Mobile app usage surges as Mother’s Day is celebrated across the globe

Mother's Day is a time to celebrate and honor mothers and mother figures in our lives, and show appreciation for everything they do. In numerous regions, the day represents a time to shower the women who always have our backs with love, affection, and gifts. This Mother's Day celebration will also be extra special for many people, as it will be the first since 2020 not strictly affected by lockdowns and social distancing.

Largely a result of the pandemic, consumers are eager to spend a little extra time and money to make this holiday memorable for their mothers and other influential women in their lives. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Mother's Day spending is on track to hit $31.7 billion in 2022, up $3.6 billion from last year's record-breaking figures.

Adjust data shows that mobile has increasingly played a significant role in Mother's Day celebrations over the past few years. We analyzed global mobile trends for key verticals on Mother's Day 2021 to give app marketers insights into user behavior that can be leveraged in successful marketing campaigns.

When it comes to food or a love of cooking, many of us were influenced by a mother figure. And as part of Mother’s Day celebrations, it appears that people want to give back. In 2021, global installs for recipe apps on Mother's Day rose 46% compared to the yearly average. Sessions were also up 15%.

Some consumers also opted to indulge their moms and the women they love by ordering-in special meals. Global installs of food delivery apps jumped 35% compared to the yearly average, coupled with a sessions increase of 15%.

Finding a unique gift for Mother's Day remains a top priority for consumers. The most popular gifts for moms are flowers, sweets, cards, and jewelry, and many turn to mobile apps to buy these items. In 2021, installs of shopping apps on Mother's Day soared 25% higher than the yearly average and sessions increased by 7%.

Sometimes the best gift we can give (or receive!) is spending quality time with the people we love—and that’s what can have the biggest impact on Mother’s Day. Streaming a feel-good movie or playing an entertaining mobile game your mom loves can be memorable. On Mother's Day 2021, installs for streaming apps were 13% higher than the yearly average, and sessions grew by 18%.

Today, mothers account for an unexpected majority of mobile gamers globally. Since many moms find playing mobile games entertaining and relaxing, it can be a great way to spend Mother's Day. Adjust data also reflects this trend as global installs of gaming apps on Mother's Day last year surged 23% compared to the yearly average, and sessions climbed 12%.

Users often show how much they love and appreciate the mother figures in their lives by sharing pictures, videos, and stories on social media. On Mother's Day 2021, global installs for social networking apps were 12% higher than the yearly average, and sessions saw a boost of 11%. Maybe it’s even a time used to get moms active on social apps.

There is also a notable rise in people shopping for gifts that cannot be wrapped. This includes activities like dining out or going to a concert or sporting event. Now that travel restrictions have largely been relaxed, consumers are also keen to get out of town or even just out of the house. While installs and sessions of travel apps on Mother's Day last year were not as impressive compared to the 2021 average, year-over-year growth was remarkable. Compared to 2020, global installs of travel apps grew 91% on Mother's Day 2021, and sessions skyrocketed by 110%.

The upcoming Mother's Day on May 8 is an exciting day for mothers and their families, but also for app marketers. Apps in all verticals can take advantage of this day by utilizing different discounts and deals to drive installs, boost engagement and maximize ROI. However, marketers must remember that consumers buy gifts not only for their biological mothers but also for other women who care for them, including grandmothers, aunts, sisters, wives, and best friends. That's why it's essential to tailor and personalize the messaging based on audience segments.

It is also crucial to know when users prefer to make purchases. Usually, consumers start looking for the perfect gift for their moms at least a week before Mother's Day. However, most Mother's Day purchases tend to be unplanned, and gifts are bought on the day of. App marketers can give last-minute shoppers a little nudge and send reminders about Mother's Day with a sweetener such as a bonus gift card thrown into the mix.

To understand how your users behave during Mother’s Day, measurement is key. Whether you're trying to determine which times of day offer the highest engagement or which channels provide users with the best ROI and LTV, Adjust can help you make sense of the user journey. Check out our latest analytics solution, Datascape, to get all your data in one place.