User engagement – the extent to which people actually use and get value from your product – is a key driver of business success or failure.
Often, the problem begins during the very first steps. That’s why customer onboarding needs to be better.
And we believe it can be, with video.
Why is user engagement so important?
If users don’t engage with your product, app, or service then they won’t remain users for long!
Investing in user engagement is essential for not only attracting new customers, but also keeping them.
Let’s take a look at 5 reasons why user engagement is so important…
1. It reduces churn
We’ve all downloaded an app only to delete it seconds later when we have no idea how it works. In fact, 8 in 10 users have deleted an app because they didn’t know how to use it.
To these customers, it doesn’t matter whether your app actually fulfils the requirements they’re looking for – because they’re not going to waste their precious time trying to figure out how it works.
And they shouldn’t have to. The information should be there in front of them, so that they can get off to the best start with your app (or your product or service).
Like this example from the brain training app, Lumosity:
Before users play a new game they are always given a quick tutorial so that they know how it works. Users are also given the option to skip the tutorial if they feel they don’t need it.
The number one reason users churn is because they don’t understand the product. With a quick user onboarding video, you can help them understand and reduce your churn rate.
2. It increases satisfaction
In addition to its practical uses, user engagement also increases customer satisfaction by showing customers that you care about their experience post-sale.
According to our recent onboarding survey, 63% of customers say that the level of support they’re likely to receive post-sale is an important consideration in whether they purchase in the first place.
When you focus on user engagement, your customers are more likely to use your product, service, or app for longer – and so the lifetime value of your customers is increased.
No matter what industry you’re in, customer acquisition isn’t cheap. So the longer you can keep your current customers happy, the more value you will gain from every sale. It’s a win-win!
3. It generates positive reviews and referrals
It might be an obvious statement, but when you increase customer satisfaction you also increase the likelihood of getting positive reviews and referrals.
Positive reviews and referrals are so valuable for increasing your brand’s visibility, building social proof, and also obtaining new users.
You can put out tons of great information about your brand, but that will only take you so far. People want to hear from their peers. An incredible 9 out of 10 people say they trust what a customer says about a business more than what that business says about itself.
4. Reduces support queries
Clear and engaging user onboarding puts the power in your customers’ hands. It gives them all of the tools they need to answer their own questions – reducing the number of support queries you receive.
This isn’t only good for improving the efficiency of your support team (by reducing their workload), it’s also great for customer satisfaction.
It doesn’t matter how easy you make it, no one wants to spend time contacting customer support. An engaging walkthrough, like this one by Evernote, gives new customers all of the information they need to get started as quickly as possible.
5. It convinces ‘maybe’ customers
While user engagement is primarily used for supporting existing customers and making sure that they have the best experience, it can also convince customers that aren’t so sure about your product, app, or service to make the leap from Considering to Converted.
When potential customers see how easy it is for others to get up and running with your product – either through customer reviews or referrals – they may be more likely to give it a try themselves!
Why video?
So, we’ve talked all about the importance of user engagement and the many ways that it can help your business and improve customer satisfaction.
But why is video the best way to engage new users?
What makes video so special?
Well, there are a couple of reasons…
1. Video hits all of the senses
…well, most of them!
Video grabs the attention of users with sound, sight, movement, and noise – creating a sensory experience that is captivating and memorable.
When you think about the other options available for onboarding users – written instructions or a demo call, for example – video comes out on top.
According to our recent video marketing survey, when asked how they’d most like to learn about a product or service, two-thirds of people said they’d prefer to watch a video.
2. Users can follow along
Videos make it easy for new users to follow along with step-by-step instructions. The movement in video creates chronology and also adds a layer of knowledge that isn’t possible with static content.
You don’t just tell users where to click, you show them. And users can pause the video at any time, or skip forward and back, to make sure they fully understand how to use the product, app, or service.
Some brands also choose to add text instructions on screen, making it even easier for new users to be onboarded. This video from Nescafe is a great example:
3. You can showcase your personality
Video creates a unique branding opportunity. You can showcase your personality to new users through your brand colours and style, and also through your brand voice.
Often, this is your chance to make a first impression on your users and set the tone for their relationship with your brand.
Customers like brands that they can identify with and this can increase brand loyalty. According to a report by LoyaltyOne, 60% of companies report that when customers feel loyal towards a brand they spend 2-3x more.
Different types of video to engage new customers
Video is such a versatile medium. It can be used in a number of different ways to engage and delight new customers.
Here are 5 different types of videos, along with some great examples, that do a wonderful job of making new users feel welcome…
1. Welcome videos
Even if your product, service, or app is absolutely foolproof, it’s still nice to greet new users with a quick and engaging welcome video.
Welcome videos don’t need to be too in-depth. You can simply say hello and highlight the most popular features of your product, like this video from Project.co:
It can also help to create a suite of videos that welcome new users by showing them how different features of your product, service, or app work.
Project.co also does this through the Learn section of the website:
Project.co is a project management software and this suite of videos covers all different features in detail so that new users can hit the ground running.
2. Assembly videos
Thankfully, the scenario in our introduction was entirely fabricated! IKEA actually offers a great range of videos that show new customers exactly how to assemble their most popular products.
The videos list all of the tools the customer will need and then step by step instructions for building the furniture:
This level of detail makes it really easy for customers to follow, regardless of their DIY skill level!
And this focus on helping new customers to assemble their products correctly also works to enhance the lifespan – and value – of the products, leading to increased customer satisfaction.
3. Software demos
If you sell a software product then screen-recorded demo videos are a great way to educate new users – because you can show them exactly what to do!
Take Canva, for example:
Canva is a design software and they post lots of videos like this to their YouTube channel to walk new users through different features of their software.
They also create demo videos to highlight features that users may not know about or may not know how to use, to ensure that customers get the most out of the software:
4. How to better use the product
As we just mentioned, videos can help users to get the most out of your product, service, or app – increasing their satisfaction and maybe even their loyalty to your brand.
Amazon have created some videos that help users to unleash a little bit of extra value from their smart home product, Alexa.
This simple, 30 second video talks users through what they need to do to use this feature, so they can get more out of the product.
Creating this kind of content, aimed primarily at post-sale users, can help brands to show that they care about their existing customers.
5. FAQ/Troubleshooting
It’s an awful shame to lose a customer who would really benefit from your product and could become a lifelong fan of your brand, all because they didn’t have the information they needed to get started.
Video can be a great tool for troubleshooting or answering any FAQs that your customers have. And it also saves you time and money on the support side of things by reducing calls to your support reps.
Here’s an example from Karcher:
Final thoughts
When you focus on increasing user engagement, you benefit from customers who are happier and more loyal – because they understand your product, service, or app better.
If you want to find out more about how to create an amazing user onboarding video that will increase user engagement for your brand, click here.
