6. Hacking Activation Flashcards
What is the primary challenge companies face after attracting potential customers?
Engaging customers to use the product and achieving activation
98 percent of website traffic does not lead to activation, and many mobile apps lose up to 80 percent of users within three days.
What is the core objective of improving activation?
Increasing the rate at which new users reach their aha moment
The aha moment is when users experience what makes the product a must-have.
What does the growth hacking process provide for improving activation?
A rigorous set of steps for probing impediments and experimenting with hacks
Efforts must be tailored to the specific product and based on analysis of specific data.
What are the three essential steps every growth team must take to improve activation?
Identify activation points, calculate conversion rates, and conduct user feedback
These steps help in tailoring experiments to increase activation.
What is the purpose of creating a funnel report?
To measure conversion rates and identify where users drop off in the customer journey
This report helps track the effectiveness of each step leading to activation.
What steps are tracked in a funnel report for a grocery app?
- Downloading the app
- Searching for items
- Adding items to the cart
- Creating an account
- Making a purchase
Additional steps may include activating special offers or promotions.
How can surprising differences in activation rates by channel affect growth strategies?
They may lead to high-impact discoveries that require re-experimentation with acquisition channels
Understanding channel effectiveness is crucial for optimizing customer acquisition.
What observation did the grocery app team make regarding user behavior?
Many users added items to their shopping carts but left before entering payment information
This indicates a potential stumbling block in the checkout experience.
What is a key recommendation for conducting user surveys?
Surveys should be brief and delivered when the user indicates confusion or after significant actions
This approach ensures higher response rates and more valuable insights.
What type of questions are preferred for user surveys and why?
Open-ended questions are preferred because they allow users to express their thoughts freely
This can reveal insights that structured questions might miss.
What is the purpose of asking users who have completed a purchase about their experience?
To gain insights into what obstacles nearly stopped them from completing their order
This can inform improvements for users who might abandon the process.
What potential experiment did the grocery app team consider based on survey feedback?
Making the checkout process easier and clearer
This could involve redesigning the payment form or simplifying the checkout steps.
What is the primary goal when evaluating customer feedback on a website/app?
To gather data and commentary necessary to evaluate ideas for experiments.
What experiment might a team conduct to address customer abandonment due to forgotten discount codes?
Automatically adding the visitor’s first-time discount code on the checkout page.
What is the significance of promoting the shopping list feature on the app home screen?
It may lead to increased purchases from users who added items to the shopping list.
True or False: There is a guaranteed solution for growth hacking.
False.
What was the initial problem faced by HubSpot’s Sidekick product?
Strong organic adoption with sluggish activation.
What method did the Sidekick team use to analyze user differences?
Segmenting users by attributes such as traffic sources and job roles.
What was discovered about users who signed up with work email addresses?
They had a higher activation rate.
What was a surprising reason users stopped using Sidekick?
They didn’t understand how to use it.
What did the Sidekick team conclude they needed to experiment with?
Ways of educating users on how to use the email tracking add-on.
What was the outcome of the various educational experiments run by the Sidekick team?
None of the tests improved adoption.
What successful change did the Sidekick team implement to improve activation rates?
Displaying a message confirming successful installation and readiness to use the app.
What is the core principle behind conducting experiments for product activation?
Staying nimble and data-driven.
What are the three steps outlined for improving activation?
- Map user steps to the aha moment
- Create a funnel report with conversion rates
- Conduct surveys and interviews to understand drop-offs
What does the term ‘friction’ refer to in user experience design?
Any hindrances preventing a user from completing an action.
What formula helps to remember the importance of reducing friction?
DESIRE – FRICTION = CONVERSION RATE.
What can be more challenging: increasing customer desire or reducing friction?
Increasing customer desire.
What should the new user experience (NUX) be treated as?
A unique, onetime encounter with the product.
What are the three fundamental things the first landing page of the NUX must accomplish?
- Communicate relevance
- Show the value of the product
- Provide a clear call to action
Fill in the blank: Single sign-on simplifies the _______ process.
sign-up
What was the result of Kissmetrics testing single sign-on?
Sign-ups increased by 59.4 percent.
What does ‘flipping the funnel’ mean?
Allowing users to experience the product before asking them to sign up.
How did Hello Bar increase activation rates?
By allowing users to create a message first and then asking for sign-up.
True or False: All products can benefit from the same growth hacks.
False.
What is a common first point of friction in the customer journey?
The new user experience (NUX).
What is one key tactic to optimize the NUX?
Simplifying the sign-up process.
What can often be a big improvement in conversion rates during the sign-up process?
Reducing the amount of information required upfront.
What is the result of allowing users to try a product before signing up?
Increased activation rates.
What should be scrutinized for problems in the NUX?
All elements of the experience.
What balance must be struck when trying to improve activation?
Adding some friction to guide users while reducing unnecessary friction.
What is the purpose of sending a set of five frames before making a purchase?
To help users decide which frames they like before committing to a pair.
What is the relationship between friction and user activation?
In trying to improve activation, some friction may be needed to guide users to the next steps.
What did Airbnb notice about users signing up?
