Search Data Shows Consumers Turning to Trusted App Brands Amid Coronavirus Crisis

The COVID-19 global pandemic has raised mobile to prominence, facilitating people's ability to carry on with their lives, even under lockdown. With entire countries practicing social distancing and sheltering-in-place to preserve public health, consumers of all ages are now turning to their mobile devices for commerce, education, and entertainment.

This sudden change has led to a rapid uptake of apps and services that are creating a baseline toolkit for how the world's population plans to sit out the quarantine. From setting fitness goals to ordering groceries, users are radically shifting their daily behaviors to services they may not have initially thought to be critical to their daily lives. And, more importantly, consumers are seeking these specific apps out, meaning the businesses benefitting most have an established brand to capitalize on.

Using Sensor Tower and Adjust data, we've built a picture of how mobile users in the U.S. sought out apps to help transition them into this new, uncertain period.

Mobile Search Gets Specific

Social distancing and shelter-in-place measures taken by cities and states in the wake of COVID-19's spread have had a unique effect on mobile engagement. Data from an upcoming report by Sensor Tower and Adjust pinpoints the search terms that have seen the highest increase in volume, as well as the ongoing traffic to apps in those verticals.

Sensor Tower data reveals the top 100 searched terms in the U.S. App Store in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdowns did not contain any general queries relating to app types or services that might normally be associated with a pandemic or shelter-in-place orders. Indeed, during the week of March 16, generalized search terms such as "doctor", "symptoms", "groceries", or "delivery" were not present among the top 100 queries.

These metrics imply that most consumers are taking to App Store search with a predetermined intent to download specific apps, leading to a handful of companies experiencing a user acquisition boom. Winners during this time seem to be predominately apps or companies who have previously invested heavily in brand awareness for their specific category resulting in lowering the threshold to download and engage.

Standout Apps During Shutdown

It's hard to discuss Coronavirus' foothold in the United States without the subsequent shift to remote working for millions of Americans. The radical dispersion of employees has led to a multi-fold increase in App Store searches and use for key mobile apps tied to remote productivity.

According to Sensor Tower App Intelligence data, searches for video conferencing app Zoom increased 16.8x during the week of March 16 compared to the preceding seven days, while Microsoft Teams searches jumped by 7.4x. Intriguingly, "Zoom" was not a top 100 search term in the U.S. App Store prior to the week of March 9—meaning that many new users were likely directed to install the app specifically.

This reported increase in search activity has been matched by continued use. Adjust findings reveal a 41 percent week-over-week increase in Business app installs for the week of March 16, and a 44 percent boost in the number of sessions when compared to the third week of February. Working from home has seemingly led to a multi-device operation, with users taking advantage of a smaller second screen.

Likewise, as offices closed for adults, schools also shuttered across the nation. Parents and educators turned to apps designed for continuing education remotely at all age levels. Remote education apps Google Classroom and ABCmouse saw search intent increase 8.3x and 16.4x, respectively. While Google Classroom has long been working with schools to create cloud-based tools for school-aged children, ABCmouse has gathered years of brand awareness for its educational entertainment activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

Educational apps spiked in installs on March 17, increasing 212 percent between March 15 and March 17. This coincided with lockdowns in Europe and school closures across the U.S. Sessions within Education category apps also saw a bump, increasing 33 percent week-over-week for the week of March 16. Whether educational apps see a sustained improvement in activity remains to be seen, as schools catch up to online curriculum, and adult learner concentration begins to slide.

Shelter-in-place orders also pushed Instacart, arguably the most well-known grocery delivery app in the U.S., into the spotlight of App Store search, with a three-fold increase in searches for the week of March 16. At the same time, searches for national chain fast food apps slid within the top 100. Among top brands, McDonalds dropped 18 positions to No. 66, while Starbucks dipped 29 spots to No. 81.

Analysts have rightly kept their eyes on food delivery, expecting an increase in activity following restaurant closures coinciding with lockdown procedure. Adjust data registers a peak in activity of 40 percent on March 21, but no significant increase in activity before this.

The Brands That Build

From workplace productivity, to shopping, to education, Americans are turning to enterprises that have long-established brands for answers. What may not have been seen as worth a convenience before, such as grocery delivery, has become a real necessity for many. And, as more stringent health and safety measures continue to take effect, there will be long-lasting and fundamental shifts in mobile behaviors that will affect brand marketing and engagement in the months to come.

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