Firefox is struggling to retain its users who download Firefox and try it, but never really use it on daily basis. According to Mozilla Wiki: “Currently, approximately 50% of the people who download Firefox actually try it and about 50% of those people continue to use it actively”. To tackle this problem and increase the retention rate, they’ve laid down a 12 point retention plan which mainly focuses on changing the Firefox label to closer resemble the actions of getting on web.
It didn’t really surprise me because I’ve been seeing people around me who think Internet Explorer is the only way to access the web. This might sound stereotypical for most of us, but for non-geeky users, Firefox doesn’t really mean a web browser. As a computer user myself, I download variety of applications, but I remove 80% of these application as soon as I try it.
Mozilla’s 12 point user retention plan:
- Force the Firefox icon to easier to find location
- Alter the default browser settings path for better user choice
- Major outbound brand marketing program driving brand recognition and differentiation
- Change Firefox icon label to closer resemble action of getting to web
- Improve download page and first run pages
- Launch support.mozilla.com
- Make common plug-ins work out of the box
- Make add-ons and personas more accessible
- Stickier start page
- Make the web feel more human
- Improve messaging through communication channels
- Change Firefox icon image to closer resemble action of getting to web
They’ve been already making some serious community efforts to generate more support documentation on their new support site. I think these efforts will surely pay off for Mozilla, if the 12 point strategy is implemented well.
[via: Guardian]
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wrote, on August 10th, 2007
This is a shocking news, although true. All all techie guys, even many of my friends use IE. Really strange that people don’t want to use the best thing!
wrote, on August 11th, 2007
It is shocking thought I don’t see why anyone would not use firefox ! Firefox is the fastest best browser out there.
And tons of addons make it almost the perfect browser.
wrote, on August 12th, 2007
I hope they don’t change the icon though. I like Jon Hicks’ design
wrote, on August 14th, 2007
Doesn’t really surprise me - a lot of people may just be so used to IE that they don’t want to switch.
I, personally, use both IE and FF at the same time. IE for the same basic sites I visit alllll the time - and FF for new sites that I visit, so I don’t catch anything from them.
But I can’t just switch completely because I’m too used to using IE.
wrote, on August 14th, 2007
unbelievable.. when i first downloaded firefox, i never switch back to ie.
wrote, on August 14th, 2007
It might seem strange but I’m the Firefox mentor in my area. I help people get started with Firefox. I install it for them.
Whenever I get sight of a computer, I plug in my “Firefox” pendrive where I keep updated versions of Firefox for Windows & Linux and of course some useful extensions.
And, you’re right. When I ask people if they want Mozilla Firefox, they say: “Whats that ?”. I say: “Its a safer browser”. They say: “Errr… yeah …. maybe some other time ok ? I’m not as geeky as you. I don’t know these complicated stuff”.
‘Complicated Stuff’ ?? People need to get educated. I hope the Mozilla foundation would come up with a great idea.
wrote, on August 14th, 2007
This is something really strange for me.
So what do they download it for?
wrote, on August 18th, 2007
This is weird. My country (Slovenia) has the biggest procent of firefox users in the Europe:)
wrote, on September 9th, 2007
[...] users count. Most users download Firefox, but never continue using it. Recently, Mozilla had put up 12 point retention plan to improve the current retention [...]
wrote, on September 9th, 2007
[...] users count. Most users download Firefox, but never continue using it. Recently, Mozilla had put up 12 point retention plan to improve the current retention [...]
wrote, on September 10th, 2007
[...] users count. Most users download Firefox, but never continue using it. Recently, Mozilla had put up 12 point retention plan to improve the current retention [...]
wrote, on October 12th, 2007
this is something not very good to hear .. i hope that they found FIrefox very useful and much better than any browser….