Measure and Improve Your User Activation | Emilia Korczyńska

Summary

In this insightful video, Amelia, head of marketing at UserPilot, discusses the critical concept of user activation in SaaS businesses. She defines user activation as the moment a user engages with key events that showcase the product's value. The video highlights the challenges in measuring activation due to varying definitions across different user segments and use cases. Amelia emphasizes the importance of identifying activation points tailored to specific personas and suggests strategies for improving activation rates through interactive walkthroughs and cohort analysis. Ultimately, she encourages measuring activation to manage and enhance user engagement effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 User activation is crucial for SaaS businesses, as it impacts other key metrics and user retention.
• 📈 User activation is defined by specific 'activation events' that allow users to experience the value of the product.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Activation points vary significantly based on user personas and their individual use cases.
• ✍️ For example, a blogger and an e-commerce store owner using the same email marketing tool have different activation points.
• 📊 Measuring activation rate involves dividing the number of activated users by the total number of users in a given timeframe.
• 🔍 Industry benchmarks for activation rates are difficult to establish due to differing definitions across businesses.
• 🤔 Despite measurement challenges, monitoring activation is essential as it influences overall business metrics.
• 🎯 To improve activation rates, businesses should define activation events for important user segments and set completion goals.
• 🛠️ Using product adoption platforms can simplify the process of tracking key activation events without extensive custom coding.
• 🔄 A/B testing of onboarding experiences, like interactive walkthroughs, can help identify effective strategies for improving activation.

Q & A

What is user activation in the context of SaaS?

User activation refers to the moment when a user performs key actions within a product that allow them to experience its value tailored to their specific needs.

Why is user activation considered essential for SaaS businesses?

User activation is crucial because it affects other key metrics and directly impacts user retention; if users do not see the value of the product early on, they are less likely to stick around.

How can user activation points differ between users?

User activation points can vary significantly between different user segments, such as a blogger wanting to collect subscribers versus an e-commerce store owner looking to send newsletters.

What are activation points?

Activation points are specific actions that users must complete to experience the value of a product. These can include creating a sign-up form or sending a first newsletter.

How is the user activation rate calculated?

The user activation rate is calculated by dividing the number of activated users by the total number of users during a specific time period.

What challenges arise when measuring user activation?

Measuring user activation is challenging because definitions can differ across various personas, products, and use cases, making it difficult to establish standard benchmarks.

Is it possible to establish industry benchmarks for user activation?

Establishing industry benchmarks for user activation is problematic due to the varied definitions and interpretations of activation across different businesses and sectors.

What strategies can businesses use to improve their activation rates?

To improve activation rates, businesses should define activation points for critical user segments, set completion goals, create interactive walkthroughs, and conduct A/B testing.

Why is cohort analysis important for measuring activation success?

Cohort analysis is important because it allows businesses to track user behavior over time, helping them assess the long-term effects of activation improvements on retention and ROI.

What role do interactive walkthroughs play in user activation?

Interactive walkthroughs guide users through key actions necessary for activation, helping them understand the product's value and increasing the likelihood of completing activation points.