Launching your mobile app is just the beginning of your journey—what happens next can make or break your success. I've watched countless app developers celebrate their launch day only to realise weeks later that they have no idea how their app is actually performing. Are people using it? Where are they getting stuck? Why are they deleting it? Without proper monitoring, you're flying blind.
App analytics give you the power to see exactly what's happening inside your app after launch. Think of it as having a crystal ball that shows you user behaviour, performance issues, and revenue opportunities. The data doesn't lie—it tells you whether your app is thriving or struggling, and more importantly, what you can do about it.
The most successful apps aren't necessarily the ones with the best features at launch, but the ones that improve fastest based on real user data
Mobile app monitoring tools have become incredibly sophisticated over the years. They track everything from how long users spend on each screen to which buttons they tap most often. Some focus on technical performance like crash reports and loading times, while others specialise in user engagement and conversion tracking. The key is knowing which tools to use and how to interpret the data they provide—that's exactly what we'll cover in this guide.
Understanding App Analytics Basics
Right, let's talk about app analytics—something that sounds fancy but is actually quite straightforward. Think of analytics as your app's report card; it tells you what's working well and what needs improvement. Without this information, you're basically flying blind.
The data you collect will fall into several key categories. User behaviour shows you how people interact with your app—which screens they visit, how long they stay, and where they drop off. Performance metrics reveal technical issues like crashes, slow loading times, and bugs that might be driving users away. Revenue tracking helps you understand which features generate money and which ones don't pull their weight.
What You Should Track From Day One
- Daily and monthly active users
- Session duration and frequency
- User retention rates
- App crashes and errors
- Feature usage statistics
- Revenue and conversion rates
Here's what I've learnt after years of launching apps: start simple. Don't try to track everything at once—you'll overwhelm yourself with data that doesn't matter. Focus on the metrics that directly impact your business goals. If your app is designed to increase user engagement, prioritise session length and retention rates. If it's a shopping app, conversion rates and revenue per user matter more than anything else.
Setting Up Google Analytics and Firebase
I'll be straight with you—setting up proper app analytics isn't optional anymore. Google Analytics and Firebase are your best friends here, and they work brilliantly together to give you a complete picture of what's happening inside your mobile app.
Firebase is Google's mobile development platform that includes analytics built right in. It's free, powerful, and frankly, it's what most developers reach for first. Once you've created your Firebase project, you'll need to add your app and download the configuration file—that's either GoogleService-Info.plist for iOS or google-services.json for Android. Your developer will know exactly what to do with these files.
Getting Started with Firebase Analytics
The beauty of Firebase Analytics is that it starts tracking basic events straight away. No extra coding needed for the essentials. But here's where it gets interesting—you can track custom events that matter to your specific app.
- User engagement and session duration
- Screen views and user flows
- Custom events like button taps or form submissions
- Audience demographics and interests
- Conversion tracking and goal completions
Always test your analytics setup before launching. Create a separate Firebase project for testing—trust me, you don't want test data mixing with your real user data later on.
Connecting Google Analytics
Once Firebase is running, linking it to Google Analytics 4 takes just a few clicks. This gives you access to more detailed reporting and the ability to create custom dashboards. The data flows seamlessly between both platforms, giving you the comprehensive app analytics you need to make smart decisions about your mobile app's future.
Tracking User Behaviour and Engagement
Understanding how people actually use your app is probably the most valuable insight you can get after launch. I've worked with clients who were convinced their users loved a particular feature, only to discover through behaviour tracking that nobody was using it at all! User behaviour analytics tell you the real story—not what people say they do, but what they actually do.
The key metrics you'll want to track include session duration, screen flow, and user actions. Session duration shows how long people spend in your app each time they open it. Screen flow reveals the path users take through your app, highlighting where they get stuck or drop off. User actions track specific interactions like button taps, form submissions, or purchases.
Most Important Engagement Metrics to Monitor
- Daily and monthly active users (DAU/MAU)
- Session frequency and duration
- Screen time and page views
- User retention rates
- Feature adoption rates
- Bounce rates from specific screens
Heat mapping tools can show you exactly where users tap on your screens—this is brilliant for identifying usability issues. You might discover that users are tapping on elements that aren't actually buttons, or that they're completely ignoring your main call-to-action. This data helps you make informed decisions about interface improvements rather than guessing what might work better.
Monitoring App Performance and Crashes
Nothing ruins a user's day quite like an app that crashes or runs slower than a snail climbing uphill. I've seen brilliant apps fail simply because they couldn't handle the technical side of things properly—and that's something we can absolutely avoid with the right monitoring tools.
Your mobile app analytics should include performance monitoring from day one. Tools like Firebase Crashlytics and Bugsnag will catch crashes before they become a bigger problem, sending you detailed reports about what went wrong and where. These aren't just nice-to-have features; they're your early warning system.
Key Performance Metrics to Track
App load times, memory usage, and battery consumption are the big three that users actually notice. If your app takes more than three seconds to load, people will delete it faster than you can say "user retention". Most app analytics platforms will track these automatically, but you need to know what the numbers mean.
Performance issues are like leaky pipes—ignore them long enough and you'll have a flood on your hands
Setting Up Crash Reporting
Crash reporting tools work behind the scenes, collecting data when things go wrong. They'll tell you which devices are affected, what the user was doing when it crashed, and most importantly, how to fix it. The best part? Users don't need to do anything—the reports happen automatically, giving you real data to work with.
