can receive notifications, share files, and manage projects without leaving Slack. This centralization makes Slack a sticky product that teams rely on daily.

Duolingo: Gamification boosts user retention

Duolingo turns language learning into a game-like experience. Users earn points, level up, and compete with friends as they progress through lessons. This gamification keeps users engaged and motivated to return to the app regularly, increasing its stickiness.