What is User Onboarding? The Complete Guide

User onboarding is a process that guides new users through the opening steps of using your product or app. It creates a smooth and positive first experience for users by walking them through the initial setup, showcasing key product features, and ensuring they’re on the path to product adoption.

The goal is to make users comfortable and confident using your platform so that they stick around, explore more of your products and services, and become loyal customers.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, making the onboarding funnel so important. It’s your opportunity to create a positive and memorable first experience and increase the likelihood of user retention.

User onboarding is a critical component of the user journey because it:

Provides instant value to users

Onboarding helps users immediately understand your product’s value and benefits, giving them a reason to keep coming back.

Builds relationships

User onboarding sets the tone for a positive user experience, fostering trust and goodwill and laying the foundation for a good relationship.

Teaches the user how to operate

User onboarding educates users on navigating and using your product effectively, reducing frustration and increasing confidence.

Increases retention rates

A proper onboarding flow keeps users engaged and interested, reducing their likelihood of abandoning your platform.

Creates motivation

Showing users your product’s potential and the different ways they can use it motivates them to explore and actively engage more.

Users expect it

Nowadays, most users expect a smooth onboarding process. Consider providing one to avoid disappointment and user churn.

User onboarding is a versatile process that you can use whenever you need to introduce users—whether it’s customers or employees—to a system, platform, or new capability.

The goal is to make the first steps smooth, informative, and engaging, creating a positive initial experience.

Let’s outline how different industries put it to use.

Software and mobile apps

User onboarding is crucial for software platforms and mobile apps. It helps new users understand how to use the software, set up their accounts, and make the most of its features.

Software as a service (SaaS) platforms

SaaS platforms often employ user onboarding to guide new subscribers through the setup process and help them realize the value of the service.

Websites

Websites use onboarding to help visitors navigate the site, sign up for newsletters, or make purchases.

Gaming

User onboarding is frequently used in the gaming industry to introduce players to a game's mechanics, controls, and objectives. It ensures players can easily jump into and enjoy the game.

Social Media

Social media platforms use onboarding to help new users create profiles, connect with friends, and understand how to share content and interact with the platform’s features.

Employees & HR

User onboarding isn’t just for external users—you can also apply internally within your organization. HR departments use it to help new employees get acquainted with company policies, procedures, and software tools

There are various types of user onboarding, each with its strengths and attributes. Your choice depends on your product’s style, complexity, and your desired user experience.

Some companies use a combination of methods to meet different user needs and make the onboarding process as enjoyable and informative as possible. There’s a variety of options to choose from.

Product tours

Product tours are step-by-step guided tours within the application to introduce users to key features and must-see functionalities. They often use pop-up tooltips or overlays to highlight specific actions.

Checklists

Checklists give users tasks to complete when setting up their account or using the product. Users get a satisfying feeling of progress and accomplishment as they check off each item.

Interactive tutorials

Interactive tutorials provide a hands-on user onboarding experience by interactively walking them through tasks or processes. They encourage active participation and help users learn by doing so they use the product effectively.

Progressive onboarding

Progressive onboarding gradually introduces users to more advanced features as they become familiar with the basics. It prevents users from feeling overwhelmed with too much information upfront and guides them through a learning curve.

Video tutorials

Video tutorials are pre-recorded videos demonstrating how to use the product or perform specific tasks. Their visual nature can be a more engaging way to share information.

Feature guides

Feature guides explain individual features or characteristics of the product in detail. They provide in-depth information and tips on how to make the most of each element.

In-app messages

In-app messages provide real-time notifications or pop-ups guiding users while they’re in the product. These can include tips, updates, or prompts to take specific actions, enhancing user guidance.

Gamification elements

Gamification uses game-like elements as part of the onboarding process, making it more engaging and fun. Users might get rewards, unlock achievements, or earn points for exploring and learning how to use the product.

When developing your product strategy, it’s helpful to reflect on your own experiences as a user to identify what went well and what the company could have improved.

What did the platform do to help you get started? How smooth was the process? What made you keep using the product or abandon it entirely?

Answering these questions can help you craft an engaging and valuable user onboarding process.

To spark your exploration and creation, we’ve outlined how some SaaS products onboard and hook their users.

HubSpot

When new users sign up for HubSpot, they get a step-by-step guide to setting up their account, including creating email templates, configuring lead capture forms, and integrating with other tools in their tech stack. HubSpot also offers resources, webinars, and training materials to help users make the most of their platform.

