What Is an Onboarding Goal?
Your onboarding goal is the single most important result you want new users to achieve during their first session. It determines which tasks you include in your onboarding experience and what users see when they first log in.
A strong onboarding goal creates clarity, builds momentum, and helps users experience an early win.
Why Your Onboarding Goal Matters
A clear onboarding goal helps you:
Reduce overwhelm
Improve early activation
Ensure users know what to do first
Guide the creation of onboarding tasks
Support consistent success across all users
Onboarding experiences appear in the user dashboard with a task list and progress bar. The onboarding flow triggers on every login until all tasks are completed.
How to Define Your Onboarding Goal
Identify the first meaningful action a new user should take
Choose an action that signals progress, creates clarity, or activates engagement.Determine the quickest path to early success
Pick a result users can achieve quickly (within one session).Choose one primary outcome
Avoid multiple competing goals. Focus your flow around one clear result.Align the goal with your product promise
Ensure the first experience supports the transformation your product delivers.Plan for a small number of supporting tasks
Most onboarding goals require 3–7 tasks inside your onboarding flow.
Examples of Onboarding Goals
Complete the Start Here module
Watch the welcome video and complete the first action
Set up their profile or account
Complete the first lesson or milestone
Submit their first assignment
Choose a learning path
Join your community and introduce themselves
What Your Onboarding Flow Can Include
CustomerHub onboarding tasks can include:
Text instructions
Videos or audio
File downloads
Links
Admin-completed tasks
Prerequisites
Reminder notifications
Use these tools to design a clear and actionable experience.
Tips for Choosing a Strong Onboarding Goal
Keep it simple and focused
Aim for a goal users can complete in 5–15 minutes
Focus on actions, not information
Avoid overwhelming users with too many decisions
Ensure the goal leads naturally into your core product experience
FAQ
Should I choose multiple onboarding goals?
No. Start with one clear goal. You can add more milestones later inside your product content.
Does the onboarding goal replace a Start Here module?
No. Your onboarding goal determines what your Start Here module or onboarding tasks should accomplish.
What if I offer multiple products?
Create a unique onboarding goal for each product and assign the appropriate onboarding experience.