AI + Data Privacy Artificial intelligence has arrived—and the race is on. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized how we live, work, play, and communicate. It has tremendous potential to enhance our lives but can pose significant risks if not harnessed properly.  AI technology can detect and prevent data breaches, identify cyber threats, provide secure and encrypted communication channels for businesses, and more. And yet, with great power comes great responsibility. As AI continues to evolve, it poses significant challenges to data privacy, transparency, and accountability.  Join the CEOs of Brain+Trust and InspiringApps on March 21 as they engage in a thought-provoking discussion surrounding the rapid transformation in data privacy, and provide invaluable insights into the direction it’s heading next.  This is a fantastic opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the current state of AI + data privacy and its potential implications for businesses in the future. When March 21, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada) Registration Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and be part of this important conversation. Click here to RSVP for an informative webinar you don’t want to miss!

Austin has been ranked #1 in “America’s Best Places To Start A Business,” according to CNBC. This is largely due to the significant amount of resources available state-wide. Resources for Austin entrepreneurs abound, with phenomenal resources such as Austin Startup Week, BIGAustin, and Austin Women in Technology. Austin-based nonprofit, PeopleFund, posits that more than 99% of companies in Travis County are considered small businesses—so entrepreneurs in Austin are in good company and at a great vantage point to find phenomenal support systems. We posted a list of resources for entrepreneurs in Boulder and Denver, and since we also have team members in Austin, we felt a similar list could be useful for our friends in Texas. This post will touch on the same four areas of assistance for entrepreneurs in Austin: Legal Resources: As an Austin entrepreneur starting out on your business journey, you can benefit greatly from hiring an attorney as well as learning fundamental laws that impact entrepreneurs, such as intellectual property.  Financial Resources: There are many active organizations that dedicate themselves to providing you with helpful resources to assist you in building the startup of your dreams. Networking Resources: Networking opportunities prove to be invaluable to getting acquainted with fellow entrepreneurs and immersing yourself in the tech world. Educational Resources: Austin entrepreneurs can utilize these resources to empower themselves and innovate for the future. Whether you are just starting out or are in the midst of your business journey, these resources will provide excellent value for every stage of entrepreneurship. Legal Resources for Austin Entrepreneurs RWR Legal: Entrepreneurial Law With offices in both Austin and San Antonio, RWR Legal focuses on entrepreneurial and investment areas of the law. The firm specializes in intellectual property, real estate law, and corporate services, among other legal needs of startups. As they put it: “We are passionate about building businesses—our own and our clients’—to help innovators achieve success.” Legal Garage: Business Law Legal Garage offers similar services to entrepreneurs. They cover areas of law, including filing confidentiality agreements, trademark licenses, and website terms and conditions. The company wants to ensure that entrepreneurs can find the legal services and resources they need at an affordable price point. Lawyer Referral Service: Lawyer & Community Resources Although not specific to entrepreneurs, the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas also offers a way to find the right lawyer for your business. They have an online form for an immediate referral, or you can contact them to ask questions if you need clarification on the type of legal help you need. CooleyGO: Legal Assistance Finally, as noted in our blog post about resources for entrepreneurs in Denver and Boulder, CooleyGO is a valuable online resource that can help you to identify and create all the key legal documents you need to get a business started. Whether you want to incorporate or want to protect IP with a non-disclosure agreement, you’ll find their free, easy-to-use document generator indispensable. They also create and curate outstanding content on everything from creating a board of directors to selling your company. Financial Resources for Austin Entrepreneurs CTAN Austin: Helping Startups Get on Their Feet Financial concerns weigh heavily on many startups. The most active angel organization in the US, Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN), helps young startups get on their financial feet. The group helps entrepreneurs secure early-stage investment. CTAN also offers mentorship opportunities and business resources. CTAN operates through a dedicated group of local business people who dedicate their time to helping entrepreneurs but also has a full-time executive director and an