How to effectively activate new users? These 3 things you need to know

We all know that attracting new customers is important. So when new users come, how do we activate them? How to convert them into effective users?

Activating a user involves three aspects:

Personally, I think that activating new users means:

1. Let new users quickly understand the usage and value of the product;
2. Allow new users to complete the product’s core behaviors as quickly as possible;
3. The product may allow users to gradually complete a series of binding behaviors, encourage new users to bring more new users, and strengthen the stickiness between users and the platform through effective means.

Next, we will analyze these three aspects one by one.

1. Quickly understand the product

Through various means to attract new users, new users opened/downloaded a new product. At this time, we need to quickly and simply let users understand what this product is for them? What is value? How do I use it?

In order to achieve this goal, we usually provide onboarding guides for new users. Of course, most product processes are becoming simpler and users are more educated, so many products no longer provide onboarding guides.

Most common onboarding guides use pictures, animated graphics or short videos on the startup page to show new users the brand characteristics, product highlights or usage methods. Some products also provide step-by-step prompts for key points in the usage process while users are using the product, highlighting the first/next step.

A typical example is a curtain. When a new user opens the Mubu APP for the first time, Mubu will use the boot-up guide page to quickly let the user understand what the product does and what problems it solves. After the user officially enters the APP, pop-up boxes will gradually appear at several key stages to prompt the user what to do next and tell the user how to use it. The screen also highlights "New" in the lower right corner, so that users can start the operation faster and experience a complete process.

At the same time, as a tool efficiency product, Mubu has also prepared a detailed instruction document for users to refer to.

In addition to the above-mentioned novice guidance methods, some products will combine novice guidance with novice tasks, and design the main user behaviors into multiple novice tasks. After the user enters the product, the system will recommend the user to complete a series of novice tasks. Some products will also adopt gamification design, designing novice tasks into level modes, and giving users certain material or spiritual incentives. Users also master how to use the product in the process of passing levels.

2. Encourage new users to start the core process of the product as soon as possible

When new users first start using the product, the product must design an effective strategy to allow new users to get started with the core process of the product with a low threshold (or even no threshold), thereby allowing new users to generate effective conversion behaviors more quickly.

Meituan would like a new user to start ordering takeout right away, and e-commerce products would like users to place shopping orders immediately; if membership is the core of the product, then this product will find ways to speed up the cycle of users becoming members.

In order to achieve this goal, the following measures can be taken:

(1) Newbie benefits/newbie bonuses/newbie tasks

A common strategy used by e-commerce users is that as soon as a new user opens a product, they will receive a push notification saying “Get a red packet worth XX yuan.” Red envelopes are usually coupons or cash of different denominations and conditions. Some red envelopes for new members have an expiration date to emphasize the sense of urgency.

Some new member red envelopes will come with thresholds/conditions, such as simply registering and binding a mobile phone number; if the new member red envelope is a cash reward, the new member will usually be required to complete specified recruiting behavior before the cash can be withdrawn. In order to encourage newcomers to bring in more people, cash red envelopes can also be randomly split into larger red envelopes based on the number of people.

The picture above is a gift package exclusively for new customers of NetEase Yanxuan , which consists of coupons (direct discounts + store-wide discount coupons) and special-priced items. After new customers click to receive it, they will be asked to bind their mobile phone number.

In addition, Yanxuan has designed additional rewards for new users’ first three orders, which can earn them red envelopes and discounts. This not only encourages users to place orders, but also encourages them to place as many orders as possible. The stickiness of placing only one order may be weak, but after placing three orders, the possibility of converting into an active user is higher.

Daily Youxian’s new user gift package consists of a 100 yuan red packet + a 1 yuan membership card + special products for new users. It has two purposes: one is to increase the order rate of new users, and the other is to attract new users to the membership system as soon as possible.

(2) Leverage social connections

Using social relationship chains to activate new users is also an effective means.

People are curious and have a herd mentality. When users find that their friends are also using a product, they will subconsciously feel that it is acceptable and will be more willing to take the next step to understand it. They will want to click to see what their friends are doing and how they are doing it.

