Tiffany Trboyevich

Hey everyone!

Coming off our launch last week, we spent some time digging into our analytics for SoundGate and one metric really stood out: our onboarding drop-off rate is sitting at less than 1%.

When we originally sat down to design that first user interaction, we spent a massive amount of time debating and refining the experience. It is incredibly tempting to use onboarding as a data-gathering exercise, but we set a few strict rules for ourselves to prevent that:

• Zero Fluff: We audited every single step. If a question didn't directly improve the user's immediate experience in the app, we cut it.

• UX > Marketing: We had tough conversations about what data helps marketing versus what the user actually needs to get started. We kept the focus entirely on the user's momentum.

• Vibe is a Feature: We didn't just want a functional flow. We wanted to show off the musicality and tone of the app from the very first tap. Onboarding shouldn't feel like filling out a tax form - it should feel like the opening track of a great album.

Two weeks from launch with a five-person email list and I ve made peace with it. Curious for founders further along: what did your first 100 subscribers actually come from? Not the tactics blogs, the real answer.

Shipping @Ctruh Studio and becoming @Product Hunt #2 Product of the Day taught us a lot.

Looking back, there's always one decision you'd make sooner.

What's yours?