Coming To A Mobile App Near You: Localytics

Boston based Localytics is, in a nutshell, web analytics for mobile applications. Based on the projected growth of mobile applications and the likely surge of tablet computing this year, Web Analytics Demystified thinks this company is really onto something.

What does Localytics do?

Localytics is a digital measurement solution designed to provide metrics specific to mobile applications. The interface allows clients to view details about their apps such as usage patterns over time, user type (new vs. returning), user software (platform and OS), as well as user hardware and device versions. It can also track events within applications such as start, stop, play, etc. which are customizable to enable capture of the most important app functionality. The tracking also includes geo location capabilities to determine where apps are dispersed across the globe. All of these metrics are provided in real-time empowering clients with instant cognition of the use and utilization of their mobile apps.

The screenshot below shows the interface and you can view the short video introduction Localytics provides about its services. They also have an online product demo that is worth checking out.

How does Localytics work?

Localytics developed client libraries to integrate with the Localytics API which requires placing just three lines of javascript code into your mobile applications for basic monitoring (custom events require just one more line each). Client libraries (available for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone) were created using open source SDK for transparency, consistency and easy integration. The client libraries also provide flexibility for deeper integrations and customization. Once integrated with your app, the client library sends function calls (Required: open, upload, close. Optional: tagEvent, setOptIn / isOptIn.) to control your session. These anonymous and secure calls to the server can be uploaded upon start of the application (recommended) to place one single server call with batched information or can be configured to fire more or less frequently. Localytics data is written to persistent storage immediately after it’s recorded and is available within the user interface in real-time.

Why is Localytics different?

Localytics considers its primary competitors to be: Pinch Media / Flurry, Mobilytics and Medialets. It claims to differentiate from these solutions by offering segmentation capabilities that enable drill down on specific devices, geographies and other attributes beyond the aggregate level. It also offers real-time reporting that allows clients to identify changes in user behavior in a matter of hours rather than days. I particularly like that Localytics is fully transparent and has even developed a client wiki to offer information, FAQs, documentation and community aspects to their solution. This company was a member of theTechStars program in 2009 and was awarded seed funding to launch its operations, which are headquartered in Boston. Localytics was also recognized in 2009 by MITX (Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange) as a finalist in the category of Analytics and Business Intelligence.

Who will benefit from Localytics?

The primary beneficiaries of this technology are the marketers who will be able to keep tabs on the use and utilization of their mobile apps. Not only can they watch what’s happening in real-time, but the segmentation and analysis capabilities (if wielded properly) can empower them to take action on this data. For example, marketers could test price sensitivity by watching app download activity when prices are adjusted – or – identify problematic areas of apps if users tend to drop off at specific areas. While, this technology may initially appeal to the app developer looking to understand their project adoption and utilization, a great deal of value is delivered to decision-making marketers.

What you need to know about Localytics?

Localytics is onto something pretty cool here. One source cites an estimated 2.3 billion mobile apps downloaded in 2009, which is expected to grow by 23% in the next five years. This burgeoning playground for developers needs a measurement solution and our initial view of Localytics offers an eye-catching and friendly user interface. We expect the major measurement vendors to come barreling down on mobile app measurement in the coming year – and for a burst of new entrants in 2009 – but Localytics has done a fair job of gaining a head start. Their launch price point was free, but this will undoubtedly change in the coming months. In any case, if you’re actively developing mobile apps or using them for marketing purposes, we recommend that you give Localytics a look.

Things we like about Localytics:

• The capacity for this solution to deliver metrics in real-time is awesome!
• The transparency of their client libraries and ability to modify the API rocks!
• The fact that Localytics built a client wiki is just plain thoughtful.

Things we’d like to see from Localytics:

• Users of this product would really benefit from alerting functionality.
• Ongoing expansion to other mobile platforms (Palm, Symbian).
• Thought leadership from the smart team at Localytics around this very hot topic of mobile measurement.

Learn more about Localytics by visiting their web site, http://www.localytics.com

Posted by John on Sunday, January 24th, 2010 | One responses | Add a Comment | Share, Save or Email