Appboy can test six variations of a mobile app messaging at once

Update: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Appboy serves in-app ads. Actually, Appboy provides a marketing automation platform used for sending targeted messages to app users via email, push, or in-app messaging. The new feature the company launched is the ability to test six variances of those messages to find out which one gets the best response from app users. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Marketers must consider a number of factors when attempting to craft the perfect messaging for app users, including the format, channel, and audience. These messages can include things like offers, and tips for using the app.

So they must run tests. And that’s where the marketing automation company Appboy comes in. Appboy is announcing at MobileBeat 2104 today that it can test six variants of messages to app users at once. Appboy’s multivariate testing helps app developers and marketers try out combinations of messaging, then measure the impact of each on metrics like conversion rate, clickthrough rate, and revenue generated.

For instance, a developer or marketer could send a different message to six different app user groups, observe which group responded best, then turn off the other five versions of the messaging that didn’t work as well, Appboy CEO Mark Ghermezian told VentureBeat.

The service can test the headlines and the copy of a message, as well as the content of those messages (images, colors, buttons, etc.).

Marketers can use the testing automation with different market segments using a dashboard that Appboy provides.

The lesson learned is that message testing can have a huge effect on the results. Two versions of a push notification for the same offer may have a 50 percent difference in response rate, Appboy says.

App marketers need to know these things to compete against other apps in an already tight marketplace.

Appboy offers a platform that lets mobile marketers manage, test and automate their in-app messaging. The company creates profiles of their clients’ mobile users  based on their demographics, behavior, and in-app purchases. Using a set of algorithms Appboy can create user segments to which companies can direct targeted content.