When Should You Use Product Tours?

In-app product tours are a valuable tool for businesses and app developers looking to improve user engagement, increase conversions, and boost retention. These tours provide a guided, step-by-step introduction to a product, highlighting key features and functionality and helping users understand how to use it more effectively.

In-app product tours can be a useful tool in a variety of situations, but there are some specific cases where they are particularly effective.

Launching new product or feature

One situation where in-app product tours can be useful is when launching a new product or feature. Product tours can provide a structured, easy-to-follow introduction to the new product or feature, which can help users understand how to use it more quickly and effectively. This can improve the overall onboarding experience for new users, and can increase the adoption and usage of the new product or feature.

Complex or difficult-to-use interface

Another situation where in-app product tours can be useful is when a product has a complex or difficult-to-use interface. Product tours can help users understand the key features and functionality of a product, and can guide them through the steps to complete common tasks or processes. This can help users become more confident and comfortable using the product, which can improve their overall experience and reduce frustration.

A lot of features or functionality that's not obvious

In-app product tours can also be useful when a product has a lot of features or functionality that users may not be aware of. By highlighting these features and functionality in a product tour, businesses and app developers can encourage users to explore and use the product more, which can increase engagement and retention.

To improve overall use experience

In addition to these specific situations, in-app product tours can also be useful as a general tool for improving the overall user experience. By providing a structured, guided introduction to a product, product tours can help users understand how to use the product more effectively and efficiently, which can improve their overall satisfaction and engagement with the product.

Might be an overkill when UI is really simple

However, there are also some situations where in-app product tours may not be the best solution. For example, if a product has a very simple and straightforward interface, a product tour may not be necessary or beneficial. In these cases, providing users with clear and concise instructions or guidance on how to use the product may be sufficient, and a product tour may be an overkill.

User resistance

In addition, in-app product tours may not be the best solution if users are resistant to or annoyed by them. If users perceive product tours as intrusive or annoying, they may ignore or skip them, which can reduce their effectiveness. In these cases, businesses and app developers may need to work on improving their product tours, or find other ways to introduce users to their product.

Overall, in-app product tours can be a valuable tool for businesses and app developers looking to improve user engagement, increase conversions, and boost retention. However, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution, and businesses and app developers should carefully consider when and how to use them to ensure that they are effective and beneficial to users.