App Onboarding
Part of In-app messaging
Distinguishing onboarding guidance from promotional prompts
Decide whether an in-app prompt helps with the current task or asks for a promotional action, then design and measure it accordingly.
Judge an in-app prompt by what it asks the person to do. Onboarding guidance helps them understand or complete a task they have started. A promotional prompt asks them to consider an offer or another optional commercial action. The same visual template can carry either message, so appearance alone does not settle the question.
Use the current task as the test
Ask why the prompt appears at this point. Guidance should address a real step, control or error in the current task. If people cannot find an essential control without a prompt, improve the interface itself; a contextual hint may still help in the meantime.
Promotion can be relevant, but its main action changes the person's goal to considering an offer.
In a budgeting app, a hint beside an unfamiliar control explaining how to categorise a transaction is guidance. A card offering a paid plan after the first category is saved is promotional, even if it mentions better budgeting. If one prompt combines necessary instruction with an optional offer, separate them where possible so the instruction is not tied to a sales choice.
| Question | Guidance signal | Promotional signal |
|---|---|---|
| Why now? | The person has reached a relevant step or error. | A campaign audience or offer window is active. |
| Main action | Continue the task under way. | Explore or accept an offer. |
| When should it stop? | The step is understood or completed. | The offer ends, is declined or is no longer relevant. |
These are editorial decision rules, not platform-defined categories.
Onboarding Guidance vs Promotional Prompts: Key Differences
- Why now?
- The person has reached a relevant step or error.
- Main action
- Continue the task under way.
- When should it stop?
- The step is understood or completed.
- Why now?
- A campaign audience or offer window is active.
- Main action
- Explore or accept an offer.
- When should it stop?
- The offer ends, is declined or is no longer relevant.
Write and place each type clearly
Guidance should name the immediate action and sit near the relevant control or state. One sentence at the point of need may be more useful than a broad tour. If a step is required, explain why; do not present an optional upgrade as a requirement.
A promotion should describe the current offer accurately and lead to a place where the person can assess it. Make dismissal clear and leave the interrupted task usable. If price, eligibility or availability varies, keep the prompt consistent with its destination.
Android describes dialogs as modal controls normally used when a person must act before proceeding. That makes them a consequential choice for routine guidance or an optional offer. Firebase provides card, modal, image-only and banner templates, but selecting a template does not determine the message's purpose.
Using Modal Dialogs for Guidance vs Promotion
- Pros of using modal dialogs for guidanceEnsures attention on critical steps; useful when a user encounters an error or missing input.
- Cons of using modal dialogs for guidanceCan disrupt workflow if overused; may feel intrusive if not contextually relevant.
- Pros of using modal dialogs for promotionHigh visibility for time-sensitive offers; effective for driving conversions.
- Cons of using modal dialogs for promotionMay interrupt core tasks; risk of being perceived as pushy or disruptive.
Measure the stated purpose
For guidance, look at whether the person completes the relevant task and whether the prompt stops appearing when it is no longer needed. For promotion, assess offer response separately. A tap on an offer should not be counted as successful onboarding.
Measuring Success: Onboarding Guidance vs Promotions
- Success metric for guidance
- Task completion rate after prompt appears
- Success metric for promotion
- Offer response rate (e.g., tap or conversion)
- What not to count
- A tap on an offer should not be counted as successful onboarding
