Introduction
Onboarding is a term used to describe the process of making new users familiar with the features and benefits of an application or website. Onboarding can be designed in many different ways, depending on what a company wants to achieve.
This article will explore how a good onboarding process can improve your user retention and conversion rates and it will also brief you about the different kinds of onboarding and issues related to it.
What is Onboarding?
User onboarding is a set of instructions or interactions that aid the user in welcoming into the application. These interactions can be as simple as a greeting or as complicated as a series of guided tasks that assist users in putting up initial preferences or pointing out critical UI elements. The goal remains to provide users with an overview of your product's benefits, which will get them happy and set them up for success.
If you’ve ever tried a new app for the first time and were presented with 2-3 screens with short messages explaining what the app is for, it's normal for everyone to have an expectation before using the application. This is the key to generating a positive user experience.
Types of Onboarding
Benefits-oriented onboarding
This kind of onboarding is meant to encourage conversion by displaying the app's value to the user. It focuses on what the app is rather than how to work the app. This type of onboarding frequently allows screens dedicated to permission requests, such as access to locations and managing push notifications.
Function-oriented onboarding
This approach focuses on increasing app functionality by showing the user how to operate the app. The user will receive a tour of the app, as well as specific instructions on how to start and how to perform certain tasks.
Progressive onboarding
Progressive onboarding provides fresh information to users as they gradually glide through the app. The instructions displayed on the screen correlate to a unique page that the user is on, allowing them to understand each function as they go deeper into the app.
How Onboarding Leads to Better User Experience for Customers
The startling reality is that 25% of users quit using an app after only a few minutes of use. Users dump an app if it is too long to guess. They must first discover the urgent value in it, feel secure in using the product and have confidence that it will help them attain a specific goal. As a result, it is important to give a positive first impression.
How do you do it? Let’s find out!
Seamless registration and authentication
When a customer signs up for the first time, they go through the process of onboarding, which helps them get started with your product. Customer onboarding is critical because it sets the tone for the relationship and creates a positive experience that can impact future success.
Creating an account to do business with you will always be a hurdle for a customer - no matter how important that business may be. Seamless registration and authentication can help simplify the process so customers can do their business more easily and with more confidence.
Finding immediate value
The success of popular mobile apps boils down to one thing: they benefit users. The process of creating an amazing customer experience involves having a profound understanding of the target users' lives and unmet needs. Users must first view the current value of an app before downloading it.
How will this app aid them in fulfilling their needs? You can easily demonstrate what the app does and what the user stands to gain by applying the benefits-oriented onboarding method. If users understand the value in the product they are using, they will more likely experience using it in the long run.
Personalization
In many ways, onboarding can provide the personalization every user is searching for. Progressive onboarding ensures you don't overwhelm the user with too many functions they aren't prepared to work with. Instead, as they gradually glide through the app, they require new information, so their experience isn’t monotonous. The instructions correspond to the unique page the user is on, allowing the user to learn as they get deeper into the app. As a result, the user can only grab what they need out of the app.
Conclusion
While including onboarding into your app strategy helps the overall UX, the onboarding experience cannot be subpar. It must be well planned out and completely involved on its own. To attain this, you must first obtain a profound understanding of your target users' in-app behaviour psychological underpinnings.
The end goal remains to provision your users with a positive experience from the beginning of the app to the end of the game when they achieve their main goal. Onboarding is just one cog in the wheel that can help you get a more positive experience. While the goal remains to make certain the user is satisfied with the product, your business also benefits from providing a positive experience.
