User onboarding experience refers to the process of introducing and familiarizing new users with a product, service, or platform. It encompasses all the interactions and activities that occur from the moment a user signs up or starts using the product, through to their successful adoption and engagement.
User onboarding matters for several reasons:
- First impressions: The onboarding experience forms users' initial impressions of a product or service.
- User engagement: Effective onboarding helps users understand the value and benefits of the product, making them more engaged and motivated to continue using it.
- Reduced learning curve: By providing clear instructions and guidance during onboarding, users can quickly grasp how to navigate and use the product.
- Feature discovery: Onboarding provides an opportunity to showcase key features and functionalities, ensuring that users are aware of the product's capabilities.
- User retention and advocacy: A positive onboarding experience increases the likelihood of users continuing to engage with the product over time.
- Support and reduced inquiries: Clear onboarding materials and instructions can help reduce the need for user support and inquiries.
Some of the most frequently used types of user onboarding experiences:
- Passive onboarding In a passive onboarding experience, users are typically shown a series of screens or videos (usually 4-5 screens) that explain the product's features, functionalities, and navigation. The focus is on providing information and showcasing the product's capabilities rather than encouraging users to interact or perform specific actions.
Tip: It is important to offer users the choice to skip the onboarding if they prefer.
- Product tours Product tours provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the product's features and functionalities. They introduce key elements, explain their purpose, and guide users on how to navigate and use them effectively.
- Interactive Tutorials Interactive tutorials engage users through hands-on exercises and interactive elements. They allow users to actively interact with the product, learn by doing, and gain practical experience.
- Checklists and Progress Trackers Checklists and progress trackers help users track their progress during onboarding. They provide a sense of achievement, show what steps are completed, and guide users through the remaining onboarding tasks.
Tip: Ensure that checklists and progress trackers are kept concise and brief, as they give users a sense of achievability and gently guide them forward.
Best practices
- Keep it simple and concise Users have limited attention spans, so it's crucial to keep the onboarding process simple and concise. Present information in digestible chunks, avoiding overwhelming users with excessive details. Focus on the essential features and actions users need to get started.
- Provide a clear value proposition Communicate the unique value and benefits of your product or service upfront. Clearly articulate how it solves users' problems or improves their lives. Highlight key features or functionalities that differentiate your product from competitors.
- Offer interactive and engaging elements To swiftly engage your users and familiarize them with the fundamental features of your app, encourage them to perform one or all of the key actions. It is important to break down these actions into simple and manageable steps. For instance, you could prompt users to follow other users or save images they find appealing as an illustrative example.
- Personalize the experience Tailor the onboarding experience based on users' preferences, goals, or previous interactions. Prompting users to self-segment through one simple question (e.g. choosing their use case) and customizing their onboarding experience can increase their chances of reaching their “aha-moment”.
- Prime users for permissions Make users feel more comfortable by explaining why your app needs certain information from their mobile devices. Apps often ask for permissions like location access or camera access. To avoid making users uneasy, use "permission priming” screen. Show users how your app can benefit them with the requested permissions and then ask for access, so they understand why it's necessary.
- Deferred account creation Waiting until after users have seen your product’s value before asking them to confirm their email can increase your “Signup” to “First Key Action” rate by up to 100%.
Show users how long they have left and allow them to skip.
Tip: Users come to your app with a specific intent. Always remind them why they should use your app during their first experience.
If you give your users the impression that you’ll customize an experience based on their inputs, not delivering on that expectation can quickly backfire.
A "primer" screen should always be in context — for example, ask for access to the camera when users want to take a picture.
Reduce friction by using the ‘Sniper Link’ technique. Sending people to their distracting inbox during their onboarding is always risky. Minimize drop-offs by using URL parameters to pre-fill the search query.
👉 User onboarding: 11 best practices and 15 examples
👉 Customer Onboarding: How 4 Leading SaaS Companies Design the Experience