Trello

Trello's simple yet effective onboarding process introduces users to its core features through a quick interactive tutorial at sign-up. The tutorial walks them through creating boards, lists, and cards and provides a clear understanding of how the system works. Trello also uses sample boards that mimic actual use cases, like vacation planning or project management, making it easier for users to grasp platform customization.

Canva

While onboarding, Canva immediately presents users with templates for various design projects. Canva guides them through creating their first design, offering tips and suggestions along the way. They complement this hands-on approach with a comprehensive library of tutorials and resources that users can explore as they become more proficient in graphic design.

Salesforce

Salesforce’s robust onboarding process guides users through the initial setup process for inputting information about their organization, customers, and goals. This step ensures Salesforce is tailored to their unique needs from the start. The platform also offers Trailhead—a free online learning platform with interactive tutorials and badges to help customers learn how to harness the platform’s full potential.

Slack

Slack has an intuitive onboarding process that presents users with core features, like channels and direct messaging, via a step-by-step tour. Slack also encourages users to customize their workspace with integrations and apps to boost team productivity, collaboration, and communication.

Providing a smooth onboarding experience is like being a gracious host. It’s about making your users feel welcome, comfortable, and excited to stay.

You can create a positive experience by considering these steps.

Understand your audience

Understand your users’ needs, preferences, and pain points to tailor your onboarding accordingly and ensure its effectiveness.

Define your goals

Set clear objectives. Are you aiming for more sign-ups, feature adoption, or reduced churn? Starting with an end goal helps you plan how to get there.

Know your critical events or actions

Your product’s critical events are key actions users should take to get value from your app. Identify and focus on guiding them through these actions early on.

Think about your aha moment

Pinpoint your aha moment when users realize the true value of your product. Ensure your onboarding swiftly leads them to this lightbulb moment.

Segment users

Segment your users based on behavior, demographics, or preferences so you can customize onboarding for different groups.

Choose your onboarding method

Pick the right tool for the job. Depending on your product and audience, you could use product tours, checklists, tutorials, or a combination of methods.

Personalize the process

Make users feel like you’re talking directly to them. Use their names, recommend features based on their actions, and send tailored messages.

Provide support

Offer help when needed, using in-app chat, FAQs, or email support to answer questions and resolve issues quickly and effectively.

User onboarding is your chance to be a helpful guide on your customer’s journey. You want to make the path clear, enjoyable, and free of obstacles so users can reach their destination smoothly.

Let’s explore best practices for implementing a positive onboarding experience.

Understand pain points and challenges

Investigate issues and challenges your users regularly experience so you can address and prevent them effectively during onboarding.

Avoid overwhelming users

Try not to hit your users with a tidal wave of information. Instead, give them bite-sized guidance to prevent them from feeling swamped.

Consider a multichannel approach

Reach out to users through different channels, using emails, in-app messages, videos, or even live chat to engage them during onboarding.

Regularly communicate

Keep the conversation going. Regularly update users with tips, feature highlights, and relevant information to keep them engaged and informed.

Ensure good UX design

Your design should be as intuitive as possible. Ensure users can easily navigate, find what they need, and complete actions without getting lost.

Measuring onboarding metrics is essential to see how effective your user onboarding is and where to improve.

What you track depends on your product and business goals but could include:

• Churn rate: The percentage of users who stop using your product after onboarding.
• User engagement: How frequently users interact with your product after onboarding.
• Drop-off rate: Where users drop off during the onboarding process.
• Feature adoption: How many users adopt and use your product’s features.
• Conversion rates: How many users progress from one onboarding step to the next.
• Activation rate: The percentage of new users who complete a specific action that shows they’ve started using your product as intended.
• Time to first value: How quickly users realize value from your product after signing up.

To get real value from these metrics, you’ll want a good process for monitoring and analyzing the data. These insights can help you improve your user onboarding and your product strategy.

To measure customer onboarding metrics effectively, consider using analytics tools, user behavior tracking software, and feedback platforms. These can help you map your user onboarding journey, see what they’re doing or where they’re leaving, and find opportunities for experimentation and improvement.

User onboarding is critical to creating exceptional user experiences and driving product success. By welcoming your users and making them feel at home, you set them on the path toward realizing your product’s full potential.

But to truly grasp user onboarding, you need insights, data, and a way to measure its effectiveness—all of which Amplitude can help you do.

Amplitude enables you to understand user behavior, track onboarding success, and optimize your product’s journey.

Using our trusted analytics platform, you can gain deep insights into:

• How users engage with your onboarding process.
• Where users might be dropping off.
• What steps are helping users convert into loyal customers.

Amplitude can guide you toward continuous product improvement and keep you on the path to success.

Unlock the full potential of your product and enjoy happier users. Get started with Amplitude today.