investment associate. BiGAUSTIN: Assisting Austin Entrepreneurs With Financial Options BiGAUSTIN is another excellent resource that has a quarter century of experience supporting local small businesses. A micro-lender, BiGAUSTIN helps entrepreneurs find the right loans and financing options for their startups. The nonprofit organization understands the unique financial needs of entrepreneurs during each step of building a company. Likewise, BiG houses Women’s BiZ Inc., a group specifically geared to support the female leaders of Central Texas. Accion: Providing Loan Advice & Assistance Similar to BiGAUSTIN, Accion assists entrepreneurs and small businesses with loans. Just fill out their hassle-free online application that outlines your business goals and the type and amount of financing your young company needs. Need help determining what kind of loan or the amount you need? Accion provides one-on-one advice and solutions. SCORE Austin: Answering All Your Business Questions SCORE Austin, an organization that offers free counsel in multiple cities, assists local entrepreneurs in confidently tackling financial questions. They do everything from pairing you with a mentor in the business world to helping you enroll in workshops on a variety of topics to providing free financial resources. SCORE relies on a dedicated group of local business people who volunteer their time and experience to help those just getting started. Mentoring is free and entirely confidential. USDA B&I Eligibility Map: Checking if You Qualify for USDA-Backed Funding Small business owners/entrepreneurs may want to know if they are eligible for a business loan or a specific loan in relation to what they do. To do this, they can check out a USDA B&I eligibility map to see if it is available in their area. The USDA B&I eligibility map finds out if you qualify for funding in a matter of seconds. Networking Resources for Austin Entrepreneurs Austin Chamber of Commerce: Nonprofit Member Organization It’s always so helpful to “find your people,” and that’s never more true than when faced with the challenges of startup life. Austin Chamber is a nonprofit organization that helps entrepreneurs meet other startup leaders while focusing on developing businesses as a community. Part of the mission of the Austin Chamber is the growth of the local economy; they believe that when entrepreneurs thrive, so does Austin, and thus are eager to help create community. Capital Factory: Entrepreneurial Co-Working Space Capital Factory is a prime co-working office space home to many entrepreneurs and startups. Beyond offering desk space, they sponsor numerous community events, many free of charge. Whether you have just started down the entrepreneurial path or want to expand your startup, Capital Factory provides valuable workshops and networking opportunities to help your business excel. Expansive is another shared workspace and is a personal InspiringApps favorite. Expansive is just as it sounds—an expansive and thriving workspace. Networking Austin, BuiltIn: Local Professionals Club Networking Austin is a club of local professionals from various industries and companies worth checking out. Membership is broader than just entrepreneurs, but the events offered can still help you build your business and make quality connections. BuiltIn Austin is a tech-oriented meet-up to meet new people and build relationships LinkedIn Local Austin Networking has a strong membership and is a great way to expand your network. Austin Technology Council is a fantastic group with which to network, engage, and share ideas. Educational Resources for Austin Entrepreneurs Austin Technology Incubator (ATI): Bootcamps for Startups Austin Technology Incubator invests itself in the tech solutions of the future. Part of the University of Texas at Austin, the ATI enjoys access to university affiliations as well as corporate partners. You can attend a diverse set of boot camps and workshops with ATI, such as their “Health Care Startup Boot Camp” or “The Art of Combining Social Purpose with Profit.” The City of Austin also has a Small Business Program that offers “business training, educational events, and coaching to empower entrepreneurs.” Events cover topics from how to hire the right employees to understanding business loans. Their website also includes a comprehensive list of outside resources for entrepreneurs. Utilizing Your Resources as an Austin Entrepreneur As you continue to grow your business and face new challenges, we hope you keep some of these resources in mind for future use. No matter what stage you find yourself on the entrepreneurial path, these legal, financial, educational, and networking organizations are great places to turn to for guidance and assistance. We encourage you to utilize these resources as a starting point to connect with other techies, immerse yourself in knowledge, and attend leading events. At InspiringApps, we believe shared collaboration is the key to creating immersive and transformative solutions. Looking to dig deeper? We created this free eBook on app development from a business perspective geared to help innovative entrepreneurs like you succeed.

