The travel and lifestyle industries are changing quickly in today's fast-paced digital world, and with it, so is the methods by which businesses promote their apps in these categories.

Lifestyle applications perform a multitude of tasks, such as assisting users in choosing holiday rentals, locating romantic partners, and even offering advice on how to take care of plants. This category's great adaptability also presents a challenge to the level of competition. Conversely, the travel sector has long been recognized for its capacity for adaptation and overcome adversity. In light of the rapid advancement of technology, it is imperative that travel apps set the standard for digital marketing tactics.


It's critical for developers to keep up with the current trends as they compete to effectively sell their apps within these categories. We'll go over the major themes influencing travel and lifestyle app marketing in 2024 and beyond in this article, along with some insightful analysis and helpful hints for mobile app marketers.

Trends in the lifestyle app category

Top performers on the App Store

Pinterest: In the Lifestyle area, Pinterest continues to be a major participant. Users looking for inspiration for travel, interior design, fashion, and other areas are drawn to its visual discovery platform.

• Dating apps like Bumble and Hinge are a testament to the lasting attractiveness of social connections and online dating, as evidenced by their continued use. Because they provide unique features and customisation, these apps are successful because they keep users interested and excited.

• Alexa, Google Home, and Ring are just a few examples of the popular smart home applications that are prospering as more people look for easy methods to control their connected homes. These apps are a result of the proliferation of smart home devices. This is particularly valid for nations like the US. To use these apps, users must have additional smart devices, such as a smart doorbell, TV, thermostat, lighting, and so forth.

• The two new social media apps, NGL and Lemon 8: New social media sites like Lemon 8 and NGL show that people are still willing to try out different methods of connecting and exchanging experiences. Interestingly, Lemon 8 bills itself as a lifestyle app as opposed to a typical social media platform. Like Pinterest, it places a strong emphasis on idea sharing, inspiration, and exploration.

• Planta (plant care apps): The rising popularity of plant care apps reflects an increasing fascination with gardening and the upkeep of indoor plants. These apps serve as helpful companions, guiding users on how to nurture their green friends. For instance, Planta sends reminders to water plants, monitors light levels, and fosters a community where users can share valuable tips.

Google Play has apps for a lifestyle

Similar to the App Store, Pinterest is still at the top of the Play Store when it comes to meeting Android users' demands for inspiration and visual discovery. The popularity of dating applications, smart home apps, and new social media sites like Lemon 8 are also reflected in the Play Store.

Nonetheless, the two platforms differ in a few significant ways:

• My Diary: There are a lot of journaling apps available on the Play Store, which appeals to people looking for digital tools to capture their ideas, feelings, and recollections.

• H&M purchasing: Purchasing clothing from H&M on the Play Store is a proof of the popularity of fashion e-commerce and the ease of mobile purchasing.

• Life 360: This real-time location-sharing software emphasizes the value of maintaining relationships and remaining safe, especially in close-knit communities like families.
  
  

The state of travel apps in 2023 and beyond

The travel app market is recovering now that the pandemic limitations are mostly behind us. However, there is a big shadow cast by inflationary and economic pressures. Still, there's a general feeling of optimism about travel.

On the one hand, since lockdowns are no longer a constraint, people are more willing to go this year. Planning ahead and making reservations in advance are now more appealing and practical.

However, growing travel costs and unpredictability in the economy have resulted in budget constraints that impact both leisure and travel.

The method that people travel these days is also evolving. They are now more cautious and picky, seeking out travel options that put safety and responsible behavior first, which is indicative of a mental shift.

Trends in the travel app category

Apps for travel and navigation make up the majority of the Travel category, which is a little more specialized than Lifestyle. This is also true for the Play Store and App Store, where comparable patterns are observed.

In the two app stores:

• In the ride-hailing market in the United States, Uber and Lyft are the industry leaders. They provide customers with the ease of on-demand travel choices. Furthermore, alternative ride services like Lime and Bolt continue to hold a sizable portion of the market for transportation.

• Travelers looking for lodging continue to pick flight and hotel booking applications like Booking.com and Agoda, demonstrating a keen interest in trip preparation.

• The holiday rental app Airbnb is still quite popular, which is a testament to the everlasting attractiveness of distinctive and customized accommodation experiences.

• Airline applications offer a range of travel-related services, including flight information and booking capabilities, to meet the basic needs of passengers.

• Travelers love the convenience of having their favorite meals delivered directly to their home while on the go, as evidenced by the popularity of food delivery applications in the Travel category.

• By making public transit ticketing and schedule information easier to access, public transportation applications emphasize a practical approach to travel planning and everyday commuting.

• Parking applications are proof that tourists look for ways to make the sometimes difficult chore of finding acceptable parking spots during their travels easier.

Strategies for promoting travel and lifestyle apps that work

Here are some app marketing suggestions to help your travel and lifestyle app stand out, from maximizing its visibility to making it more appealing to scheduling activities at the ideal times:

Make use of ASO's seasonality

Update your app frequently with relevant, seasonally appropriate information. This keeps the app updated and entices users to come back for more pertinent content. For instance, Tripadvisor has taken advantage of seasonality by updating its app's screenshots in June to better cater to travelers' needs.

Analyze the default screenshots for your app in comparison to others.

You can quickly compare default screenshots of travel-related applications in one view using AppTweak's ASO Creatives Explorer. You can examine the design decisions and determine which features or USPs are highlighted by other apps by narrowing down the first three screenshots. After that, you can improve your own screenshots by following the best practices in the business.

Participate in in-app events and promotional content during special seasons.

To increase user interest and downloads, make use of time-limited deals and exclusive content. Promote a brief summer wellness challenge, for instance, to motivate people to reach their health objectives before the season concludes. Encourage users to take part in challenges, discuss their progress, and interact with like-minded others by using in-app events.

Use custom product pages (CPPs) to customize the product pages for your apps.

In addition to improving discoverability, localizing your product pages to different languages and locations demonstrates that your app is user-friendly. For example, Bumble deliberately targets rival brand names that have CPPs in the US App Store. By doing this, Bumble hopes to take advantage of users' interest in these rival companies and position itself positively in search results and adverts.

AI's impact on travel-related apps

Everywhere, including dating and travel apps, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more prevalent. Let's examine the ways in which AI is transforming various fields.

Making travel arrangements simpler

Hopper, for example, forecasts accommodation and flight costs using AI. This facilitates more informed booking decisions for users. It monitors costs and alerts users to the ideal times to book and receive the greatest offers.

• JourneyGenie creates personalized travel schedules with AI. It creates seamless itineraries that are customized for each user by taking into consideration their hobbies, trip dates, and budget.

• Real-time travel information and personalized recommendations are just two of the AI-powered travel enhancement solutions that Voyager Tech provides. The smoothest possible travel experience is ensured by this technology.

• Trip Planner AI gathers information about individual interests, travel dates, and budget to create customized travel itineraries.