- by x32x01 ||
I sent 10 emails to people who signed up for my analytics product, DataLook. So far, I haven't received a single reply.
DataLook is a product I built to help website owners understand which visitors actually become customers and which ones leave without taking action. To get started, users only need to add one tracking script to their website.
But here's the problem: 10 people signed up, and not a single one installed the script.
Instead of guessing why, I decided to ask them directly. I sent each user an email asking where they got stuck and what stopped them from completing the setup.
I was expecting some useful feedback. What I got was silence.
You can't build a better product based on assumptions alone.
Previously, new users were presented with too many details before reaching the first important step.
I changed the flow so that the first thing users see is the tracking script installation process, followed by a way to verify that it's working.
The goal is simple: help users reach their first meaningful result as quickly as possible.
The metric I want to track is Activation Rate: how many registered users actually install the tracking script and get DataLook working.
This will help me understand whether the new onboarding flow is making a real difference.
Getting users to register is only the first step. The real challenge is helping them experience the value of your product.
I'm still testing the new DataLook onboarding flow, so I don't know yet whether these changes will improve activation.
For now, I'll focus on one number: how many new users install the tracking script after signing up?
And if anyone replies to my emails, I'll share their feedback here, exactly as they send it.
Have you ever had users sign up for your product but never actually use it? What did you discover was stopping them?
DataLook is a product I built to help website owners understand which visitors actually become customers and which ones leave without taking action. To get started, users only need to add one tracking script to their website.
But here's the problem: 10 people signed up, and not a single one installed the script.
Instead of guessing why, I decided to ask them directly. I sent each user an email asking where they got stuck and what stopped them from completing the setup.
I was expecting some useful feedback. What I got was silence.
What Zero Email Replies Taught Me
There are several possible reasons why nobody responded:- They signed up but forgot about the product.
- My emails ended up in their spam folders.
- They lost interest after registration.
- DataLook wasn't important enough for them to spend time setting it up.
- Something in the onboarding process made them give up.
You can't build a better product based on assumptions alone.
I Changed the Onboarding Process Instead
Rather than waiting for users to explain the problem, I decided to simplify the onboarding experience.Previously, new users were presented with too many details before reaching the first important step.
I changed the flow so that the first thing users see is the tracking script installation process, followed by a way to verify that it's working.
The goal is simple: help users reach their first meaningful result as quickly as possible.
What I'm Measuring Next: User Activation
I'm not focusing on the number of registrations anymore.The metric I want to track is Activation Rate: how many registered users actually install the tracking script and get DataLook working.
This will help me understand whether the new onboarding flow is making a real difference.
5 Questions to Ask When Users Sign Up but Never Activate
If you're building a SaaS product, website, or mobile app and people register but never complete the setup, ask yourself:- 📊 Can you track where users drop off? Or do you only know how many people signed up?
- 🧩 Can you remove unnecessary steps? Every additional step creates another opportunity for users to leave.
- 🎯 Is the next action obvious? Do users know exactly what to do after signing in?
- 🔍 Have you tested the onboarding yourself? Go through the entire process as a new customer, from registration to getting the first real benefit.
Final Thoughts
Getting users to register is only the first step. The real challenge is helping them experience the value of your product.I'm still testing the new DataLook onboarding flow, so I don't know yet whether these changes will improve activation.
For now, I'll focus on one number: how many new users install the tracking script after signing up?
And if anyone replies to my emails, I'll share their feedback here, exactly as they send it.
Have you ever had users sign up for your product but never actually use it? What did you discover was stopping them?