Most users signed up at the last moment when they were ready to book a room.
What was the initial experiment Airbnb ran to increase sign-ups?
They added a prominent strip explaining the benefits of signing up across the bottom of the website.
What was the outcome of Airbnb’s first experiment?
Increased sign-ups but a drop in bookings due to friction caused by the prompts.
What did Airbnb do to reduce friction in the sign-up process?
They optimized how prompts were displayed, including design and frequency of appearance.
How did reducing the frequency of sign-up prompts affect Airbnb’s results?
They lost only 4% in sign-up rate while eliminating the negative impact on bookings.
What type of friction did Airbnb discover through experimentation?
Subtle friction that distracts users from taking the desired actions.
What is the concept of ‘positive friction’?
Introducing manageable steps that help users understand value and reach the ‘aha moment.’
What principle did game developers use to engage users?
Getting users to commit through small, easy steps to play the game.
What is the ‘flow’ state in psychology?
A state where individuals feel challenged just the right amount, leading to deep engagement.
How do game designers use the concept of flow?
They create experiences that guide users through small challenges with rewards to keep them engaged.
What is the purpose of Facebook’s prompts for new users?
To establish commitment and provide a psychological reward for completing their profile.
What is ‘stored value’ in user experience?
The sense of ownership users feel by providing information to a service.
What is ‘learn flow’ as defined by Josh Elman?
A new user experience designed to educate users about the product and its value.
How did Twitter implement the learn flow?
By showing users how the timeline worked and suggesting categories to follow.
What did Pinterest do to enhance its new user experience?
They tested a personalized experience by asking users to select topics of interest.
What was the result of Pinterest’s personalized new user experience?
A 20% increase in activation rate.
What is the benefit of using questionnaires in user onboarding?
They create commitment and a personal connection with users.
What are the recommended guidelines for questionnaires?
No more than five questions, multiple-choice format, and include images.
What is gamification in the context of user activation?
Offering rewards for taking specific actions to enhance user engagement.
How did Adobe use gamification to improve user activation?
By turning tutorials into ‘missions’ for trial users of Photoshop.
What is gamification?
Offering rewards to customers for taking certain actions.
How did Adobe use gamification for Photoshop?
Launched LevelUp, turning tutorials into ‘missions’ for trial users.
What was the outcome of Adobe’s gamification effort?
A 4x increase in trial to purchase conversion.
What can cause gamification efforts to backfire?
If rewards offer no value or are irrelevant to users.
What was the issue with Zappos’ gamification effort?
Badges offered no real value and left customers confused.
What three aspects should be focused on in gamification efforts?
- Meaningful rewards
- Surprise and delight
- Instant gratification
How does LinkedIn gamify user engagement?
Uses a progress meter to encourage users to complete their profiles.
What approach does Khan Academy take towards gamification?
Offers points and awards without making them the centerpiece of the experience.
What are the four effective reward forms identified by Gabe Zichermann?
- Status
- Access
- Power
- Stuff
How does the Starbucks Rewards program work?
Members earn ‘stars’ for purchases, redeemable for rewards.
What are triggers?
Prompts that provoke a response from users.
What are common types of triggers?
- Email notifications
- Mobile push notifications
- Calls to action
What is BJ Fogg’s model for effective triggers?
Depends on user motivation and ability to take action.
What is a facilitator trigger?
Helps users with high motivation but low ability take action.
What is a signal trigger?
Encourages repeat action in users with high motivation and high ability.
What is a spark trigger?
Spurs users with high ability but low motivation to take action.
What are some types of notification triggers to experiment with?
- Account creation
- Purchase messages
- Reactivation campaigns
- New feature announcements
- Top user incentives
- Activity or status changes
What is the principle of reciprocity in triggers?
People are more likely to return a favor.
How can triggers incorporate the principle of liking?
By using referrals from friends or liked individuals.
What is an internal trigger?
Occurs involuntarily and is core to habits and long-term use.
What is a common mistake companies make with opt-in triggers?
Asking for opt-in too soon, scaring users away.
What is the bottom line regarding the use of triggers?
Experiment thoughtfully to ensure they serve users effectively.
Fill in the blank: The most effective rewards in a gamified setting come in the form of _______.
[status, access, power, and stuff]
What is the bottom line regarding the use of triggers in user engagement?
Experiment with triggers thoughtfully to serve users effectively.
Triggers can activate users and build relationships if used correctly; otherwise, they may push users away.
What can happen if triggers are not used thoughtfully?
They can push users away instead of activating them.
Understanding the impact of triggers is essential for positive user engagement.
What is the focus of the next chapters in relation to customer relationships?
To revisit triggers and explore nuances about them.
This indicates a deeper analysis of how triggers affect customer relationships.
What process have growth teams used to achieve success in retention?
The growth hacking process.
Growth hacking often involves innovative strategies to optimize user retention.
Fill in the blank: The foundation of strong relationships with your _______.
[customers].
Building strong relationships is crucial for customer retention and loyalty.
True or False: Understanding user needs is less important than experimenting with triggers.
False.
A thoughtful understanding of user needs is critical when using triggers.
