Everyone Was Testing Web2App. Now We Know What Works.

Growth leaders took the stage at Appsforum last year to discuss user journey, and more specifically Web2App. One thing was clear among the discussions: there was no single definition of success.

While some teams were building long onboarding journeys designed to qualify users before they ever reached the App Store, others were removing every possible point of friction, believing the shortest path would always produce the best results. Some were monetising on the web before driving users into an app, while others focused on getting users installed as quickly as possible to benefit from stronger engagement and retention.

One strategy did not work for all, band therefore experimentation was at the heart of it all. What made the discussion so valuable wasn't that the panellists agreed. It was that they didn't.

The Myth of the Perfect Funnel

The theme that was directly highlighted within the conversation was that there is no universally successful Web2App funnel. 

For example, for travel companies such as Skyscanner, shorter journeys often performed better. Users arrive on the site with clear intention and therefore want to complete the task quickly. Adding extra steps risked interrupting the experience rather than improving it.

‘’We noticed that... having a shorter funnel, less friction leads to more installs," explained Mohammed Husnain, Global App Marketing Manager at Skyscanner, reflecting on the company’s testing programme. 

However, not all categories follow the same blueprint. Health, fitness and education apps were seeing success with longer journeys that guided users through questions, recommendations and personalised experiences before asking for a commitment.

The difference that companies saw was the effect of user intent, rather than funnel length.

The best-performing Web2App experiences weren't designed around industry best practice. They were designed around what users were trying to achieve at that moment.

Relevance Beats Promotion

The panel also highlighted something many growth teams continue to learn the hard way: users don't respond to generic app messaging.

It was the relevance to each individual that proved to work. By using data from things such as previous searches, destinations or browsing behaviour, teams were able to create personalised prompts that felt connected to a user's existing journey. Rather than simply asking someone to download an app, they were showing them why the app mattered to the task they were already trying to complete.

The conversation repeatedly returned to the idea that successful Web2App strategies aren't really about moving users from web to app. They're about helping users continue a journey in the most relevant environment.

The Experiments That Failed

What really stood out among the discussion was how openly the speakers spoke about failure. While some ideas looked as if they were going to succeed, sometimes they didn’t.

Messages promoting "app-exclusive features" underperformed. New concepts that seemed compelling internally failed to generate meaningful results. Assumptions that felt obvious during planning sessions quickly fell apart when tested against real user behaviour.

The reality, as several speakers acknowledged, is that most experimentation doesn't always mean that we have cracked it. But that's exactly why experimentation matters.

To be successful within Web2Ap, we must learn and develop strategy to see a foot forward.

From Experimentation to Blueprint

Looking back, last year's panel in London captured an industry still exploring the possibilities of Web2App.

‘’Every product is quite different.’’ explained Jaehoon Jeong, Sr. Sales Manager, Apps at AppLovin. ‘’I think that's why testing and experimentation is so important…you can hypothesise as much as you want for a specific product but you have to test because only then will you know’’

Teams were asking important questions. Should funnels be long or short? Should users install before they purchase? How much personalisation is enough? Which markets behave differently? What role should the web play in the overall customer journey?

However, this year at Appsforum, the conversation has progressed, and we are finally starting to see answers. 

This year's Web2App Blueprint session is less about what companies are trying and more about what they've learned. The patterns that consistently appear across successful programmes. The frameworks that help teams decide when to use the web, when to use apps, and how to connect the two effectively.

If last year's discussion was about experimentation, this year will focus entirely on execution. We know it works, and is effective, so now the question is: how can we make it work consistently?