SAN FRANCISCO--Kiip today announced that integrating Kiip rewards in games and apps strongly increases user engagement, according to a study evaluating the effect of Kiip rewards conducted by University of California, Berkeley Ph.D. researcher David Broockman.

“We always suspected that Kiip rewards had significant retention benefits, so we’re thrilled by the results of this report”

The study presents strong evidence that effective spot-rewards platforms dramatically increase user engagement across multiple metrics. Kiip’s spot-rewards are instant gratification rewards presented at a “moment” of achievement in various apps and games in its network. These rewards are unique in that they do not require user conversion of points and are hyper-targeted to cater to a user demographic. Additionally, these rewards are serendipitous, meaning that users are not presented a reward goal ahead of time; rather, they are using apps based on intrinsic intent.

Conducted during August and September 2012 using over a billion data points, the study compared user engagement on applications before Kiip rewards were enabled and again when users were offered the chance to redeem Kiip rewards. When comparing applications before Kiip was enabled, the results indicated clearly higher levels of app engagement once the Kiip platform was integrated.

The Kiip rewards program led users to:

• Spend 68 percent more total time in the app
• More than double the length of their typical session (a 103 percent increase)
• Open the app 31 percent more times
• Lifespan of a user increased by 30 percent

“We always suspected that Kiip rewards had significant retention benefits, so we’re thrilled by the results of this report,” said Brian Wong, CEO and co-founder of Kiip. “Retention is on everyone’s minds these days, as it’s common for developers to acquire tens of thousands of users only to lose them over a couple of days. By using a very unique type of reward – the spot-reward – Kiip has directly helped hundreds of developers in our network stabilize their user bases. Users keep returning to these games and apps because it is an absolute delight for them to use their favorite apps and to be rewarded without thinking about it. Our rewards are a bonus; they help sweeten the experience.“

The Kiip network created a rewards movement in the mobile industry by aligning the interests of users, advertisers and game/app developers by linking moments of achievement with rewards from premier brands. Kiip now works with more than 40 major consumer brands, including American Apparel, Best Buy, Dr Pepper, Energizer, Kraft, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Popchips, Procter & Gamble, Sony, Verizon Wireless, Wrigley, 1-800-Flowers.com and many others. More than 600 games and apps currently employ the Kiip network, including multiple games and apps from leading developers, including the hit game Aerox (a top 10 game in the App Store), Kira Games (Unblock Me), Playforge (Zombie Farm), Get Set Games (Mega Jump) and MapMyFitness (MapMyRUN GPS Running).

About Kiip

Kiip is the world’s first mobile rewards network that delivers rewards for achievements in apps and games. The company’s category-creating rewards platform enables brands to reach consumers in the moments when they are most engaged and receptive, while driving revenues and greater user allegiance for Kiip-enabled games and apps. Kiip was founded in 2010 by Brian Wong, Courtney Guertin and Amadeus Demarzi. In addition to its San Francisco headquarters, Kiip now has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Bogotá. Kiip is currently backed by Relay Ventures, Hummer Winblad, True Ventures, Digital Garage, Verizon Ventures, Crosslink Capital and others. For more information, visit www.kiip.com.