# Increasing Headspace’s Retention: Healthier and Happier User Cohorts

- Link: https://phiture.com/success-stories/headspace-retention/
- Published: 2019-08-15T13:55:01+01:00
- Author: Otas Temelis

# Increasing Headspace’s Retention: Healthier and Happier User Cohorts

![Headspace retention case study in app](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/
2019/09/Header_image_1.png)

+109%

uplift in week 1 retention

+49%

increase in paid conversions within 1 day

+14%

uplift in first meditation leading up to winter promo campaign

+26%

uplift new user activation

---

Table of Contents

 * [The Challenge](https://phiture.com/success-stories/headspace-retention/#the_challenge)
 * [The Solution](https://phiture.com/success-stories/headspace-retention/#the_solution)
 * [The Results](https://phiture.com/success-stories/headspace-retention/#the_results)

## The Challenge

Headspace wanted to improve 2 key metrics:

Global user retention

New user activation

“Phiture’s strategic guidance, tactical expertise, and custom tools have quantum-
leaped my team’s ability to delight our members with best-in-class lifecycle marketing
campaigns (across email, push, and, most of all, dynamic in-app modals).”

**Brian Rabben, Head Of Channels**
 **@ Headspace**

## The Solution

Throughout the project, we worked side-by-side with the Headspace team to deliver
and develop methodical solutions. Phiture’s in-house retention experts identified
that in-app messages were a crucial channel to drive higher retention and conversions.
We also tested many hypotheses with CRM experiments, resulting in high-performing,
optimized engagement and reactivation campaigns encompassing push, in-app, and Email
channels, deployed and optimized through the [Braze](https://braze.com) platform.

In collaboration with the client, Phiture’s retention team designed solutions to
improve the 0-1 strategy (encouraging users to take part in their first meditation)
in the run-up to their crucial winter promotional period. Campaigns included rich
push notifications with artwork that corresponded to specific packs and leveraged
Headspace’s compelling brand. Each push notification deep-linked users directly 
to the content, the selection of which was based on aggregated engagement data, 
indicating the most popular meditation packs.

**In developing the solution, the retention team focused on:**

 * Utilizing in-app messaging channels
 * Optimizing the engagement and reactivation campaigns
 * Employing rich push notifications
 * Implementing deep linking

![Headspace retention case study in app](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/
2019/09/In-app_image_3.jpg)

## The Results

Phiture accelerated users converting to paid subscriptions by driving an average**
49% more paid conversions** within 1 day. The first round of experiments resulted
in a **6% uplift in new user activation**. Further iterations resulted in an **extra
uplift in activation of 20%**. Users who received these campaigns were **retained
by an average of 109% higher** than control in Week 1. These innovative features
re-activated thousands of deeply dormant users, proving that deep-linking to specific
content is highly effective for activation and heightening engagement.

---

Since launching in 2010, Headspace has been innovative in helping people lead a 
healthier, happier and more well-rested life. Founded by Andy Puddicombe and Rich
Pierson, it has offices in Santa Monica, San Francisco and London and has millions
of users around the world. The Headspace app allows people to experience the benefits
of meditation anytime, anywhere by providing guided sessions and mindfulness training.

 

**Client:** Headspace
 **Services:** Custom in-app messaging, retention, engagement,
reactivation, deep linking, rich push notifications, data analysis, campaign optimization

![](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/headspace-logo.svg)