We get this question all the time. And the answer is, well, complicated.
User onboarding best practices are a highly idiosyncratic function of who the user is—their motivations and pains—and a product’s ability to satisfy that new user’s desire. Can we really say whether Netflix or Slack has a better user onboarding experience?
Even within a product category, subtle differences in value propositions and user personas make attempting an apples-to-apples comparison a dangerous game.
A complex platform that offers an all-in one solution will attract users with different needs than a best-in-class tool that’s made to do one thing exceptionally well and integrates with hundreds of other SaaS products.
Their user onboarding experiences are different. And they should be.
So while we can’t crown a single champion, some onboarding experiences really stand out from the pack. Below, we’ll take a look at 5 of the best onboarding examples—and explain what makes each onboarding tactic so effective and delightful.
What does great user onboarding look like?
As a rule, great user onboarding should shorten your new users’ time to value, guide them to their aha moment, and get them to activate faster.
In the Product-Led Growth Flywheel framework, onboarding is one of the primary levers for turning your product’s evaluators into beginners—setting them on the path to eventually become your advocates.
The 5 examples below each take a different approach to onboarding—which they should, since all of these products offer experiences and attract different users. But they have one important thing in common: All 5 products do an excellent job of guiding users to value and setting them up for continued success.
1. Slack educates users with empty states and a friendly bot
Slack, the ever popular team-messaging app, does a great job explaining itself to the new users it continues to acquire. It does so through well-designed empty states and clever use of its own core functionality.
Keeping signup forms simple reduces cognitive load
The workspace preview on the right updates as users input their details
Users are introduced to Slack's core functionality through its friendly mascot
This isn’t Slack’s first onboarding experience—they’ve been iterating on their new user experience for years. Each iteration has been better than the last. The latest version is more pared down than ever—they’ve trimmed out a lot of the introductions and cut straight to the chase. The result is a minimal, contextual onboarding experience that helps users familiarize themselves with the interface and get up to speed as swiftly as possible.
What we like about Slack’s user onboarding:
During signup, the images change after each step to reflect previous user inputs. It’s a nice touch that makes the whole experience feel more personalized.
Slack uses its very own Slackbot to host a walkthrough of the software. This interactive approach drives users to take meaningful action while educating them on how to use the software.
Rather than dragging new uses through an exhaustive tour of every feature, Slack introduces them to features like Threads and Activity through their empty states—helpful microcopy explains how these features will function once the user is active in the platform.
2. Duolingo leads with the product experience
Unlike most apps, Duolingo has a user onboarding experience that begins with the product and ends with a signup form—it’s an excellent example of gradual engagement.
Gradual engagement involves postponing registration for as long as possible—usually until the moment when users must register in order to progress further. Duolingo does this expertly: Their onboarding flow guides visitors through a quick translation exercise, showing how quick and easy it is to learn a new language—before asking users to commit to the product with a signup.
Duolingo's mascot is a friendly (somewhat manipulative) owl named Duo
Giving users a goal to work toward increases motivation and retention
This simple question allows Duolingo to tailor the app experience to each user
Allowing users to self-segment based on language proficiency provides a more relevant experience
Users can complete whole language lessons without signing up for an account
Elements of gamification add delight—and stickiness
Certain features remain off-limits to unregistered users, but these users can still access the app's core value proposition of daily language learning without creating an account (though they will receive periodic prompts as they complete lessons).
Certain features require users to signup—but the core app remains free to unregistered users
Periodic prompts to create an account are optional—but become increasingly compelling over time
Gradual engagement isn’t an approach that will work for every product (a banking app, for example, requires the user to enter personal information in order to demonstrate value). But the core lesson—that you should let users interact with your product and understand its benefits before requiring them to make a commitment (like subscribing for your service)—is an important part of a product-led strategy.
What we like about Duolingo’s user onboarding:
Users are prompted to choose a learning goal. Getting users to commit to a mission before even signing up has a huge impact on how likely the user will be to stick with the platform. That's because humans have an inherent completion bias, or the desire to get things done.
A progress bar helps set a user’s expectations of effort to complete a lesson. As users watch their progress move along, they may feel more committed to driving it to completion. Progress bars take advantage of the goal gradient effect, which suggests that people move closer to a goal, their efforts increase.
By allowing their users to engage with the app gradually, the actual registration feels like a small step within a larger process, instead of a frustrating obstacle on their path to achieving value.
