Product usage surges in Europe and globally, UK lags
A new survey, released by product analytics provider, Amplitude, revealed that digital product usage has surged across industries, growing 16% year-on-year globally, despite an economic downturn. This figure increases marginally, to 18% in the UK. The UK however is lagging behind many other countries – including Germany (38%), France (33%) and Singapore (43%).
The global survey examined the evolution of the product landscape between August 2021 to August 2022. Executives in marketing, product, data, and growth management roles and across 12 industries and eight countries were surveyed.
The findings show the concerns and priorities of leaders during the current economic turbulence. The survey also revealed industry trends that reflect global shifts, such as The Great Resignation.
According to the survey:
- 26% fear a potential loss in product strategy focus
- 25% are concerned about not pivoting fast enough
- 63% feel moderately or less equipped to shift their product strategy
However, despite fears, respondents are still doubling down on their product strategies. Their priorities include:
- Customer retention (43%)
- Product engagement (37%)
- Product-led growth (37%).
- Investments in competitive differentiation (25%)
- Investments in product launches (22%)
The survey also revealed how global events such as Covid-19 and The Great Resignation shapes product landscapes. Staffing and job search products skyrocketed between 2021 and 2022 (118% globally), likely due to the upheaval global workforces faced following the pandemic.
Similarly, as workers seek to upskill themselves to become more employable, products related to continued education, language learning & skills coaching in adults also saw an increase of 48% during this 12-month period.
Fintech also continued to grow over the last year, hitting a 22% baseline between June and August 2022. The report revealed that several fintech apps have surged in popularity globally, including:
- Italy-based Scalapay (123%)
- France-based Qonto (75%)
Crypto, however, shows a more complicated growth pattern. After peaking at 78% growth in January, activity slowed significantly. Overall, crypto usage has still grown by 25.8% since August 2021 – greater growth than in the fintech category, indicating that a decline in crypto values doesn’t mean a decline in crypto users.
Daniel Bailey, Vice President EMEA, Amplitude, commented: “In today’s economic environment, the importance of investments in digital customer experience cannot be understated. Consumer spend will continue to decline over the next 12 months, and the businesses that do not invest in their digital product now risk losing market share to their competitors,”
“If the past year proved anything, it’s that progress is not always linear. Despite market challenges, the companies included in our Next Hottest Product list like Paired, with 636% year-over-year user growth, are proof that investments in digital experience translate to increased engagement and sustainable growth.”
