Onboarding: Can’t Make You, But It Sure Can Break You

In the unforgiving realm of mobile applications, where users prowl like restless beasts, one false move can mean the difference between life and death – or in this case, loyal users and utter obscurity. With apps multiplying faster than rabbits at speed-dating, you've got to create a seamless onboarding experience if you want to retain users and rise above the rest. So, let's talk about some often made mistakes in this crucial stage of your app. Will your welcome be inviting and woo your users, or will they leave your app faster than a vegan leaves a Texas BBQ?

The Sign-up Hurdle: Don’t End The Party Before It Begins

Imagine you're at a party, and the host greets you with a 10-page questionnaire before you can set foot inside. That's what many mobile apps feel like these days. But here are some jaw-droppers: the average app loses a whopping 77% of its daily active users within three days after installation. That's right, folks – we're living in a digital age where 80% user loss is just another day at the office. To avoid becoming that statistic, ease your users gently into your app by showing them value and asking for little to no effort in return.

Ease your users gently into your app by showing them value and asking for little to no effort in return.

Registration Complexity: Less is More

A complex, multistep registration process is like a many-headed beast poised to devour your users' enthusiasm. People crave speed, simplicity, and convenience – not an intricate maze to traverse. So, chop off those unnecessary steps and craft a registration experience that’s as minimal as it is humanly possible

User Accounts: Preview Your Worth

Want to get users to create accounts? Let them peek behind the curtain before you ask them to sign on the dotted line. By showing them a glimpse of what your app has in store, you'll give them the chance to weigh the pros and cons, and decide if they're ready to take the plunge. Plus, this savvy move builds trust and creates better rapport with your users.

Benefits-Oriented Onboarding: Keep It Simple & Focused

When whipping up your onboarding mix, keep it short and sweet with simple, clear messages that illustrate how your app betters your users’ lives. By focusing on the value your app offers, you can hit 'em where it counts and prove your app’s worth their time. Too many apps take their users on a long and windy scenic route they didn’t ask for, just to see them pull the emergency brake and jump off midway through… potentially even mumbling expletives.

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Onboarding Is So Important It Should Be Treated As A Separate Product

In the mobile app world, onboarding is like the opening act of a talent show. You’ve got to be smooth and impress fast, or you'll be shown the door. By avoiding sign-up roadblocks, simplifying registration, and showing off your app's goodies, you'll be on your way to creating an experience users will love. And get this – a well-executed onboarding process can boost retention rates by a whopping 50%. That’s why you should treat onboarding like a separate product and give it the focus it deserves. 

Don't let a clunky onboarding scare away your users – invest in optimization and watch your app adoption rate soar higher than a bald eagle on Red Bull. Contact us and let’s talk how our 14-year experience in consumer apps can help optimize this or any other aspect of your app’s performance.