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RETENTION9 min

Onboarding & First-Session Retention Loop

The first session strongly influences retention. ASO earns the install; onboarding earns the return visit. When they are disconnected, both lose value.

// contents
  1. 01.The 90-second window
  2. 02.Instrumentation
  3. 03.The three-step pattern
  4. 04.Personalisation gates
  5. 05.How ASO earns credit
01

The 90-second window

Early-session friction often drives first-day dropout. If users do not reach the capability moment that delivers the promised value, investigate onboarding before increasing acquisition spend.

02

Instrumentation

Instrument install → open → onboarding steps → capability moment → session end. Measure completion by variant and investigate the largest observed drop before diagnosing the product.

03

The three-step pattern

Use one question to personalise, one demonstration to show the capability and one small commitment that returns value. Keep the route short and validate every additional step against completion data.

04

Personalisation gates

The one question should route the user to the CPP-consistent capability they were promised. If your CPP promised 'freelance invoicing', the demo shows the invoice flow, not the general dashboard. Continuity of promise is the whole point.

05

How ASO earns credit

Screenshot 1 promised outcome X. Onboarding step 2 demonstrates outcome X. Retention lift attributable to that pairing gets attributed to ASO in the report, because without the promise-continuity, the retention doesn't happen.

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