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You’ve probably heard the term “onboarding” in the context of hiring. There it refers to getting a new employee acclimated to your company to help them be happy and successful in their role.
However, onboarding is also essential to success in another area. User onboarding is the process of introducing someone to a digital experience like an app or website—what we’ll call a “product.” At a high level, its goals include increases in three critical areas:
- User activation. This means that the user “gets it”—they understand what the product is for and how it will benefit them.
- User adoption. Not only does the user understand the product, but they’ve also started using it.
- User retention. Successful user onboarding creates a positive trajectory and keeps users coming back to the product.
Effective onboarding also reduces the need for user support and increases the conversion rate from free to paid versions.
You Never Get a Second Chance…
It’s been humorously stated that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s certainly true with digital experiences.
It would be ideal if new users were willing to work through some initial confusion, frustration, or disappointment to learn what makes a product great and start using it. But the reality is that if they have a less-than-optimal initial experience, their first use of a product will likely be their last.
The poor experience may also motivate them to check out a competitor’s offering. By some estimates, products lose close to 80% of new users within a few days.
On the flip side, good things happen when someone feels warmly welcomed, patiently tutored, and fully supported as you introduce them to a product. In addition to becoming loyal customers, they frequently take on the role of vocal advocates. After all, who doesn’t like being the first person to tell coworkers, family, and friends about a cool new product?
And needless to say, enthusiastic…
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