How to create an effective user onboarding process
User onboarding is the process by which the new user is introduced to the key offerings of the product. In case the user onboarding is flawed or not efficient, the user would delete the app soon after the first impression of the app. Thus, with a bad onboarding experience, the user may leave the app without knowing the value they could have derived from the product. It’s said that “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”. Remember, gaining a new customer is far costlier than retaining the existing customer. In this blog, we will discuss the fundamental user onboarding concepts which could be used to incite user interest in the product in the first impression.
1.Understand the nuances of user onboarding for different products: The user onboarding process differs for the products as per the revenue stream for various products.
a) The products which are dependent on the Ads for revenue usually have an inbuilt user onboarding and are accessible to all the new users like Facebook and Instagram. The onboarding process is quick and usually takes less than 10 minutes for the new user. Many such apps do not have user onboarding as the user is already aware of the utility of the app before downloading.
b) The product such as enterprise softwares which are dependent on the users for the revenue provides user onboarding after the users have opted for the trial version of the product. They also include human intervention in case the user faces any difficulty in accessing any specific feature of the product. The onboarding process are long and takes days until the user is acquainted with the various features of the product
c) Product such as Netflix and other OTT platforms , which follows the subscription model for the revenue have an onboarding process along with the trial version of the product . The focus is on onboarding the user effectively and personalized the content during the trial period to improve the value proposition of the overall product. This process usually takes 5 to 10 days and in the end of the trial period , an effective onboarding and personalization helps in converting the new user to a repeat user
2. Understand the User Psych and Motivation while using the product : The user psych changes with each interaction with the product . It directly affects the motivation of the user to use the app. The user onboarding should be designed as such that the overall user psych is maintained to an effective level. Asking the user for too much information at the initial phase would decrease the user psych and they won’t be motivated enough to continue using the App. Hence , it is essential to progressively disclose the essential feature of the app and collect information only when the user has gained substantial value while using the Product . Online games have been using these concepts since inception to hook the user to their game with progressive disclosure. Once the user have spend significant time on the game only then the user is provided with an option to buy virtual product
3. Work on the moment of sudden insight and discovery for the new users: The Aha moment is the moment the user realizes the value proposition of the product. A good onboarding process focusses on reducing the number of intended actions taken by the user to reach the Aha moment. For example , social media apps have an onboarding process where the focus revolves around user making the first post on the platform. The reaction that these new users receive from their friends constitutes their Aha moment. Hence , for any product it is essential to identify the Aha moment and then work backward to minimize the number of action to the Aha moment.
4. Use the purchase funnel framework in the onboarding process : The user onboarding is all about enabling the user to take intended action toward conversion. A good user onboarding process generally uses the AIDA framework for better experience . AIDA stands for Attention , Interest , Desire and Action . Hence , the user onboarding should first get the attention of the user. Then , these onboarding show something interesting to the user which makes the user engage with the product. Once , the user is engaged , show them something they desire from the product. Finally , provide an action button for the user to complete the whole conversion . Now, the user is able to complete one full conversion with the intended action in minimal steps . You have effectively onboarded the new user to your platform.
