10 App Onboarding Best Practices for Higher Retention

Have you ever downloaded an app only to feel lost and frustrated within the first few minutes? That’s where app onboarding comes in. It’s the digital equivalent of a warm welcome and a guided tour, all rolled into one user-friendly experience.

Simply put, app onboarding is the process of introducing new users to your app’s interface, features, and benefits. A well-crafted onboarding experience can make the difference between a user who sticks around and one who hits the dreaded uninstall button.

But here’s the kicker: effective onboarding isn’t just about showing off your app’s bells and whistles. It’s about helping users understand how your app can solve their problems or make their lives easier. Get it right, and you’ll see higher user satisfaction, increased engagement, and, ultimately, better retention rates.

In this article, we share the top strategies for creating an onboarding experience that will wow your users and keep them coming back for more. 

Let’s get started!

Why app onboarding is different from web onboarding

If you’re thinking, “Onboarding is onboarding, right?” – think again. Mobile app onboarding is a whole different ball game compared to its web counterpart. Here’s why:

User engagement and time constraints

Mobile users are like hummingbirds – always on the move and easily distracted. They’re scrolling through apps while waiting for coffee, during commutes, or in between Netflix episodes. This means you’ve got a smaller window to capture and keep their attention.

With web onboarding, users might be willing to sit through a longer introduction. But for mobile? Research shows that you need to be quick, concise, and to the point. It’s all about delivering maximum value in minimum time.

Technical constraints and opportunities

Mobile devices come with their own set of challenges and perks. Smaller screens mean you need to be smart about how you present information. Every pixel counts!

But it’s not all limitations. Mobile apps can tap into device-specific features like push notifications, geolocation, and camera access. These can be powerful tools for creating a more immersive and personalized onboarding experience.

Consistency across platforms

Here’s where things get tricky. If your app has both mobile and web versions, you need to walk a fine line. The onboarding experience should feel consistent across platforms while still playing to the strengths of each.

Think of it as like translating a book into different languages. The core story stays the same, but you might need to tweak certain elements to make it resonate with each audience.

Top strategies for an engaging app onboarding process

Ready to take your app onboarding from good to great? Let’s dive into some strategies that’ll have your users saying “wow” from the get-go.

1. Choose your onboarding strategy

First things first – you need to pick the right onboarding strategy. You want to make a great impression, but you also want to be true to your app’s personality. 

Here are three popular strategies:

Progressive onboarding

This is the “show, don’t tell” of the onboarding world. Instead of bombarding users with information, you introduce features gradually as they explore the app.

Benefits:

• Prevents information overload.
• Allows users to learn by doing.
• Keeps users engaged by revealing features at just the right moment.

Tips:

• Use tooltips to guide users through features step-by-step.
• Add gamification elements like progress bars to keep users motivated.
• Keep instructions short and sweet – think bite-sized nuggets of info.

Function-oriented onboarding

This strategy focuses on teaching users how to use your app’s core features right off the bat.

Benefits:

• Gets users up to speed quickly on essential features.
• Helps users achieve their goals faster.
• Reduces the learning curve.

Tips:

• Create interactive tutorials for key functions.
• Use video guides or animations to show features in action.
• Let users practice in a safe sandbox environment before diving in.

Benefits-oriented onboarding

This approach is all about showing users what’s in it for them. It’s like answering the question, “Why should I care about this app?”

Benefits:

• Helps users understand your app’s unique value proposition.
• Motivates users by showing them what they can achieve.
• Increases retention by aligning your app’s value with user needs.

Tips:

• Use welcome screens to showcase key benefits.
• Include user testimonials or success stories.
• Personalize content to highlight features that align with user goals.

2. Include key onboarding elements

Now that you’ve chosen your strategy let’s talk about the essential elements of a killer onboarding process.

Sign-up page

This is your app’s front door. Make it welcoming and easy to walk through, focusing on clear instructions and encouraging users to finish the process.

• Keep it simple – ask for only essential information.
• Consider offering social media login options.
• Make it visually appealing with a clean design and clear call-to-action buttons.

Welcome screen

This is your app’s first impression so make sure it’s inviting, informative, and it includes a brief overview of the app’s benefits and features.

• Use a friendly, welcoming tone.
• Highlight key benefits and features.
• Personalize the message if possible (e.g., “Hi Sarah, welcome to [App Name]!”).

Interactive walkthrough

In this section, you need to guide users through your app’s features in a way that’s engaging and educational. You can even make it into a game-like experience. 

• Break complex features into simple, digestible steps.
• Use tooltips, pop-ups, and animations to guide users.
• Make it interactive – let users try features as they learn about them.

Feature guidance

Help users understand and use your app’s core features effectively. The faster they get to this point, the more they will get out of using your app. 

• Use tooltips to provide contextual help.
• Offer short, focused tutorials for key features.
• Provide on-demand help that users can access when they need it.

Self-serve support

Empower users to find answers on their own.

• Create a comprehensive knowledge base with articles, FAQs, and video tutorials that users can access anytime.
• Make sure your help section is searchable and includes logical categories so it’s easy to navigate.
• Consider adding a community forum where users can help each other. 

