MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Marketers in The Philippines are facing a million-peso question: How do you not just capture but captivate the Pinoy mobile user?
This was the heartbeat of the Growth Funnel Playbook event hosted by Adjust, in collaboration with Google, Sensor Tower, and CleverTap. Held in Manila, the gathering brought together over 100 brand builders, app marketers, and data-driven creatives, all looking to crack the code of user retention in one of Southeast Asia’s most app-hungry nations.
“We’re entering a phase where install growth is just the beginning,” said April Tayson, Adjust Regional Vice President for INSEAU. “Being the most downloaded app is not enough – it’s about being the most retained, most used and most valued. At Adjust, we help brands measure and understand user behavior, optimize retention strategies and make data-driven decisions that fuel long-term engagement and growth.”
According to fresh insights from Sensor Tower, the Philippine app scene is booming. Finance apps alone hit a staggering 200 million downloads in 2024, with credit and lending apps clocking over 30% growth year-on-year. Retail players like Temu are thriving on gamified shopping mechanics, while food delivery apps are feeding both cravings and market share while capturing 23% of Southeast Asia’s Food & Drink category installs.
But for all the installs, the real story is retention and that’s where Adjust’s data-driven strategies shine.
In a deep dive into its Mobile App Trends Report, Adjust laid out its tactical playbook for brands navigating the Philippine app landscape:
- Finance apps grew 27% YoY, with APAC leading the charge. The secret sauce? Regional targeting, deep linking, and a seamless web-to-app journey that puts users exactly where they want to be.
- Shopping apps jumped 28% YoY, but session times are shrinking—proving Pinoys want speed and relevance. The solution? AI-powered recommendations, streamlined UX, and advanced attribution that proves what really works.
- Despite growth, day-30 retention remains under 10%. To beat the drop-off, Adjust recommends gamified onboarding, push notifications with a personal touch, loyalty perks, and razor-sharp audience segmentation for smarter retargeting.
“In the Philippines’ fast-growing app market, brands must now shift their focus from growth alone to sustained performance,” Tayson added. “By leveraging data-driven insights, marketers can optimize the user experience, turning installs into loyal, long-term customers. This is how brands in the Philippines, and the rest of Southeast Asia, can win the long game.”
To explore more findings, industry best practices and learn more about Adjust, visit https://www.adjust.com
