SaaS Onboarding: Best Practices and Checklists

Effective onboarding is a make-or-break element for SaaS success. When done right, it introduces new users to a product, streamlines their experience, and quickly demonstrates value. Without a seamless onboarding process, users often feel lost or frustrated, which can lead to disengagement and higher churn rates.

This guide walks you through best practices and essential checklists to help you design an onboarding journey that builds user confidence, promotes product adoption, and ultimately drives user retention. We’ll explore examples from top SaaS companies and discuss metrics and tools that can elevate your onboarding experience to new levels of success.

Summary

• Good SaaS onboarding = user confidence = higher retention and lower churn

• Simplify onboarding and personalize and users will adopt faster and be happier

• Metrics like onboarding completion rates and time to value are key to measuring onboarding and iterating.

What is SaaS Onboarding

SaaS onboarding is the process of getting new users through the early stages of a software product, so they can achieve their goals. Unlike traditional onboarding methods, a SaaS onboarding example uses technology and automation, so it’s cost effective and scalable for businesses. The goal is to get user activation and retention by getting users to their ‘aha’ moment asap.

A good user onboarding flow sets the tone and has a big impact on customer retention. Positive onboarding is key as it can lead to higher user activation and conversion from free trials to paid plans. Understanding the user journey and tailoring the onboarding to the specific needs is key to customer success and loyalty during the customer onboarding journey.

When to Onboard in SaaS?

In SaaS, onboarding is needed when the product isn’t intuitive enough to use straight away. This is especially true for complex products that need a more personal approach to help users navigate. High touch onboarding with personal support is often needed for products with high setup requirements or complex integrations.

Timing is everything. Onboarding should be introduced as soon as the product complexity exceeds what the user can intuitively understand. This proactive approach means users don’t get overwhelmed and can start getting value from the product straight away and sets the foundation for a good onboarding experience.

Benefits of Good SaaS Onboarding

Having a structured onboarding process has many benefits for SaaS companies. Firstly it builds trust and customer loyalty by helping users understand the value of the product and how it solves their problems. That initial trust is the foundation for a long term relationship between the customer and the company.

And good SaaS onboarding gets users to value and positive experiences which are key to customer success and satisfaction. Adding in elements like user reviews, expert endorsements and active user stats can create a strong user onboarding experience that reduces churn and increases customer lifetime value.

Build User Confidence

Building user confidence is a key part of the user onboarding process. When users feel confident in the software they will be more engaged and loyal. One way to do this is to align onboarding content with user goals and address their pain points directly. This will not only increase customer satisfaction but also give them a sense of achievement.

Recognising and celebrating user milestones is another way to build confidence. The Zeigarnik Effect which explains the human need to complete unfinished tasks can be used in onboarding checklists to motivate users to complete the journey.

These all help to convert new users into active users and ultimately into power users who love and advocate for the product.

Get Product Adoption

A structured onboarding process is key to getting product adoption. It teaches users how to get the desired results and quickly shows the core value props of the product. Giving users quick wins in the early stages creates positive momentum and encourages further engagement and deeper product usage.

This approach also gets the good user onboarding and makes users product fluent which leads to higher adoption rates. Good onboarding processes are designed to guide users through the customer journey without overwhelming them.

Reduce Customer Support Dependency

Good customer onboarding is key to reducing dependency on customer support teams. Educating users during onboarding empowers them to self solve their issues and reduces the need for external support. Adding easily accessible support resources in the onboarding flow can also reduce user frustration and increase satisfaction.

Creating an experience that lets users explore the product with confidence can create a hierarchy of solutions so support is a last resort. This means users aren’t overwhelmed with information and can self serve the product, reducing the load on customer support teams.

Reduce Churn

Reducing churn is one of the key goals of good SaaS onboarding. A good onboarding process means users quickly see the value of the product which is key to satisfaction and renewal. Front loading product value and giving users quick wins keeps users engaged and helps them find more value in the product.

The time it takes for users to see value from a product is directly related to churn. Faster value realization can reduce churn significantly. A good onboarding experience can prevent the big user drop off rates that happen in the first week of sign up.

How to Create a Good SaaS Onboarding Process

Creating a good SaaS onboarding process starts with understanding customer goals and having a customer centric mindset. Mapping out the onboarding process helps guide users to their ‘aha’ moments so they see the core value of the product quickly. Simplifying the onboarding process and removing unnecessary steps will increase customer satisfaction and reduce confusion.

The onboarding process needs to be updated and adjusted as the product evolves. Using progress indicators and skippable flows can encourage users to complete the onboarding journey without feeling overwhelmed. These all contribute to a good onboarding experience and higher user retention.

Simplify Signup

Simplifying the signup process is the first step in the onboarding journey. Reducing the number of fields during signup can increase conversion rates and the onboarding experience. For example Miro’s signup page asks only for a work email and allows signing up with Google, Microsoft and Slack so new users can sign up quickly. Calendly asks for minimal information, only email, name and password.

Adding social signup options can simplify the registration process and increase user satisfaction. Evernote’s primary signup method is Google signup for example, which reduces friction for new users. Collecting additional user information after the initial signup keeps the process simple and user friendly.

