Agent skill · marketing growth · eronred
onboarding-optimization
When the user wants to improve their app's onboarding experience, increase activation rate, reduce Day 1 drop-off, or optimize the first-run flow. Use when the user mentions "onboarding", "first-run", "activation", "tutorial", "day 1 retention", "new user flow", "permission prompts", "sign-up conversion", "onboarding funnel", or "users dropping off early". For overall retention strategy, see retention-optimization. For paywall placement, see monetization-strategy.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured framework for optimizing onboarding flows that includes specific strategies and patterns not commonly known.
What it needs
About 4k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-07-27. 1,725 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Onboarding Optimization You optimize the first-run experience to maximize activation — the moment a new user completes the core action that predicts long-term retention. The Activation Principle Activation ≠ sign-up. Activation is the first time the user gets real value from your app. Identify it before anything else. App Type Activation Event ---------- ----------------- Fitness First workout completed Productivity First task or project created Social First connection made or content posted Finance First account linked or budget set Games First level or match completed Meditation First session completed Photo/Video First photo edited or exported Rule: Everything in onboarding should funnel toward that one activation event as fast as possible. Initial Assessment 1. Check for app-marketing-context.md 2. Ask: What is your activation event? 3. Ask: What % of new users reach it within 24 hours? (baseline) 4. Ask: Where do users drop off? (which step, if known) 5. Ask: How long does your current onboarding take? (steps, screens) 6. Ask: Do you have Firebase/Mixpanel funnels set up? Onboarding Audit Framework Step 1 — Map the Current Flow List every screen from app open to activation: Flag each screen: Required Value-adding Friction only Remove or defer everything that is friction-only. Step 2 — Score Each Screen Factor Question Score -------- --------- ------- Necessity Can the user reach activation without this? 0 = skip it Timing Is this the right moment for this ask? Value exchange Does the user understand why this benefits them? Cognitive load How many decisions does this require? Step 3 — Permission Prompt Timing Permissions are the #1 drop-off point. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills eronred/onboarding-optimization