Wellness apps provide high-value information like healthy living, workouts, fitness tips, and dietary advice. They can also include many features to inspire and motivate users to use the app.

Features like progress tracking, goal-setting, and social support encourage user engagement and retentivity. In addition, a rewards system and community feedback and guidance can increase engagement.

Create a community

Creating an app community within your health and wellness platform can help keep users engaged. Incorporating social features like progress tracking, personalized feeds based on user profiles, and chat functionality can encourage users to engage and interact with the health and wellness app more often.

Adding video inspiration can also motivate and make exercise fun. For example, SoulCycle—the revolutionary studio that combines heart-pounding HIIT cardio with mindfulness exercises—offers free live classes on its app for members to practice with their friends or from home. The company also organizes Give Back Rides that benefit charitable causes, further fostering community spirit and brand loyalty.

Additionally, integrating with micro-influencers or celebrities who can promote the app is a great way to increase visibility and drive growth. These endorsements can increase app downloads and encourage users to explore all your wellness app offers. This can include fitness instructors, trainers and yogis, nutritionists, and personal coaches. These can advise users and motivate them to achieve their goals.

Create a rewards system

Wellness apps can provide users with an intrinsic motivation to perform wellness tasks. They can earn rewards, which they can redeem for access to health plans that help them tackle their well-being concerns and improve their lifestyle.

A rewards system is essential for a wellness app that drives user engagement and retention. It gives users a sense of accomplishment and recognition for their performance, boosting their overall happiness.

Rewards can be anything from free or subsidized health-related services to gym memberships, nutritional counseling, and fitness gear. Free or discounted team lunches are also effective wellness incentives that increase employee engagement.

Wellness programs can also help employees lower their BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, leading to fewer medical insurance claims. This, in turn, can lead to reduced premium rates for the company and its employees. The key is offering a wide range of rewards to appeal to all types of employees.

Create a user journey

With new users signing up for health and wellness apps all the time, it’s vital to get them started and engaged. This requires a thoughtful app user journey that boosts long-term engagement and retention.

One of the best ways to do this is by connecting users with a vibrant community that fosters collaboration and support. This feature is prevalent in fitness apps, allowing users to connect with peers and professionals to help them meet their goals.

Other key features that will boost engagement include goal-setting and daily monitoring. These features will motivate users to stick with their wellness plans, whether eating healthy, meditating, or working out.

To get the most out of your user journey, use Pushwoosh’s Scheduled Launch feature to send reminders to users at a personalized scheduled time. This will ensure your audience sees and acts on your message immediately.

Add gamification

Successfully integrating game elements into healthcare apps requires a thoughtful approach. It’s not just about adding points and badges but creating an experience that complements the user journey.

For example, one of the best fitness apps gamifies exercise by turning it into an immersive story. Users follow a narrative and listen to audio narrations, becoming the hero in their adventure. This keeps users motivated, even when they don’t feel like exercising.

Another gamified app that focuses on mental health and mindfulness is Headspace. Users meditate while listening to a series of guided sessions, allowing them to clear their minds and improve their mental health.

Wellness apps can also include leaderboards to encourage competition and motivate users to continue to perform well. However, a key aspect to consider is how a leaderboard will help keep users engaged over time. This includes ensuring the leaderboard is updated frequently to reflect the latest results.