First Welcome Email

The first welcome email is a key touchpoint in the user onboarding flow, sets the tone for the entire onboarding journey. A personalized welcome email helps to connect with new users and increase the onboarding experience. Adding a personal note or a video from the founders can make users feel more connected and valued.

Also provide educational resources in the first welcome email to help users get the most out of the product. Simplicity and a clear CTA are key to a good welcome email, guiding users to the next step in the onboarding process.

First Login Experience

A smooth first login experience is key to getting users off to a good start with the product. The first onboarding tasks should be simple and show key features to quickly get users to understand the product. Knowing what customers need to learn first to get to their first ‘aha’ moment is key to a good onboarding experience.

Use tooltips during the first login to provide contextual help and get users to understand the product. Focus on getting an initial quick win which will get users engaged and using the product.

SaaS Onboarding Essentials

Good SaaS onboarding is providing users with all the resources they need such as videos, documentation and tutorials and personalized paths to get users engaged. Segmenting users based on their goals can also personalize the onboarding experience and guide them throughout the process.

Onboarding can be low-touch and high-touch, low-touch for simple products and high-touch for complex products that require more setup.

Using tools and features like contextual tips, progress indicators and accessible documentation and updating the materials regularly to reflect product changes ensures good onboarding.

Interactive Product Tours

Interactive product tours are designed to guide users through workflows to help them learn the product and achieve desired outcomes. These tours help users find their first moment of value and achieve their goals by guiding them through critical workflows and encouraging exploration. For example Whatfix provides new users with a guided tour to discover the application so they don’t have to rely on external guidance.

Use tooltips and hotspots during walkthroughs to help users discover secondary features on their own. Interactive walkthroughs are more engaging than linear product tours where users have to complete actions before advancing. This way users are actively learning and retaining information about the product.

In-App Messaging

In-app messaging is key to providing continuous support during onboarding to prevent user frustration and abandonment. Follow up communications through in-app messages can help with user support by checking in on their experience, gathering feedback and identifying issues. Tools like Intercom and Customer.io are good for managing emails and in-app messages during onboarding.

User level segmentation allows to create personalized onboarding experiences and support throughout the user’s journey in the app.

Post onboarding, continuous tips and in-app messages can keep users engaged and informed as seen with Mailchimp and Slackbot.

Completion Bars & Checklists

Completion bars and checklists are good progress indicators to help users understand their progress and manage expectations during onboarding. These can motivate users to finish onboarding tasks by tapping into their sense of accomplishment. For example Mailchimp provides a checklist during onboarding to get users to realize the value of the product quickly.

Evernote uses checklists in their onboarding to keep users organized and on track. The progress indicators ensure users know how far they have come and are motivated to complete the onboarding journey for a good onboarding experience and higher user retention rates.

Measuring Success: SaaS Onboarding Metrics

Measuring your onboarding is key to continuous improvement and to make sure users are getting the most out of your product. As Peter Drucker said “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”. By focusing on key metrics SaaS companies can get insights into user behavior, feature usage and onboarding progression which is essential to make informed decisions.

To manage onboarding effectively you need to use data driven insights to test and iterate continuously. Monitoring churn rates, tracking user interactions and gathering feedback through analytics, surveys and direct customer conversations can help optimize the onboarding process.

Using these metrics ensures the onboarding experience is tailored to user needs and is improving based on actual user data.

Onboarding Completion Rate

Onboarding completion rate is a key metric that shows the percentage of users who complete the onboarding process. This metric helps you identify if the onboarding flow is working and if users are able to get to the end of the process without dropping off. A high completion rate means good onboarding experience and a low rate means there are areas to improve.

By tracking the onboarding completion rate, SaaS companies can identify where users are struggling and make changes to the user journey. This data driven approach ensures the onboarding process is continuously optimized to meet user needs and drive higher engagement and retention rates.

Time to Value

Time to value (TTV) is a key metric that measures how quickly users see benefits from the service, which is directly linked to onboarding success. A shorter TTV means users are seeing the value sooner which is critical for retention and satisfaction. If users feel they are getting value quickly they are more likely to continue using the product and recommend it to others.

Tracking TTV allows SaaS companies to identify and fix any bottlenecks in the onboarding process that are delaying users from seeing value. By optimizing these areas companies can improve the onboarding experience and get users engaged and seeing results as fast as possible.

Daily Active Users

Daily Active Users (DAUs) is another key metric to measure user engagement and onboarding success. This metric shows how many users are interacting with the product daily, giving insights into user behavior and product usage. High DAU means strong user engagement and low DAU means issues with onboarding or product appeal.

By tracking DAUs SaaS companies can see how users are using the product post onboarding. This data helps to identify trends and patterns in user behavior so you can make targeted improvements to the user experience and drive higher engagement rates.

SaaS Onboarding Software Tools

Using SaaS customer onboarding tools is key to a smooth saas user onboarding experience and customer success. These tools can automate and streamline the onboarding process so users can get started and stay engaged following the saas onboarding checklist and saas onboarding best practices.

