Smarter onboarding
Reducing friction and helping users reach first value faster.
Context
While working with partners to improve product engagement and recurrence, we identified a recurring issue during the first user sessions: many users struggled to define competitors and keywords, often adding very few or none at all, and a significant portion did not return after their first visit.
Product metrics confirmed that activation rates were low, and many users did not return after their first use. Then, instead of focusing only on retention numbers, we decided to address the problem at the beginning of the journey, where user friction occurred.
Given that our audience consists of non-expert users in both SEO and technology, the first interaction with the product is critical to building understanding, confidence, and engagement. In most cases, users were facing blank pages, and without guidance or context, they were unsure how to proceed, leading to frustration and early drop-off.
Challenge
The challenge was to design an onboarding flow that guided users through their first steps without overwhelming them with technical concepts. We had to balance providing enough information to help users make informed decisions to get the product ready, while keeping the experience simple, approachable, and efficient.
At the same time, the flow had to respect users' limited time and knowledge, providing enough structure to improve activation without turning the flow into a lengthy or complex process.
Guided onboarding that replaces blank page with ready-to-use data, helping users reach value faster and improving activation.
Design process
From insight to activation-focused onboarding
We analyzed onboarding drop-offs, activation metrics, and product usage to understand where users struggled during their first days of use, especially during the first touch. This confirmed that facing a blank page with too many required choices at the beginning caused frustration and was the main source of friction.
We defined the key actions required to reach activation, helping users understand the tool and quickly experience its value. We also established core principles to guide the solution: reduce cognitive load, provide guidance or automate when possible, avoid overwhelming users, and deliver value early.
We redesigned the onboarding flow to include suggested keywords, competitors, and key business data. The experience guided users step by step, while still allowing edits and customization when needed, always presenting information at the right moment and offering choices instead of blank questions.
We collaborated closely with development to implement the new onboarding flow, including pre-filled and personalized options based on previous user input. Once aligned across teams, we shipped the experience and added a post-onboarding survey to evaluate the new flow and overall experience.
Key Outcomes & Results
Increase a 10% activation rate
The new onboarding reduced friction and early drop-off, helping more users take key actions in their first session.
Faster time to first value
Users experienced the product's value faster, getting real data set so users start working immediately and see value without spending time on setup.
Increased early retention
Clear guidance and reduced effort improved user confidence, leading to higher early retention rates.
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