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DUOLINGO

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Core Value Proposition - Duolingo wants 'Making Language learning Fun & Engaging'
Duolingo works to make language learning fun, free, and effective for anyone who wants to learn, wherever they are. 

How do users experience the core value prop of the product?
Users experience the core value proposition of the product by trying to learning languages on (Android, iOS) devices

Define the action makes a user an active user?
User spending 10-15 mins on Duolingo app to learn per day

What is the best engagement framework for your product?

What is the natural frequency of the product?
Listeners typically learn a language on a daily basis

User segmentation

Engagement Campaigns

Context

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Duolingo's Growth Model is a series of metrics developed to jump-start their growth strategy with data. It breaks down topline metrics (like DAU) into smaller user segments that are still meaningful to our business. To do this, we classify all Duolingo learners (past or present) into an activity state each day, and monitor rates of transition between states. These transition probabilities are monitored as retention rates (e.g., NURR or New User Retention Rate), “deactivation” rates (e.g., Monthly Active User, or MAU, loss rate), and “activation” rates (e.g., reactivation rate).
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As the arrows in the chart indicate, Duolingo monitors the % of users moving between states

The model above classifies users into 7 mutually-exclusive user states:

• New users: learners who are experiencing Duolingo for the first time ever
• Current users: learners active today, who were also active in the past week
• Reactivated users: learners active today, who were also active in the past month (but not the past week)
• Resurrected users: learners active today, who were last active >30 days ago
• At-risk Weekly Active Users: learners who have been active within the past week, but not today
• At-risk Monthly Active Users: learners who were active within the past month, but not the past week
• Dormant Users: learners who have been inactive for at least 30 days

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Let’s say a batch of New Users come to Duolingo for the first time on day 1. Some subset of those learners come back to study the next day as well: The proportion of day 1 learners who return on day 2 equals NURR. This day 2 transition puts these learners into another “active” state (Current User).

“Could existing users be mistaken for “new users” if they get a new phone, or log in on a non-mobile device?” Lucky for Duolingo, they have a sophisticated approach to resolving user activity across multiple accounts called “aliasing.”

Now, what happens to those New Users on day 1 who don’t come back on day 2? They will transition into an “inactive” state (At Risk WAU). Because they’re currently inactive, they’re not a DAU. But they have still been active once in the last week (i.e., a WAU), hence the name of the state. Inactive learners remain in the At Risk WAU state for their first 7 days of inactivity.

After 7 days of inactivity, learners transition to the At Risk MAU state where they can remain for up to 22 days. Once learners are inactive for 30 days, they transition to the Dormant User state where they remain until they become active again.

Each “inactive” state (At Risk WAU, At Risk MAU, Dormant) has two transitions out of that state and at least two transitions into that state. Learners in the Dormant state can either remain inactive and stay in the same state day-to-day or transition to Resurrected if they become active again. Similarly, learners in the At Risk MAU state can stay inactive or transition to Reactivated if they decide to open up the app.

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Retention

Duolingo's retention design includes several key elements:

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• Gamification: Streak counts, XP points, leaderboards, and achievements to keep users engaged.
• Daily reminders: Push notifications to remind users to practice.
• Bite-sized lessons: Short, manageable lessons that fit into users' daily routines.
• Personalized learning paths: Adapting content difficulty based on user performance.
• Social features: Friend challenges and clubs to create a sense of community.
• Breadth of content: Multiple languages, music, and math to maintain interest.
• Streak freezes: Allowing users to maintain streaks even if they miss a day.

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Assumed based on typical retention rates for mobile apps across industries

• Day 0 (same day): 25-30%
• Day 7: 10-15%
• Day 30: 5-10%
• Day 60: 3-7%
• Day 90: 2-5%
• Month 6: 1-3%
• Month 12: <1-2%

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Which ICPs drive the best retention?

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ICP 1 - Consistent Goal-Oriented Learners

Age: 25-40

Motivation: Career advancement or relocation

Behavior: Sets clear language goals and follows a consistent study schedule

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Why they retain well:

These users have a strong external motivation and are likely to stick with the app to achieve their goals. They appreciate Duolingo's structured learning paths and gamification elements that help them track progress.