In this section we’ll look at three tools that can help with onboarding: UserGuiding, Intercom and Shepherd.js. These tools offer different features and benefits from interactive product tours and in-app messaging to automated emails and chatbots.

Using these tools allows SaaS companies to create a more engaging and effective onboarding process that meets user needs and drives long term success.

UserGuiding

UserGuiding is a no-code onboarding solution that allows you to create simple and interactive onboarding experiences for your users. With UserGuiding you can create tooltips, hotspots, product tours, checklists and surveys to guide users through the product so they understand the features and functionality. Free to sign up so a great option for businesses looking to improve onboarding.

With UserGuiding SaaS companies can create personalized onboarding experiences for different user personas and goals. This improves user engagement and gets higher activation and retention rates.

Intercom

Intercom’s onboarding strategy uses automated emails and chatbots to provide user assistance during the onboarding process. Automated emails engage users and provide them with important information during their first interactions so they are informed and supported.

Chatbots engage users in real-time by answering questions and guiding them through the onboarding process. Together automated emails and chatbots help user understanding and satisfaction which means better onboarding outcomes.

This way users get continuous support and are less likely to hit roadblocks during onboarding.

Shepherd.js

Shepherd.js is an open source JavaScript library for building in-house product tours. This tool allows developers to build custom product tours that guide users through the features of a SaaS product so they understand the functionality and value. While Shepherd.js is focused on building product tours it lacks segmentation or analytics which can be a limitation for some businesses.

But Shepherd.js is a flexible and customizable solution to build product tours. By using this tool SaaS companies can give users a guided experience that highlights the key features and gets them to get the most out of the product.

SaaS Onboarding Examples

Learning from great SaaS onboarding examples can give you ideas on how to build better onboarding experiences. Companies like Mailchimp, Evernote and Slack have great onboarding processes that have driven high user engagement and satisfaction. Check out these examples and get inspired and implement the same in your own onboarding.

These companies use techniques like interactive product tours, personalized onboarding and continuous support to give users a good onboarding experience. By following these best practices SaaS companies can create a frictionless onboarding journey that drives user success and retention.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s onboarding is designed to get users to set up and send their first email asap. The welcome process includes a welcome/email verification email which sets the tone for the onboarding and makes sure users are ready to get started with the platform.

By not having an empty canvas with zeros and placeholder images Mailchimp doesn’t discourage first time users and instead motivates them to engage with the platform. This way users quickly see the value of the product and are encouraged to take more actions which means higher engagement and satisfaction.

Evernote

Evernote uses checklists to guide users during the onboarding process so they stay organized and on track. The welcome screen has a simple welcome note and a progress bar which helps users see their onboarding progress and get motivated to complete the journey.

The sign up process uses Google accounts for new user registration which makes it simpler and less friction for users. By having a personalized onboarding process Evernote is giving users a better experience and supporting them throughout the onboarding journey.

Slack

During onboarding Slack guides users with tooltips that tells them about projects and channels they can work with. This minimalistic and interactive onboarding is to deliver value to new users asap so they know how to use the platform.

By delivering value asap Slack’s onboarding helps users to see the benefits of the platform which means higher engagement and satisfaction. This way users have a good onboarding experience and are more likely to use the platform long term.

Conclusion

In summary an effective SaaS onboarding is key to user engagement, satisfaction and retention. By knowing the benefits of onboarding, following best practices and using powerful tools SaaS companies can create a frictionless onboarding experience that sets users up for success. From simplifying the sign up process to crafting welcome emails and building interactive product tours each step of the onboarding journey is important to get users to see the value of the product asap.

By measuring success through key metrics and learning from other onboarding examples SaaS companies can optimize their onboarding and grow long term. Remember a good onboarding not only helps users achieve their goals but also creates loyalty and turns them into advocates for your product. Follow these best practices and take your SaaS onboarding to the next level!

FAQs

Why is good SaaS onboarding important?

Good SaaS onboarding is important because users understand the product’s value and therefore higher satisfaction and lower churn. Follow a good onboarding to increase user engagement and retention!

When to onboard my SaaS product?

Onboard when your product isn’t intuitive enough for immediate use especially if it’s complex and needs guidance. This will improve user experience and retention.

What are the key metrics to measure SaaS onboarding?

To measure SaaS onboarding success focus on key metrics like onboarding completion rate, time to value and daily active users. These will help you to see user engagement and satisfaction and guide you to optimize the onboarding for better results.

How to simplify sign up for new users?

You can simplify sign up by minimizing the number of fields and offering social sign up options so users can get started quick and easy. Collect extra information later and improve their onboarding experience!

What are the best tools for SaaS onboarding?

For a frictionless SaaS onboarding use tools like UserGuiding, Intercom and Shepherd.js they provide interactive tours and in-app messaging to guide your users. Act now and increase user engagement and retention!

Work with Baobun Studio

Ready to elevate your SaaS onboarding process and boost customer engagement? Let Baobun Studio help you design an onboarding experience that not only welcomes users but also converts them into lifelong customers.

Contact us today to get started on crafting a user-centered onboarding journey that maximizes retention and satisfaction.