How to keep app users coming back: the moderating role of app types in building brand love through perceived value

Purpose Mobile applications (apps) have become integral to daily life, yet fostering continued user engagement remains a challenge. This study aims to investigate factors influencing continuance intention by comparing goal-directed (e.g. educational) and experiential (e.g. gaming) apps. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling analysis was applied to data extracted from 452 valid survey responses collected from users of popular Chinese mobile apps to determine the mediating effects of inner and social self-relevance and positive and negative emotions and the moderating role of app types (goal-directed vs experiential). Findings Our findings indicate that utilitarian value and social value positively influence both inner and social self-relevance, which in turn positively influence positive emotions, while hedonic value primarily impacts inner self-relevance. Inner self-relevance slightly affects brand love, while negative emotions negatively influence brand love. Furthermore, inherent (hedonic) value has a stronger influence on positive emotions than utilitarian value. A mediation analysis confirmed the mediating roles of inner and social self-relevance in the relationship between perceived value and brand love as well as the indirect effects of perceived value on negative emotions mediated via social self-relevance. Furthermore, a multiple-group analysis revealed significant variations in the influence of perceived value on self-relevance, emotions and brand love for goal-directed vis-à-vis experiential apps. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by comprehensively examining brand love formation in mobile apps, considering both goal-directed and experiential categories. The findings provide valuable guidance for marketers and designers seeking to enhance user engagement and cultivate user-app relationships in a competitive mobile app market.