WeChat Reading takes advantage of this. In addition to new user benefits, new users who open the app will see simple cards. Below the book it is prominently stated that XX friends are reading it and how many people are reading it. Tell users what books their friends are reading to reduce users' selection costs. Unlike traditional reading apps, new users will first be faced with a dazzling list of books. Some users will be busy browsing without starting the real core behavior of "ordering and reading."

(3) Limited-time free trial for members

Many products have launched membership services, hoping to attract users more deeply through the membership system and thus create greater value.

So for a new user, it is somewhat unrealistic to pay directly to become a member. Therefore, new users are allowed to experience membership at a low price or for free and enter the membership system. Use services and benefits to retain users and accelerate the conversion of new users into paying users and deep users.

NetEase Yanxuan’s free membership trial is a good example.

New users will be offered a 30-day free trial of super membership. In addition to listing the various benefits of super membership, the trial page also intuitively tells users how much money they can save by becoming a member. There is also a money-saving calculator on the page, which allows users to calculate how much they can save from various membership benefits. Through comparison and calculation, users are given a feeling of great discounts.

MissFresh allows new users to open a membership card at a low price of 1 yuan, and this low price of 1 yuan includes the default option of automatic renewal upon expiration. The page copy prominently states "You can enjoy 5% cash back by becoming a member." Activate new users through low prices + automatic renewal + cash back and convert them into formal members.

(4) Special offers for new users

In addition to new user red envelopes and free trial memberships, special promotions can also be launched for new users. Let new users feel the goodwill of the platform, let new users feel that they can get a bargain, and lower the consumption threshold for new users.

In addition to the exclusive page for newlyweds, Kaola also specifically places promotional products for newlyweds in categories such as beauty, mother and baby in prominent locations to improve user activation efficiency.

3. Attract new customers with new ones, improve fission efficiency and strengthen adhesion

As mentioned above, social relationships help activate and retain users. WeChat Reading can utilize WeChat friends to achieve very smooth social activation. So what should other products do if they don’t have such innate conditions?

Attract new users and speed up the fission speed and efficiency of attracting new users.

Shouqi Taxi APP has recently been promoting the "High Recharge and Rebate for Puzzle Puzzle" activity, which has greatly increased the frequency of attracting new users.

In this activity, old users can get high cash back as long as they invite 2 new users to recharge successfully. After a new user successfully recharges, he or she will immediately become a group leader and can initiate a group purchase.

Unlike traditional activity pages that guide users to download the APP, new users are encouraged to immediately attract new users, attract more users to join the group and recharge, thereby maximizing fission and dissemination. As more social relationships are accumulated in the product, the sharing of users after taking a taxi will be able to penetrate and spread more deeply among friends.

In addition, the use of PUSH messages also plays an important role in activating users. Some new users download the product and then leave it aside. At this time, you need to design various PUSH messages to attract the attention of new users, attract users back to the product, and finally activate users in combination with the other methods mentioned above.

This type of message can be a welcome message to give new users timely feedback; it can also be a brief introduction to the product to quickly draw new users back into the product. It can also be preferential information, such as group buying information exclusively for new users.

Sina Weibo sends a welcome message to new users, which actually includes the above three points:

1. Welcome message;
2. Product introduction, what value users can get on Weibo;
3. Discount information: Free 1 month membership trial.

Conclusion

• After attracting new users, we need to activate as many new users as possible and convert them into valid users;
• An effective user is one who operates the core behaviors and processes of the product as much as possible and has an increasingly close connection with the product.

To achieve this result, we can consider:

1. Through efficient onboarding, new users can understand the core value and usage of the product.
2. Through new user benefits/tasks, the accumulation of social relationships, and low-threshold experience of core functions (such as membership), the frequency of new users operating and completing core product behaviors is accelerated;
3. Encourage new users to bring in more social relationships, push information to awaken users, and strengthen the stickiness between new users and products.

Source: Feihan (chanpingdog)