Even the most thoughtfully developed apps will need to evolve, and one effective way to spot opportunities for improvement is through application performance monitoring. Application performance metrics fall into several categories, each providing a unique look at app performance and areas for improvement. We believe it’s essential to be keeping an eye on user acquisition, user engagement, and customer satisfaction. User acquisition metrics reveal the success of your marketing efforts, monitoring things like the number of downloads and users. Engagement looks at user experience and how users interact with the app, from how long the average person spends in the app to user turnover rates. Customer satisfaction measures how successfully an app meets user expectations and the likelihood of a user recommending the app. We’ll look at each of these app performance categories and talk about key metrics to gauge how your app is doing in each of them. App Performance Metrics for User Acquisition App performance metrics related to user acquisition provide valuable insight to help you focus your marketing budget and tap into new customer bases. Acquisition metrics range from app store rankings to insights on how users became aware of your app. Services like data.ai, APPLyzer, and Adjust can help you monitor app acquisition metrics. App Store Ranking A primary acquisition metric is app store ranking. Ranking refers to the visibility of an app when a user searches for it in the app store. A high ranking means an app appears within the top search results. App ranking is increased through optimized keywords, positive user reviews, and regular updates. Ranking matters most for iOS apps because Apple uses a search algorithm that places higher-ranked apps first. Number of Downloads Number of downloads represents another critical acquisition metric. This measurement links directly with the extent of app reach. As it sounds, the number of downloads tracks how many mobile app users install an app onto their device. Low numbers of installations could mean that marketing campaigns need to be further tailored or that the app could use an upgrade. App Attribution It’s also helpful to track the sources that lead users to discover your app, a metric called app attribution. Attribution provides a glimpse at the success of marketing efforts by enabling you to know what sites or promotions generated higher click-through rates and downloads. Viralness One additional metric we like, viralness, reveals the number of new users brought in by a typical current user. This is a handy metric for many social consumer apps. You have a lower cost per acquisition if you gather new users from viral sharing rather than through direct marketing. Viral acquisitions also tend to engage more because they interact with friends and family vested in the app. In-app promotions that reward current users for referrals can help increase viral reach. App Performance Metrics for User Engagement User engagement metrics measure the value customers get when using an app. These performance metrics are worth tracking for most types of apps. The data provides information about the activity level of consumers and flags potential pain points. Tracking user engagement metrics can help developers view user behavior patterns and improve an app’s usability. Tools to track user engagement metrics include Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Firebase. Active Users Time factors heavily into user engagement and helps measure customers’ activity levels. Metrics for user engagement include daily, weekly, and monthly active users (DAU, WAU, MAU), which gauge the number of users within a time period. “Active” can mean anything from opening the app to posting and engaging with content. However, app experts tend to look at the DAU ratio to MAU (“stickiness”) rather than the individual metrics. This ratio shows the number of days in a month that users return to the app and provides a more accurate look at active users. Retention Rate Retention, one of the most important app performance metrics, shows how many users return to the app at least one time. The metric is often evaluated at 30, 60, and 90 days. While good retention rates vary by industry, it’s obvious that the higher the number, the better. It’s a strong indicator that users value the app. In another post, we discuss how to keep users engaged with your app. Churn Rate Churn rate offers the opposite performance metric to retention: the percentage of discontinued users. Understanding when users churn in the lifecycle is critical to addressing potential engagement problems. If users churn soon after installation, the app might have technical problems like frequent crashes, an unfixed bug, or other application errors. Losing long-term users can indicate that the app provides only short-term value or doesn’t meet expectations. Visits & Views Both average visit time and screen views per visit are also useful application metrics to evaluate end-user experience. Average visit time shows how long users engage with the app in one visit, while screen views per visit records the number of screens clicked in a session. Sessions Session length is a good indicator of your app’s engagement. Generally, the more time a user spends on the app, the better, but you may also want to look at session length in terms of the number of app crashes and uninstalls and see if there is a correlation. Session depth reveals how far along the user path someone travels before closing the app; for example, going from browsing to making an app purchase may correlate with greater session depth than logging in to check for content updates. Likewise, app session interval, which measures the period of time between two consecutive sessions, offers additional insight, enabling you to measure how attached users are to your app. App Performance Metrics for Customer Satisfaction The final category of app performance metrics deals with customer satisfaction, which shows consumer preferences and expectations. User satisfaction metrics include user ratings and reviews, in-app feedback, and satisfaction surveys. Examining these metrics can provide a deeper understanding of what customers want from your app and allow app developers to hone features and in-app support to better meet user needs. Appbot, appFigures, and Lookback all provide app metrics on customer satisfaction. Reviews & Ratings Reviews and ratings can provide incredible, actionable insights to your business about what additional features and improvements would be valuable. They also have significant power to influence acquisition. App store reviews affect app store ranking, so maintaining a positive score improves the visibility of an app. According to Apptentive’s “Mobile App Ratings and Reviews” guide, peer recommendations in the form of app store ratings and reviews stand alone as the single greatest driver of discovery and conversion. In-App Feedback Collecting in-app feedback about bugs and usability problems can often help avert negative public posts by allowing you to quickly fix any issues. Feedback can be gathered via chat systems, email contact forms, and surveys. In-app feedback reaches customers actively using the app and requires no outside windows or web browsers, streamlining the process for users. A particular type of in-app feedback, rating metrics, can complement customer reviews. If an app user provides a positive rating, you can prompt them to leave an app store review, helping your ranking. Final Thoughts These highlighted app performance metrics only scratch the surface of the quantitative and qualitative data you can gather about an app. With the overwhelming number of mobile app metrics you can track, picking and choosing the critical metrics for your app can prove challenging. Please contact us today if you want to learn more about what metrics will deliver the most relevant information about your app.