Crafting Compelling User Onboarding Experiences
Creating Onboarding Experiences That Convert
A strong onboarding experience can make or break a product. When done well, it reduces churn, increases user satisfaction, and turns first-time users into loyal customers. In fact, companies that invest in effective onboarding can boost customer retention rates by up to 50% (Wyzowl).
But what exactly makes a great onboarding experience? And how can you create one that leaves a lasting impression?
In Today’s Issue
Feature Insight: Designing Onboarding Experiences That Stick
Case Study of the Week: UX Design for a Recipes App – Creating User-Centered Experiences
Key Elements of Effective Onboarding: Practical Tips for Every Designer
Best Practices for Reducing Onboarding Friction
Product Spotlight
Upcoming Webinar: Mastering Onboarding for Retention
Job Spotlight - Posted in the last 24hrs
Resources for Further Learning: Onboarding Tools, Books & Courses
Feature Insight: Designing Onboarding Experiences That Stick
Creating a seamless onboarding experience is a balancing act between delivering quick wins and establishing long-term value. A strong onboarding flow not only introduces users to your product but also demonstrates how it can solve their problems and improve their lives.
1. Start with a Strong First Impression
First impressions count—78% of users agree that the quality of an onboarding experience strongly influences their decision to stick with an app (Appcues). Think of the first touchpoints as an opportunity to create excitement and clarity.
Pro Tip: A simple welcome message or video can make new users feel valued and informed. Try using personalized messaging that acknowledges the user by name or suggests the features most relevant to them based on their profile.
2. Emphasize Milestones and Progress
Gamifying the onboarding process with progress bars, milestones, and rewards can increase engagement. When users can see how far they’ve come, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
Example: When LinkedIn introduced progress indicators for completing profile sections, completion rates rose by 20% (LinkedIn).
3. Tailor Your Onboarding Based on User Type
Different users often need different onboarding flows. For instance, an advanced user might prefer quick access to specific features, while a beginner may need a step-by-step walkthrough. Consider adaptive onboarding flows that adjust based on user interactions or profile type.
Pro Tip: Include a “Skip Tutorial” button for users who may already be familiar with the product, and track who uses it. For new users, enable more detailed guidance by default.
4. Iterate Based on Feedback
Your onboarding flow isn’t set in stone. Collect data from drop-off points, user feedback, and analytics to continuously improve the process.
Pro Tip: Send a short survey after the first onboarding session asking users how easy or difficult they found the process. Their feedback can provide insights into potential friction points.
Case Study of the Week: UX Design for a Recipes App – Creating User-Centered Experiences
This week, we’re spotlighting an inspiring case study from Tubik Studio, focused on designing a user-centered Recipes App. This project is an excellent example of how understanding user needs, creating streamlined navigation, and emphasizing personalization can transform a digital experience.
Key Insights from the Recipes App Case Study
1. Understanding User Needs Through Research
Tubik Studio began with detailed research to understand the real-world needs and preferences of the app’s target users.
The findings highlighted that users wanted easy ways to discover recipes based on available ingredients and dietary preferences.
This insight informed essential app features, such as ingredient-based filtering and the ability to customize recipes by dietary needs or cuisine.
2. Simplified Navigation for an Intuitive Experience
The main goal was to make navigation effortless and user-friendly.
Tubik designed the app with a categorized recipe organization, making it easy to browse by meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner) or tags (e.g., vegan, gluten-free).
This structured navigation reduces cognitive load, allowing users to find relevant recipes in just a few taps.
3. Contextual Onboarding Through Key Features
Rather than a traditional onboarding walkthrough, the app introduces users to its features gradually as they interact with the app.
For example, when users search for recipes, they are prompted to filter by ingredients or dietary needs.
This progressive onboarding approach ensures users are familiar with core features without feeling overwhelmed.
Impact: This user-centered approach and attention to detail in navigation and personalization resulted in an app that simplifies cooking and shopping. The Recipes App showcases how thoughtful UX design, centered on actual user needs, leads to increased user satisfaction and engagement.