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ICT 2 - Travel Enthusiasts

Age: 20-55

Motivation: Preparing for international travel

Behavior: Intensively uses the app before trips, with periods of lower activity between travels

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Why they retain well:

While their usage may be cyclical, these users return to the app repeatedly as they plan new trips. They value Duolingo's practical language lessons and travel-oriented content.

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ICP 3 - Competitive Achievers

Age: 18-35

Motivation: Personal challenge and competition

Behavior: Highly engaged with leaderboards, achievements, and social features

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Why they retain well:

The gamification aspects of Duolingo strongly appeal to this group. They are motivated by streak maintenance, league advancements, and outperforming their friends.

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ICP 4 - Academic Supplementers

Age: 14-22

Motivation: Supplement school language courses

Behavior: Usage spikes during academic terms, with potential drops during breaks

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Why they retain well:

These users see Duolingo as a valuable tool for their academic success. They are likely to return each semester or school year, driving long-term retention.

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ICP 5 - Lifelong Learners

Age: 40+

Motivation: Personal enrichment and cognitive health

Behavior: Engages with the app daily as part of a routine, often learning multiple languages

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Why they retain well:

These users see language learning as an ongoing hobby rather than a means to an end. They appreciate Duolingo's variety of languages and the continuous challenge it provides.

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Acquisition channels that drive user retention

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Organic Search

Users who find Duolingo through organic search are often actively looking for language learning solutions, indicating higher intent and motivation. They're more likely to retain well because they've specifically sought out a language learning tool.

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App Store Optimization (ASO)

Users who discover Duolingo through app store searches are typically looking for language learning apps specifically, indicating high intent. Good ASO attracts users who are more likely to stick with the app.

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Word of Mouth / Referrals

Users who come to Duolingo through recommendations from friends or family tend to have higher retention rates. They often have a clearer understanding of the app's value proposition and feel a social connection to their learning journey.

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Retargeting Campaigns

Users who are retargeted after showing initial interest but not signing up often convert with higher intent, as they've had time to consider the app's value.

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Influencer Partnerships

Collaborations with language learning influencers or polyglots can attract users who are genuinely interested in language acquisition, potentially leading to better retention.

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Sub-features that drive best retention

Streak System
Daily streak counter

Streak freeze feature

Streak repair option

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Why it drives retention: The streak system creates a habit-forming behavior, encouraging daily engagement. The repair options reduce user churn by giving second chances.

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Gamification Elements

XP points

Leaderboards

Achievements and badges

Crown levels

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Why they drive retention: These features tap into users' competitive nature and desire for progress, encouraging regular use and longer sessions.

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Social Features

Friend leaderboards

Clubs or groups

Ability to follow friends' progress

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Why they drive retention: Social features create a sense of community and accountability, encouraging users to stay active to keep up with peers.

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Personalized Practice

Spaced repetition system

Personalized daily goals

Weak words review

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Why it drives retention: Tailored learning experiences make users feel the app is adapting to their needs, increasing its perceived value.

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Timed Challenges

Lightning round

Time-based XP boosts

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Why they drive retention: These features add excitement and urgency, encouraging more frequent, focused practice sessions.

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Super Duolingo (Premium Features)

Ad-free experience

Offline lessons

Unlimited hearts

Mastery quizzes

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Why it drives retention: Premium users typically have higher retention rates due to their financial investment and access to features that enhance the learning experience.

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Multiple Language Courses

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Ability to learn several languages simultaneously

Language-specific leaderboards

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Why they drive retention: This feature caters to polyglots and keeps the app relevant as users' interests or needs change.

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Churn

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Negative Actions to look for

Increased help center visits

Missed streaks

Incomplete lessons

Declining XP earned

Decreasing session frequency

Shorter session duration

Negative feedback

Negative responses to surveys or feedback requests

Lack of progress

Decreased accuracy

Social disengagement

Negative in-app purchases

Infrequent app updates

Limited use of premium features (for Plus users)

Ignoring notifications

Reduced feature engagement

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