From homeschooling to those kitchen table business meetings via Zoom, and everything in-between, the smartphone has played a central role in keeping us educated, entertained, and productive in these unusual times. Life under lockdown can be pretty stressful but I can only imagine how much more stressful it would be if we didn’t have those little technological windows to the world in the palm of our hands.If you are feeling more than a little anxious, you’re not alone. A growing number of smartphone users are turning to apps to help manage their mental health. According to a recent study by the mobile data insights company Sensor Tower, there has been a surge in downloads of popular mental health wellness apps since lockdown began.Data shows that the top 10 apps in English-language mental wellness categories received more than 10 million downloads during April. This was 24.2% higher than pre-pandemic levels. These downloads were dominated by meditation apps with the app Calm ranking globally at No. 1 with 3.9 million downloads (up almost a million downloads compared to January), followed by Headspace at No. 2 with 1.5 million and the third position going to Meditopia with 1.4 million.And it’s not just the apps at the top of the chart that are enjoying phenomenal growth.Sitting comfortably at No. 10 in the global ranking, Relax: Master Your Destiny picked-up nearly 400,000 downloads, a staggering 218% increase on the first month of the year.Keeping International Markets HappyBy breaking down the global markets into various territories, the report highlights how success in one market doesn’t guarantee popularity in other apparently similar markets.While there is a similarity between the various global markets, the US ranking share six common titles with the UK charts, the apps Moshi and Insight Timer (No. 7 and 10 respectively in the UK charts) don’t appear in the either the global or United States rankings. Interestingly, there are apps that rank highly in the global charts, like Petit BamBou, that don’t make the top 10 in either the US or UK markets.This should suggest to app developers that there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” app for global markets. Each geographic location will have its own individual tastes and specific routes to market. This should also remind developers that just because a brand “owns” their local market, there may be opportunities beyond their current horizons.A Global CommunityWith boots on the ground across global markets in Latin and North America, Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, the app marketing experts at Digital Turbine can help developers fine-tune their global marketing strategy and find potentially lucrative audiences for their apps in previously unexplored territories.Regardless of whether your app keeps people entertained, informed, productive, or simply calm (an enviable state of mind in this current crisis), talk to us today to learn how we can make your next app marketing campaign a healthier more engaging experience.