Measuring Revenue and Conversion Rates
Right, let's talk about the numbers that really matter—the ones that show whether your app is actually making money. Revenue tracking isn't just about watching pounds roll in; it's about understanding which parts of your app are working and which aren't pulling their weight.
Most app analytics platforms give you built-in revenue tracking, but you'll need to set it up properly first. Firebase Analytics does this brilliantly—you can track in-app purchases, subscription renewals, and even ad revenue if that's your thing. The key is setting up events for every transaction, no matter how small.
What Conversion Rates Actually Tell You
Conversion rates show you how many people move from one step to the next in your app. Think of it as a funnel—users come in at the top, and paying customers come out at the bottom. The trick is working out where people are dropping off and why.
- Download to first open rate
- Free trial to paid subscription rate
- Product view to purchase rate
- Cart abandonment rates
Setting Up Revenue Tracking
You'll want to track different types of revenue separately. Subscription revenue behaves differently to one-off purchases, and ad revenue is a completely different beast. Set up custom events for each revenue stream—trust me, you'll thank yourself later when you're trying to work out which features are actually worth the development time.
Using Third-Party Analytics Tools
While Google Analytics and Firebase cover most of your app analytics needs, there are times when you need something more specialised. I've worked with clients who've found that third-party tools give them insights they simply can't get elsewhere—and sometimes the data visualisation is just better too.
The beauty of third-party analytics tools is their focus. Take Mixpanel, for instance; it excels at tracking user actions and creating detailed funnels that show exactly where users drop off. Amplitude takes this further with sophisticated cohort analysis that helps you understand user behaviour patterns over time. Then there's Flurry, which Yahoo owns, offering solid free analytics that many smaller app developers swear by.
Popular Third-Party Options
- Mixpanel - Event tracking and user journey analysis
- Amplitude - Advanced cohort and retention analytics
- Flurry - Free comprehensive analytics suite
- AppsFlyer - Mobile attribution and marketing analytics
- Adjust - Performance marketing and fraud prevention
Don't go overboard with multiple analytics tools—too many can slow down your app and create data conflicts. Pick one or two that complement your existing setup.
The key is understanding what gaps exist in your current analytics setup. If you're struggling with attribution tracking or need deeper user segmentation, a specialised tool might be worth the investment. Just remember that more data doesn't always mean better decisions—measuring user satisfaction often requires a more targeted approach.
Advanced Analytics and Custom Metrics
After years of building apps and watching them succeed (or fail spectacularly), I've learned that the real magic happens when you start creating your own custom metrics. The standard analytics are great—don't get me wrong—but they only tell part of the story. Your app is unique, so shouldn't your measurements be too?
Custom metrics let you track the specific actions that matter most to your business. Maybe it's how many times users share content, or how long they spend on a particular screen, or even something as simple as how many times they tap a specific button. These are the details that help you understand what's really happening inside your app.
Setting Up Custom Events
Most analytics platforms make it pretty straightforward to create custom events. You'll need to work with your developer to implement these properly, but the process usually involves:
- Defining what actions you want to track
- Adding custom event code to your app
- Setting up parameters to capture extra details
- Testing the events before launch
Advanced Segmentation
Once you've got custom metrics flowing, you can start segmenting your users in really clever ways. Look at how different user groups behave—new versus returning users, premium versus free users, or users from different marketing channels. This segmentation reveals patterns that can completely change how you think about your app's performance.
Understanding what makes users actually share app referral links is a perfect example of how custom metrics can unlock valuable insights. You might discover that users who engage with gamification features are more likely to share your app, or that certain UI design elements drive significantly higher conversion rates.
Beyond basic segmentation, consider how gamification elements in your app can be measured and optimised. Track which badges users value most, how leaderboards affect engagement, and whether progress bars actually increase completion rates. These insights can transform your app from something users tolerate into something they love.
The relationship between design and analytics is crucial too. Poor UI design can completely skew your analytics, making it look like users don't like features they simply can't find or use properly. Always consider whether low engagement reflects actual user preferences or design problems.
Remember that analytics is an ongoing process, not a one-time setup. As your app evolves and grows, your measurement strategy needs to evolve too. What matters most during the initial launch phase might be completely different from what drives long-term success—and that's exactly what happens after your app is built.
Conclusion
After working with mobile app analytics for years, I can tell you that the hardest part isn't choosing the right tools—it's actually using them properly. You now have all the knowledge you need to set up comprehensive app analytics, from the basics of Google Analytics and Firebase right through to advanced custom metrics and third-party solutions.
The key thing to remember is that data without action is just noise. I've seen countless developers collect mountains of information about their mobile app only to let it sit there gathering digital dust. Your app analytics are only valuable if you're prepared to act on what they tell you; whether that's fixing crashes, improving user engagement, or optimising your conversion rates.
Start simple with the basics we covered early on, then gradually expand your analytics setup as your app grows. Don't try to implement everything at once—you'll overwhelm yourself and your team. Focus on the metrics that matter most to your specific app and business goals, then build from there. The mobile app landscape changes quickly, but solid analytics foundations will serve you well regardless of what comes next.
