You have a startup with an amazing value proposition and you’re marketing it to get more customers to use your product. But then, you realize that when users open the app to sign up, they suddenly lose interest and leave before even getting to experience the value of the app. This happens because the onboarding flow is not intriguing enough for users to continue. So how exactly can you improve your onboarding experience to make users actually access the app? 1. Create a percentage completion rate 1. Create a percentage completion rate The first thing you need to fix is adding a percentage completion rate. Users like to know how long it’s going to take to complete a task and how many steps are left. When they can visually see how many steps are needed to finish the onboarding session, they are more motivated to complete it. This is why apps like Duolingo show a clear progress indicator during onboarding, letting users see they are already halfway through after just a few actions. Even Notion uses subtle step indicators to reassure users that setup won’t take forever. Once users feel the end is close, they are far less likely to abandon the process midway. 2. Don’t start with user details 2. Don’t start with user details Another mistake many startups make is starting onboarding with user details. It’s common to ask for name, phone number, and email immediately, but this forces users to start typing before they feel invested. That initial friction can be enough to make them quit. Instead, strong products introduce users to a small part of the value first. Spotify, for example, lets users choose music preferences and artists before asking for account details. Airbnb allows users to browse listings and get inspired before pushing them to create an account. This approach eases users into the experience, builds curiosity, and makes them more willing to complete the final steps that require typing. 3. Use familiar and conversational language 3. Use familiar and conversational language The third thing that makes onboarding more welcoming is using familiar and conversational language. Making the onboarding experience interactive and personalized helps users stay engaged throughout the process. When onboarding feels like a conversation rather than a form, users are more relaxed and open to continuing. Duolingo does this exceptionally well by asking simple, friendly questions like “Why are you learning this language?” instead of presenting abstract instructions. Slack uses casual prompts such as “What’s your team working on?” which makes users feel like they’re chatting with a human, not configuring software. Even small changes like asking “What should we call you?” instead of “Enter your name” can significantly improve completion rates. “Why are you learning this language?” “What’s your team working on?” “What should we call you?” “Enter your name” Remember, onboarding is the first major interaction users have with your app and the gateway to accessing the value the app is trying to deliver. Once the onboarding experience is good, users will want to continue using the app and are more likely to stick around once they experience the main value. But if the onboarding experience is poor, users will be discouraged from using the product and will eventually drop off. A good onboarding experience brings more users; a bad one makes you lose both money and customers. Before you spend more money acquiring users, ask yourself this: If you were a first-time user opening your app today, would your onboarding make you curious to continue or quietly give you a reason to leave?
