Did you know that 63% of customers consider the company’s onboarding program when deciding to purchase? However, 90% of customers feel that the companies they buy from “could do better” when it comes to onboarding new users. There’s some serious room for improvement…
Onboarding has turned out to be one of the most important metrics for the SaaS industry. And there’s a reason why. If your customers don’t understand how your product works, they won’t be able to use it correctly or to its full potential, and consequently, they won’t find its value. On average, 80% of users say they’ve deleted an app because they didn’t know how to use it. Crazy, right?
Because of this, SaaS businesses started to develop in-app guidance methods. This interactive walkthrough gives the user a more memorable onboarding experience. But what exactly is in-app guidance? Why should you use it? How does it work?
In this article, you’ll find the answers to these questions and more, including:
- What are in-app guides?
- The difference between product tours and in-app guides
- Why use in-app guidance?
- Examples of SaaS that use in-app guides
- In-app guidance in SaaS
Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.
What are In-App Guides?
In-app guides are software configurations that enhance end-user experiences with an application. Because it provides timely assistance within the app, it’s a better alternative to traditional alternatives, such as training sessions, phone calls, and emails. This encourages new users to use apps by increasing engagement and accessibility of information.
In-app guides developers can add specific and customized messages to guide users through the whole onboarding experience. Also, in-app guides can function as a tool for monitoring in-app activity via custom reports based on users’ actions, such as views, button clicks, and other engagement indicators. Ultimately, it can also be used as a tool to measure the effectiveness of your onboarding or applications.
But what is the difference between in-app guides and product tours? Even tho they look so similar, they’re two different concepts. Let’s find out their main differences in the next section!
The difference between Product Tours and In-App Guides
Product tours are typically used to introduce new users to an app or product, whereas in-app guides are designed to help users complete specific tasks within the app.
Product tours often take the form of a slideshow or video, walking the user through the app’s various features. Product tours usually show all features at once when a user is learning how to use your product.
On the other hand, in-app guides are usually more interactive, providing step-by-step instructions on completing a particular task within the app. They explain how each feature works while you’re using the product.
After implementing both strategies and analyzing the results, companies concluded that showing your product’s usage in small chunks makes it easier for users to remember.
While product tours can be a great way to give users an overview of an app or product, in-app guides are more effective in helping users actually achieve their goals.
Here’s an example of what a product tour looks like::
And here’s in-app guidance – see the difference?:
Why use In-App Guidance?
In-app guidance is the most effective way to engage and activate your users. By providing a personalized experience, you can offer a more efficient onboarding process and reduce user churn, improving overall customer satisfaction.
Additionally, in-app guidance can help increase user engagement by informing them of your app’s new features and updates. It can also help you track your user’s activity throughout the app so you can analyze different behaviors and adapt your product according to the user’s needs and usage. Constant optimization = success.
To better illustrate this, let’s take a look at some examples.
Examples of SaaS that use In-App Guides
Here are some of the best in-app guide examples we’ve seen in the SaaS industry so far. Get some inspiration!
- Demio
Demio is a cloud-based platform that helps businesses create, launch, and manage live, automated, or recorded webinars. They’ve successfully implemented an in-app guide, as well as a product tour.
When users begin learning how to use a product, they receive a demo with one of the employees on the basics for creating their own webinar. After that, the users are in charge. Because of this method, users reach their ‘Aha’ moments in a fun, fast, and interactive manner.
- Freshbooks
If you’re into the accounting and finance world, you’ve probably heard about Freshbooks.
Freshbooks is an accounting software company that uses in-app guides to help users with their accounting tasks.
The guides are available within the application and provide step-by-step instructions on how to perform various accounting tasks. They’re super interactive and easy to use. Through these resources, users learn everything they need to give Freshbooks the value it deserves. Moreover, they can maximize the software’s usability.
- Hootsuite
Community manager’s favorite tool! Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows users to create, schedule, publish, and manage social media campaigns from a single dashboard.
To improve their user experience, Hootsuite created “wise guides”, which are interactive walkthroughs of concrete tasks or key features. Using them, users can gain a deeper understanding of concrete features and improve their daily tasks. Furthermore, Hootsuite increases its customer engagement.
The companies listed above are just three examples of companies that have excellent in-app guide best practices, but there are many others out there as well. Which ones do you know?
In-App Guidance in SaaS
When it comes to user onboarding, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you want to ensure that your users have a smooth and positive experience with your product from start to finish. Second, you want your users to understand and value your product clearly. To do this, consider using in-app guidance throughout their customer journey. Not only will this help them better understand your product, but it will also give them the confidence they need to use it effectively.
Some things to keep in mind when using in-app guidance include:
- Use a tone of voice that is easy to understand for your users
- Write short and consistent information (too much information can overwhelm your customers)
- Focus on the key features and benefits of your product
- Include calls to action to encourage users to take next steps
Follow these simple tips to ensure that your users have a great experience with your product from beginning to end.
Interested in learning more about in-app guidance? Check our blog post Customer Support in 2022: How to Achieve Long-Term, and our FROGED customer support features. Alternatively, book a demo with us today to discover first-hand how implementing in-app guidance through product flows, and customer support integrations supercharges your user onboarding!