| name | onboarding-cro |
| description | When the user wants to optimize post-signup onboarding, user activation, first-run experience, or time-to-value — "activation rate," "empty states," "onboarding checklist," "aha moment," "users sign up but don't use the product." Use when users sign up but don't stick around. For signup/registration optimization, see signup-flow-cro. For email sequences, see email-sequence. |
| category | marketing |
| tier | on-demand |
Onboarding CRO
Get users to their "aha moment" fast and build habits that drive long-term retention.
Initial Assessment
Product context: If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it first and tailor output to it; only ask for what it doesn't cover.
Understand first:
- Product Context - product type? B2B or B2C? Core value proposition?
- Activation Definition - the "aha moment"? What action shows a user "gets it"?
- Current State - what happens after signup? Where do users drop off?
Core Principles
- Time-to-Value Is Everything — remove every step between signup and experiencing core value.
- One Goal Per Session — focus the first session on one successful outcome; save advanced features for later.
- Do, Don't Show — interactive > tutorial; doing the thing > learning about the thing.
- Progress Creates Motivation — show advancement, celebrate completions, make the path visible.
Defining Activation
Find Your Aha Moment
The action most strongly correlated with retention: what retained users do that churned users don't; the earliest indicator of future engagement.
Examples by product type:
- Project management: Create first project + add team member
- Analytics: Install tracking + see first report
- Design tool: Create first design + export/share
- Marketplace: Complete first transaction
Activation metrics: % of signups reaching activation, time to activation, steps to activation, activation by cohort/source.
Onboarding Flow Design
Immediate Post-Signup (First 30 Seconds)
| Approach | Best For | Risk |
|---|
| Product-first | Simple products, B2C, mobile | Blank slate overwhelm |
| Guided setup | Products needing personalization | Adds friction before value |
| Value-first | Products with demo data | May not feel "real" |
Whatever you choose: clear single next action, no dead ends, progress indication if multi-step.
Onboarding Checklist Pattern
When to use: multiple setup steps, several features to discover, self-serve B2B products.
Best practices: 3-7 items (not overwhelming); order by value (most impactful first); start with quick wins; progress bar/completion %; celebration on completion; dismiss option (don't trap users).
Empty States
Onboarding opportunities, not dead ends: explain what the area is for, show what it looks like with data, offer one clear action to add the first item, optionally pre-populate example data.
Tooltips and Guided Tours
When to use: complex UI, features that aren't self-evident, power features users might miss.
Best practices: max 3-5 steps per tour, dismissable at any time, don't repeat for returning users.
Multi-Channel Onboarding
Email + In-App Coordination
Trigger-based emails:
- Welcome email (immediate)
- Incomplete onboarding (24h, 72h)
- Activation achieved (celebration + next step)
- Feature discovery (days 3, 7, 14)
Email should: reinforce in-app actions (not duplicate them), drive back to product with a specific CTA, personalize based on actions taken.
Handling Stalled Users
Detection: define "stalled" criteria (X days inactive, incomplete setup).
Re-engagement tactics:
- Email sequence - reminder of value, address blockers, offer help
- In-app recovery - welcome back, pick up where left off
- Human touch - personal outreach for high-value accounts
Measurement
Key Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|
| Activation rate | % reaching activation event |
| Time to activation | How long to first value |
| Onboarding completion | % completing setup |
| Day 1/7/30 retention | Return rate by timeframe |
Funnel Analysis
Track drop-off at each step; focus on the biggest drops.
Signup → Step 1 → Step 2 → Activation → Retention
100% 80% 60% 40% 25%
Output Format
Onboarding Audit — per issue: Finding → Impact → Recommendation → Priority
Onboarding Flow Design — activation goal, step-by-step flow, checklist items (if applicable), empty state copy, email sequence triggers, metrics plan
Common Patterns by Product Type
| Product Type | Key Steps |
|---|
| B2B SaaS | Setup wizard → First value action → Team invite → Deep setup |
| Marketplace | Complete profile → Browse → First transaction → Repeat loop |
| Mobile App | Permissions → Quick win → Push setup → Habit loop |
| Content Platform | Follow/customize → Consume → Create → Engage |
Experiment Ideas
Consider tests for: flow simplification (step count, ordering), progress and motivation mechanics, personalization by role or goal, support and help availability.
For comprehensive experiment ideas: See references/experiments.md
Task-Specific Questions
- What action most correlates with retention?
- What happens immediately after signup?
- Where do users currently drop off?
- What's your activation rate target?
- Any cohort analysis on successful vs. churned users?
Related Skills
- signup-flow-cro — optimizing the signup before onboarding
- email-sequence — onboarding email series
- paywall-upgrade-cro — converting to paid during/after onboarding
- ab-test-setup — testing onboarding changes
