Transforming User Engagement: The Userpilot Journey to Simplifying Product Adoption

Company profile
Company business details
Motivation to build the product
The founders were motivated by the need to improve user engagement and adoption in digital products. They recognized that many companies struggle with user onboarding and feature adoption, which can hinder product success. This insight led them to create a solution that simplifies the process of implementing in-product experiences.Problem that their product solves
Userpilot solves the problem of low user engagement and adoption rates in digital products. The end users are product and customer success teams who need to enhance user onboarding and feature announcements. Solving this problem is crucial for these teams as it directly impacts user satisfaction and retention, ultimately affecting the product's success in the market.Their unfair advantage
Userpilot's unfair advantage lies in its low-code toolkit that allows teams to implement changes quickly without needing extensive coding knowledge, making it accessible for non-technical users.Strategies
Pre-Launch (Product Development & MVP)
User-Centric Development
Before writing a single line of code for Userpilot, Yazan Sehwail and his team conducted extensive user interviews to understand the needs and pain points of potential customers. They experimented with various approaches to address these issues, ensuring that their product would be aligned with user expectations. This proactive engagement with users allowed them to validate their concept and refine their product direction, leading to a successful closed beta where over 200 teams tested the product.
Soft Launch Strategy
Yazan Sehwail, the founder of Userpilot, emphasizes the importance of Soft Launches over Hard Launches for SaaS products. Instead of creating a large buzz and expectation, a Soft Launch involves quietly releasing a product or feature to a limited audience, allowing for real-time feedback and iterative improvements. For instance, when Userpilot introduced a new feature to autofill attribute identifiers, they initially released it to only 20% of their users without prior announcement. This approach enabled them to identify and fix issues, such as database crashes, before a wider rollout. By managing user expectations and encouraging feedback, they could refine the product based on actual user experiences, ultimately leading to a more successful full launch.
Launch Stage
Rapid Iteration and Feedback Loop
During the launch phase of Userpilot, the team focused on quick iterations based on user feedback. They were able to sign their first contract just two months after starting development, even before having an alpha version ready. This was made possible by their commitment to being user-centric from day one, which allowed them to adapt their product features rapidly based on real user experiences and needs.
Contextual In-App Cues
During the Launch Stage, Userpilot implemented contextual in-app cues to guide users towards new features. For example, when they launched native tooltips, they did not announce it broadly but instead allowed users to discover it organically through relevant messaging at critical points in their user journey. This subtle approach helped users recognize the value of new features without overwhelming them with information, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
Growth Stage
Data-Driven Decision Making
As Userpilot grew, Yazan emphasized the importance of understanding activation metrics. He noted that many product teams struggle to differentiate between activation and trial-to-paid metrics. By defining activation as the series of events a user must complete to realize value from the product, Userpilot was able to focus on optimizing the user journey, ensuring that users could easily understand and achieve their activation goals, which in turn increased their willingness to pay for the product.
Learn more about Userpilot

CEO Spotlight: Yazan Sehwail of Userpilot on What It’s Like to Lead a SaaS Startup