3. Grammarly takes a “learn by doing” approach
Grammarly is a popular tool that acts as a personal writing assistant—users can check for spelling, grammar, word choice, and more through in-line suggestions.
Grammarly's onboarding begins with a little personalization
A series of animated modal windows introduces new users to key features
Grammarly users learn how to use the product—by actually using the product
Hotspots draw the eye while brief tooltips explain the value of each feature
We’re big fans of Grammarly’s UX in general—they do a great job with everything from emails to upgrade prompts—and their onboarding experience is no exception. Their clever learn-by-doing demo doc does an excellent job of encouraging discovery and teaching users how to use the tool’s myriad features within a controlled environment.
What we like about Grammarly’s user onboarding:
The demo document is a brilliant example of "learn by doing." Grammarly introduces folks to the UI patterns they'll need—one step at a time and true to form. You learn how to use its features by using its features.
Notable features are pointed out with pulsing hotspots—just subtle enough to not obscure the interface, but just eye-catching enough to make users engage. When clicked, the hotspots reveal tooltips that give short explanations of the feature being highlighted.
The onboarding unfolds sequentially to take users through the app. After you fix the spelling error in the first line, for instance, you’re drawn over to the "Correct with Assistant" button, which unveils a feature that you may not have explored otherwise
4. Tumblr charms with personality and personalization
Tumblr’s user onboarding experience is bolstered by its creativity and personality. It really shines in visual design and microcopy.
We love that Tumblr uses its signup page to showcase user content
Tumblr's brand personality shines through irreverent copy
The process of customizing their feed helps users feel a sense of ownership—which increases retention and engagement rates
Tumblr walks new users through key features
Subtle animations add a touch of delight at each step in the product tour
From its use of personalization to its witty copy and value-focused product tour, Tumblr’s user onboarding tactics are widely applicable to B2B software, especially tools that rely on curated content to deliver value.
What we like about Tumblr’s user onboarding:
The signup page showcases user content and does a great job of explaining the platform and setting user expectations with clever copy.
After creating their login credentials, users are asked to select 5 or more interests. This not only lets Tumblr personalize users’ feed in the future, but also it gives users an immediate sense of ownership over their account. The tendency to ascribe value to products that people think they own is known as the endowment effect.
Tumblr’s walkthrough points out important UI elements that users will need to engage with the platform. Teaching users how to like and share other people’s content is not only an important part of getting them their first aha moment, it’s also critical for maintaining and growing Tumblr’s network effects. The more people join and engage with the platform, the more valuable it becomes for other users.
5. IBM’s Cognos Analytics delivers consumer-grade UX in an enterprise product
IBM is known for its powerful B2B SaaS products. Cognos Analytics is an AI-driven business intelligence solution that provides a complete, self-serve toolset for interpreting, reporting, and monitoring analytics.
IBM's Cognos Analytics lets users choose their own path into the platform
A modal window sets expectations about the product tour that follows
A brief product tour is accompanied by a 3-step user onboarding checklist for extra guidance
The tooltips look native to IBM's product, but have enough visual contrast to stand out from the main UI
Like many complex enterprise products, IBM’s Cognos Analytics can feel overwhelming to new users and successful onboarding depends on users’ ability to prioritize between a wealth of useful features. IBM avoids the urge to drag new users through every single feature one by one, and instead focuses its onboarding experience on providing context to a few essential features.
What we like about IBM Cognos Analytics’ user onboarding:
The product tour starts with a “choose your own adventure” modal that lets users opt in to onboarding experience that fits their needs. This sort of segmentation lets users feel like they’re in control of their own onboarding, while allowing you to provide more tailored experiences.
All the copy is clear, concise, and adds value to a succinct and selective onboarding experience that gives new users the lay of the land without overwhelming them with too many features.
A 3-item “Getting Started” checklist helps users prioritize their first actions in the platform and motivates them to complete the onboarding process by tapping into a number of powerful psychological principles.
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User onboarding best practices
Onboarding isn’t just about giving new users a warm welcome. It’s about helping new users experience the value of your product first-hand and setting them up for long-term success.
These examples are just 5 of hundreds of onboarding flows that we love. Head over to ReallyGoodUX to see more of our favorites (or nominate your own). For more on user onboarding best practices, be sure to check out the resources below:
