Top Copywriting Tips for Engaging App Onboarding

Write a Headline That Finishes the Sentence “So You Can…”

Anchor your headline in the result users want. For example, “Plan smarter runs so you can beat your best time.” The outcome lens keeps copy honest and tight. Post your rewrite below and invite feedback from fellow readers.

Support With One Crisp Benefit Line

Under your headline, add a single benefit that reduces doubt. Avoid technical jargon and name a tangible gain. For instance, “See every expense in one place, automatically.” If this framing helps, subscribe for a quick swipe file of winning benefit lines.

Tone That Guides, Not Gloats

Pick a single role for your voice and commit. A coach motivates action, a companion empathizes, a concierge anticipates needs. Consistency builds trust across screens, emails, and nudges. Comment which role fits your brand and why.

Tone That Guides, Not Gloats

Write like a helpful human who respects time. Use short sentences, concrete nouns, and strong verbs. Aim for a sixth-grade reading level without sounding flat. If a sentence meanders, cut it. Ask a teammate to read it out loud.

Friction-Slaying CTAs and Helper Text

“Next” is vague. Try “Create my first invoice,” “Plan my week,” or “Start the 7‑day trial.” Specificity reduces hesitation because users know what happens. A/B test verb clarity and share your uplift; we love real-world numbers.

Show Less, Achieve More: Progressive Disclosure

Trim Setup to First Value

If a field doesn’t unlock value in the next minute, defer it. A budgeting app cut three steps and saw first transaction time drop by 32%. Try narrowing your flow to a single meaningful action and share the impact.

Turn Errors Into Bridges

State what happened, why it happened, and how to fix it—then offer one confident action. Example: “Card declined because your bank blocked verification. Try another card or contact support.” Clear steps reduce panic. Have a tough case? Tell us.

Make Empty States Spark First Action

Seed empty screens with example content, a visible next step, and a tiny promise. “Create your first playlist—start with three songs you love.” Replace dead ends with momentum. Share your best empty state; we’ll feature favorites.

Ask for Permissions With Purpose and Timing

Use a pre-permission screen that explains the benefit: “Enable notifications to get gate changes instantly.” Pair it with a respectful “Not now” path. A travel app saw 18% more activations after rewriting this moment—try it and report back.

Personalize Lightly, Not Creepily

Use names and recent actions sparingly to confirm context: “Welcome back, Maya—ready to finish your design?” Avoid oversharing or guessing. Subtle acknowledgement feels respectful. Tell us your favorite gentle personalization and why it works.

Localize Meaning, Not Words

Avoid idioms, test for length expansion, and respect local formats for dates, currencies, and names. Collaborate with native speakers, not just machine translation. Share a tricky phrase you localized and what finally made it click.

Write for Everyone

Use plain language, strong color contrast, and descriptive labels. Make every interactive element screen-reader friendly and announce state changes. Accessible onboarding helps all users. If you’ve shipped an accessibility fix, inspire us with the story.

Measure What Matters: Prove Your Copy Works

Pick a single activation event—like “first expense logged” or “first workout completed.” Baseline the current rate and time. Then iterate copy toward that milestone. Share your definition so others can compare approaches across categories.