There has been a shift towards virtual learning which has led to education apps seeing a rise, growing over 24% from 2015 and 2020. As helpful as these platforms are to classroom learning, these tools are not limited to children’s education. In fact, revenue in the language app sector, specifically adult learning, has increased 33% from $4.62 billion in 2019 to $6.18 billion in 2020. Looking forward, the global online language learning market is poised to grow by $29.96 billion during 2022-2026. With a whopping 6 out of 10 Americans planning at least one summer trip in 2022, it’s no surprise these travelers are looking to learn a new language before their adventures.

As language apps gain popularity, especially in this season of revenge travel, marketers  focusing on this mode of learning should be aware of the opportunities to monetize this growing sector.  

What Makes Language Apps Work

The increase in downloads of language learning apps between 2020 and 2021 can be attributed mainly to users’ desire to engage in meaningful and stimulating activities while at home during the pandemic. The demand from people during lockdown to learn a new skill translated into increased attention from marketers to invest in education app technology.

In February 2022, the leading language learning mobile apps generated almost $27 million dollars from in-app purchases from users worldwide, with market leader Duolingo accounting for half of the total with 13.38 million U.S. dollars in revenue that month. There are many reasons that language app tools work more efficiently than traditional textbooks or courses – they grab the attention of youth, embrace microlearning and utilize video and other stimulating creatives.  

Language app growth

Source: Statista

Youth Attention 

Due to the increased use of mobile devices and social media, immediate feedback and gratification has become immensely popular with the Gen-Z. Language apps capture the attention of younger users by combining education with interactive experiences and gamification. Creating an environment where users can learn while also sharing their triumphs on social media or on leaderboards within the app creates a sense of community for younger users. In addition, many studies show that gamification helps significantly increase learners’ motivation and engagement regardless of their age. 

Microlearning

Microlearning is an approach to learning new information in small chunks at a time. Typically, microlearning sessions are under ten minutes and can take as little as one minute to complete.

Users can complete these bite-sized learning experiences for a period of time and improve their knowledge. With the microlearning method, each lesson stays focused and allows users to learn things more easily than tackling multiple concepts at once. 

Many language apps have incorporated the microlearning method into their curriculum to make the daunting task of learning a language more approachable. For example, keeping each lesson under five minutes before moving onto the next section or quiz. This helps retain users, as they are less likely to get overwhelmed or bored during their “class”. 

Multimedia Learning

The integration of video content into language apps allows users to engage with the app more cohesively, given interactive and easy to digest formats. Videos give an element of in-person learning as it gives users a break from text heavy content. Videos also support microlearning by providing bite sized pieces of content for the student to absorb during their course. 

To hone in on pronunciation, it is important to incorporate a video or audio aspect in the app. Each language has its own rhythm and cadence in speech which can make it a challenge to learn through apps that don’t incorporate video tools. Language apps have the freedom to get creative with different forms of media not only by demonstrating the way the language is spoken, but also providing visuals of the unique cultures associated with specific languages.

Monetization within Language Apps

To put it simply, app monetization is the process of converting your app users into revenue. There are many ways to monetize a language app but a few that are popular in this vertical are in-app advertisements, traditional subscription models, and the unique but effective freemium strategy.  

In-App Advertising

In-app advertising operates exactly how it sounds – it is a monetization tactic that leverages in-app real-estate to serve ads to users and drive revenue. Companies will pay apps to display ads within their platform so that the ads are seen by relevant users. In-app advertising for language apps may be a profitable revenue stream for marketers, but users wishing to learn in peace may find the ads distracting and unnecessary in their education journey. 

Language app marketers can benefit from using in-app advertising as their main driver for revenue generation. However, it is a good idea to offer an option to pay to upgrade to an ads-free version of the app (aka - the freemium business model). 

Pay-to-Use Subscriptions 

Pay-to-use subscription models allow consumers to pay a recurring fee to access premium features within the app. For example, the language app Babbel uses this conventional monetization method. They will offer a free trial period followed by a push for users to adopt their subscription plan in order to access the rest of the course. This monetization model focuses on selling long-term subscription plans to users and limits in-app advertising to maximize users' experience. 

Freemium Monetization

Freemium monetization is a type of business model that offers basic features of a product or service to users at no cost and charges a premium for supplemental or advanced features. The user receives basic services on a complimentary basis, often in a "free trial" or limited version, and then is offered the higher end option for a fee. 

The language app Duolingo operates under the freemium monetization model – it has a free version with all of its learning content and has the option to buy a subscription of $6.99 per month. The subscription grants access to unique features such as an ads-free learning environment and progress tracking. Even though there is a free option available, over 72% of the company’s 2021 revenues were generated by subscription plans. 

A freemium monetization plan is a great way to mix in-app advertising with a traditional subscription model for a language app. It attracts users by letting them access your app without having to buy a plan right away, but also gives them an option to to learn without the disruption of ads during their language studies. 

Takeaways of Language Apps

Language apps have gained popularity, especially in this season of revenge travel. It is more important than ever for marketers to pay attention as to what works when it comes to this mode of learning and what opportunities there are to monetize in this growing sector. 

What Makes Language Apps Work

  • Youth Attention - Due to the increased use of mobile devices and social media, immediate feedback and gratification has become immensely popular with Gen-Z. Language apps capture the attention of younger users by combining education with interactive experiences and gamification.
  • Microlearning - Microlearning is an approach to learning new information in small chunks of time. Many language apps have incorporated the microlearning method into their curriculum to make the daunting task of learning a language more feasible.
  • Multimedia Learning - The integration of video content into language apps allows users to engage with the app more cohesively, with content being interactive and easy to digest. To hone in on pronunciation, it is important to incorporate a video or audio aspect in the app.   

Monetization within Language Apps

  • In-App Advertising - In-app advertising operates exactly how it sounds – it is a monetization tactic where apps leverage their in-app real-estate to show ads to their users. Language app marketers can benefit from using in-app advertising as their main focus for revenue generation in addition to offering paid subscription plans. 
  • Pay to Use Subscription - Pay-to-use subscription models allow consumers to pay a recurring fee to access premium features within the app. For example, the language app Babbel uses this conventional monetization method. They will offer a free trial period followed by a push for users to adopt their subscription plan in order to gain access to the rest of the course.
  • Freemium Monetization - Freemium monetization is a type of business model that offers basic features of a product or service to users at no cost and charges a premium for supplemental or advanced features. A freemium monetization plan is a great way to mix in-app advertising with a traditional subscription model for a language app. 

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