We ran 100's of experiments @ Duolingo in 2022.
These 4 helped were big for retention:
1) Widgets that “come to life”
Our take: Duo gets progressively more frustrated throughout the day if you haven’t done your lesson.
2) App Icons as a communication channel
Our take: A special app icon, unlocked after reaching a 30 day streak. The icon emphasizes your streak status
(So every time you unlock your phone, and see the new icon, you are a bit more motivated to extend your streak)
3) Highlighting commitment
Our take: When a user selects streak goal we ask them to “Commit to their goal” instead of a simple “Continue”
4) Celebrating Perfection
Our take: A new gamification mechanic called “Perfect streak week” for those who go above and beyond to ensure they do their lesson every single day.
(Our committed users ❤️ showing these off!)
Follow @edwin_bodge @chu_on_it @jasssyzhang @samcwl to learn more about the top secret experiments we run at Duolingo