What Does Good Mobile App Onboarding Look Like?

Localytics
Jul 26, 2017 · 2 min read

These days, marketers love to say attention is the new currency. If your app is daunting to a new user, well — the data shows you might have just lost their attention. For good.

It’s a scary stat for mobile marketers: 25% of new app users only open the app once. That’s it.

But as the risk of sounding a little Pollyanna-ish, there’s a huge opportunity here for app developers build a better experience with new users, starting with mobile app onboarding.

How should you think about onboarding? There’s 5 underlying principles that apply to any app, across any industry:

1. Ensure your users know who you are, and what they’ll get.

A surprising number of users download apps without being clear on exactly what they’ll get with the app — as many as 60% of users say an app didn’t meet their expectations. With the right onboarding experience, you can help users understand right away what they should expect from your app.

2. Focus on what’s important.

We’re not saying your app isn’t complex — but onboarding should focus on the 20% of the action users will be taking 80% of the time. (You can get to deeper cut features later — with an in-app message, maybe.

3. Make it about the “why” more than the “what.”

You got the download, but make no mistake: you’re still marketing to your user. Don’t focus on the how of your app as much as the why — and if you can make that benefit appeal to your user on an emotional level, all the better.

4. Align with your brand’s look and personality.

Your user might be meeting your brand for the very first time through your app — even if you’re a legacy enterprise. Your onboarding sets the tone for the rest of your app experience: that makes it a brand experience as much as practical product experience.

5. Give your user an action to take.

A blank screen can be daunting for your new users. When you give them a clear action to take once they’ve finished onboarding, they’re more likely to become engaged — and that’s the behavior that keeps them coming back.

Let’s get inspired!

Click this link to see a slide share of inspiration from brands like Trello, Spotify, and Spring.

What Does Good Mobile App Onboarding Look Like? from Localytics


Originally published at info.localytics.com.

Localytics

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Localytics is the leading mobile engagement platform for web and mobile apps.

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