Have a UX story worth sharing? Send us your case study HERE! to be featured in our next issue!
Use Microcopy to Guide Users: Clear and concise microcopy in tooltips, labels, and calls-to-action can help users understand exactly what to do at each step. Avoid jargon, and keep it conversational.
Focus on One Goal at a Time: Each step of onboarding should have a single, clear goal to avoid overwhelming new users. Focus on immediate actions rather than overloading with information.
Provide Immediate Value: Make sure users experience a “quick win” early on. For example, show them how your product can solve a problem they care about in under a minute.
Best Practices for Reducing Onboarding Friction
Even the best onboarding flow can hit roadblocks, so here are additional best practices for reducing friction and keeping users engaged from the start.
1. Simplify Forms and Reduce Data Entry
Long forms or multiple input fields can be off-putting, especially during onboarding. Keep forms short and use autofill wherever possible to speed up the process.
Pro Tip: Try progressive profiling—gather the most essential information first, then request further details only when necessary.
2. Leverage Visual Cues
Visual cues like animations or subtle highlights can help users understand what to do next without needing long explanations. They also make the experience more engaging and interactive.
Example: Use subtle animations to direct attention to a critical next step, like a flashing “Next” button or a gentle highlight around an important field.
3. Optimize for Mobile
Mobile onboarding should be touch-friendly and simple, with a focus on swipes, taps, and minimal typing. Make sure screens and calls-to-action are easy to read and interact with on smaller devices.
Pro Tip: Ensure forms and buttons are large enough for thumb taps, and avoid small clickable areas that can lead to user frustration on mobile.
Product Spotlight: Taskade – For Seamless Team Collaboration
Taskade is an all-in-one workspace designed to boost team productivity with task management, real-time collaboration, and visual brainstorming
.What Taskade can do right now:
Real-time collaboration on mind maps, task lists, and notes for smooth teamwork.
Ready-made templates for project planning, personal tracking, and more.
Drag-and-drop mind mapping and Kanban boards for organizing tasks visually.
Cross-platform sync on desktop, mobile, and web for seamless access.
…and a host of other tools for organized, efficient team projects.
Explore Taskade and bring your team’s ideas to life.
Take Your UX Design Process to the Next Level with ChatGPT!
We get it—endless hours on research, organizing insights, and drafting user stories can make it hard to focus on the creative and strategic work that really makes an impact. That’s why we’re hosting a hands-on workshop, "Unlock ChatGPT’s Power in UX Design," to show you how ChatGPT can take the load off and become your secret weapon at every stage of the UX process.
Learn practical, time-saving techniques to streamline your workflow—and 📚 Bonus: Walk away with an exclusive e-book to keep ChatGPT as your personal UX assistant!
👉 Ready to boost your productivity and design smarter?
User Researcher II User Researcher II with verification
Grow Therapy /United States (Remote) / $135K/yr - $160K/yr · Medical benefit
User Researcher User Researcher
Bentley Whitaker Search and Selection / United Kingdom (Remote) / £50K/yr - £55K/yr
Product Designer (UX)Product Designer (UX) with verification
Graebel Companies, Inc. / Toronto, ON (Remote) / $80K/yr - $130K/yr
UXU Resources for Further Learning 📚
Ready to dive deeper into onboarding design? Here are our top recommendations:
Book: Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal—Learn about the psychology behind habit-building, which is key to successful onboarding.
Tool: Appcues—A powerful tool for creating guided onboarding flows, without needing any code. Great for building customized user journeys.
Course: building a successful onboarding experience: Learn proven methods to create an onboarding experience that enables and inspires your new employees.
Video: Onboarding UX — Tackles Common user onboarding patterns and how to use them—with real examples and tips for designing your own best-in-class user onboarding UX.
Final Thoughts 💡
Onboarding isn’t just about getting users to click through screens. It’s about creating a memorable first experience that demonstrates value and guides users toward success.
Thank you for being part of the UXU community! If you found today’s tips helpful, pass this along to a friend or connect with us in the UXU Community Forum.