Strike a balance: You want to provide enough guidance to help users get started but not so much that they feel overwhelmed or hand-held. It’s all about empowering your users to explore and discover the value of your app on their own terms.

3. Adapt the onboarding process length to your users

When it comes to app onboarding, there are conflicting opinions about whether it’s a better idea to keep it short and sweet or not. While most people seem to be rushing to get to that “first value”, some experiments show that longer onboarding processes lead to higher conversion and retention rates. 

I personally think that just like anything else, a balanced approach is needed – it all comes down to context. Think about your target audience and tailor the process to their requirements. For example, if you have a music app, like Spotify, the user’s main goal is to just listen to music, so a lengthy onboarding process doesn’t really make sense. You can add a step where they can select their favorite genres and artists, but beyond that, you’re just making it hard for them to start using your app as intended. 

On the other hand, if you have a fitness app that offers personalized workouts, you’ll probably need a lot more information from your users such as their fitness goals, current weight and possibilities, exercises they can’t or don’t want to do, number of sessions per week, whether they live in an apartment and need to be quiet or they go to the gym and have access to a lot of equipment, etc. 

Whatever your case is, there are some universal rules that help make the onboarding uncluttered, which should be the goal. 

• Minimize the number of steps: Think “need to know” vs “nice to know.”
• Use progressive disclosure: Reveal features gradually as users need them.
• Make non-essential steps skippable: Let users decide what they want to learn.

How Gravatar integration helps reduce sign-up times

Gravatar, short for Globally Recognized Avatar, is a tool that allows people to create consistent digital identities with the same profile picture and basic information across multiple platforms, all linked to their email addresses.

As an app developer, you can use the Gravatar REST API to create a personalized experience for each user. This means that users can quickly sign up using their existing Gravatar profile, which automatically populates their profile picture and basic info. No more tedious form-filling!

4. Collect user data at initial stages

Collecting user data early on helps you tailor the experience to their preferences and needs, and when you do that, you can enjoy: 

• Personalization through customized content and recommendations, making your app more relevant to each user.
• Improved retention because personalized experiences can lead to higher user satisfaction and retention rates.
• Efficiency in operations thanks to early data collection, making your app more intuitive and user-friendly.

But here’s the catch – you need to strike a balance between collecting necessary information and not overwhelming the user. It’s like asking for someone’s life story on a first date – it’s too much, too soon.

This is also where you can use the Gravatar integration to its full potential. Users can import their name, email, and profile picture from their Gravatar account with just a click because the API will pull this verified information directly from the user’s profile. This method significantly reduces the risk of errors and friction, so you can increase completion rates and improve user engagement.

Finally, it’s a great way of preventing fake accounts – users are more likely to use their real identities when importing existing profile information.

5. Create skippable elements

Apps in similar niches tend to look and work in familiar ways (project management apps, for example), so if your users are more knowledgeable, they probably won’t need to go through the entire process similar to a complete beginner. This is why it’s always a good idea to add a skip button during the different stages and allow users to control the process based on their preferences. 

This tactic:

• Respects your users’ time: Some users might already be familiar with similar apps and don’t need a full tutorial.
• Avoids redundancy: Forcing people through unnecessary steps can lead to frustration and abandonment.
• Empowers users: Having control over the learning process can increase engagement and satisfaction.

Pro tip: Always provide a clear and visible option to skip onboarding steps. 

6. Utilize a progress bar

Progress bars are the best way to give users a sense of how far they’ve come and how much is left to go. 

They bring: 

• Visual representation: They provide a clear visual of the onboarding process, helping users understand their progress.
• Psychological benefits: They create a sense of accomplishment and reduce anxiety, which can increase user engagement and completion rates.
• Set expectations: By showing the number of steps involved, progress bars help users know what to expect from the onboarding process.

Fun fact: A study by the Nielsen Norman Group showed that progress bars can significantly improve user engagement. It’s like the difference between running a marathon with or without mile markers – knowing how far you’ve come can be a powerful motivator.

7. Utilize onboarding checklists

Checklists aren’t just for grocery shopping or packing for vacation. For app onboarding, they’re a powerful tool to ensure users complete essential steps and get the most out of your app.

Here’s why checklists rock:

• Track progress: They help users keep track of what they’ve done and what’s left to do.
• Provide structure: Checklists break down the onboarding process into manageable steps.
• Psychological benefits: There’s something satisfying about checking off items on a list. It provides a sense of accomplishment and can motivate users to complete the onboarding process.

Think of onboarding checklists as a gentle guide, not a strict rulebook. They should help users navigate your app, not make them feel like they’re taking a test.

8. Use push notifications strategically

When used correctly, push notifications can guide, motivate, and engage users throughout their onboarding journey and beyond. But beware: poorly timed or irrelevant notifications can put users off and even lead them to uninstall.

Here’s how to make push notifications work for you with some fictional examples from famous apps:

• Welcome messages: Start on the right foot with a warm greeting. A language learning app might send something like: “Bienvenue! Ready to start your French adventure?“
• Event-triggered notifications: Respond to users’ real-time behavior to keep them engaged. If you have a sports app, you can encourage users who have been active throughout the day and maybe offer them some stretching exercises. 
• Onboarding completion reminders: Gently nudge users to finish setting up their profiles. For example, LinkedIn often sends notifications like “Your profile is 70% complete. Add your skills to stand out to recruiters!“
• Milestone celebrations: Acknowledge user progress to boost motivation. Duolingo is very famous just for that and gives its users all sorts of milestones to celebrate, such as learning streaks. 

• Personalized tips: Offer advice based on user behavior. A meditation app might notice a lot of phone activity in times when the device would usually be turned off and send a message saying: “Having trouble sleeping? Try our new ‘Deep Sleep’ story tonight at 10 PM.“

Lastly, always give users control over their notification settings. Nothing turns people off faster than feeling bombarded with messages they can’t opt out of. Respect their preferences, and they’re more likely to stay engaged with your app in the long run.

9. Employ regular user testing

Last but definitely not least, don’t forget about user testing. It’s like having a focus group for your app, helping you identify pain points and optimize the onboarding flow.

Here’s why user testing is so important:

• Identify issues: It helps you spot problems in the onboarding process that you might have overlooked.
• Gather feedback: Get actionable insights directly from your target users.
• Continuous improvement: Regular testing allows you to refine and enhance the onboarding experience over time.

There are different ways to conduct user testing:

• Moderated testing: Watch users interact with your app in real time and ask questions.
• Unmoderated testing: Users complete tasks on their own and provide feedback.
• A/B testing: Compare different versions of your onboarding process to see which performs better.
• Beta testing: Release your app to a small group of users before the official launch to gather feedback.

Remember, user testing isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s an ongoing process that helps you keep your onboarding experience fresh, relevant, and effective.

Examples of apps with great onboarding flows

Let’s take a look at some apps that have nailed the onboarding process. 

Duolingo

Duolingo, the popular language learning app, has mastered the art of engaging onboarding.

• Fun and engaging: Duolingo turns the necessary information gathering into a fun, game-like experience. It doesn’t feel like a chore – it feels like the start of an adventure.

• Gamification: The app uses elements like rewards, progress tracking, and interactive lessons to keep users motivated from the get-go.
• Personalization: By asking about language proficiency and learning goals, Duolingo tailors the experience to each user’s needs (and they include a cool progress bar!).

• Immediate value: Users start learning right away, experiencing the app’s core value proposition from the first interaction.

TikTok

TikTok‘s onboarding is all about getting users hooked on content as quickly as possible.

• Quick time-to-value: Users can start watching and swiping through videos without even signing up. 
• Minimal friction: TikTok delays the sign-up process until users are already engaged with the content. By then, users are more likely to complete the process because they’ve already experienced the app’s value.
• Interactive and intuitive: The onboarding process is highly interactive, teaching users how to use the app through actual usage rather than explicit instructions.

DoorDash

DoorDash, the popular food delivery app, takes a unique approach to onboarding that puts user experience first.

• Value-first approach: DoorDash allows users to browse restaurants and menus before requiring sign-up. This strategy lets users see the app’s value upfront, increasing the likelihood they’ll complete the registration process.
• Easy onboarding: The flow is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Each step feels natural and necessary, reducing the chance of user drop-off.
• Personalization: By collecting user preferences early on, such as favorite cuisines or dietary restrictions, DoorDash can immediately start offering personalized recommendations, enhancing the user experience from the get-go.

Bumble

Bumble, the dating app where women make the first move, has created an onboarding process that’s both engaging and informative.

• Interactive onboarding: Bumble uses interactive elements to guide users through profile creation, making what could be a tedious process feel more like a fun questionnaire.
• Social proofing: The app cleverly uses social proof techniques, such as showing success stories, to encourage users to complete the onboarding process. It’s like saying, “Look at all these people who found love – you could be next!“

• Personalization: By collecting user preferences and interests early on, Bumble can start providing more relevant matches right away, increasing the chances of user satisfaction and retention.

These examples demonstrate how effective onboarding can take many forms, but they all share common elements: they’re engaging, they provide immediate value, and they’re tailored to the user’s needs and the app’s unique features. By studying these successful onboarding flows, you can gather insights and inspiration for creating your own stellar onboarding experience.

Drive app success with an engaging onboarding process

And there you have it – your roadmap to creating an app onboarding experience that users will love. Remember, the key is to make it easy, engaging, and valuable right from the start. Your onboarding should be like a good handshake – firm, friendly, and not too long.

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this article, from choosing the right onboarding strategy to leveraging tools like progress bars and checklists. But here’s a pro tip that ties it all together: consider integrating Gravatar into your onboarding process. It’s like having a universal ID for the internet, making sign-ups a breeze, and helping you collect key user data right off the bat.

Gravatar integration is easier than you might think, and it can significantly streamline your onboarding process. By allowing users to import their existing profile information, you’re not just saving them time – you’re also ensuring accuracy and consistency in user data.

Ready to take your app onboarding to the next level? Dive deeper into Gravatar integration and discover how it can transform your user experience.