Lesson 2
8 mins

Finding Your Perfect Moments

Learn to identify high-impact touchpoints that deserve engagement and distinguish them from noise. Discover practical methods for identifying key moments in your product that predict long-term success

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CURRICULUM
The Evolution of User Engagement
Finding Your Perfect Moments
Choosing the Right Channel
Crafting Messages That Convert
Building Connected Experiences
Measuring What Matters
Turning Strategy Into Action
Assessment
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Finding Your Perfect Moments

Finding the right moments to engage users is crucial—especially when you’re doing it at scale. Today, we're learning how to spot those key opportunities in your product when users are most ready to engage.

The Signal vs. Noise Challenge ✨

Not every user action deserves a response. The real art is knowing which moments truly matter. This becomes even more important as you scale engagement to larger, more diverse user bases.

“Customer data is the compass that guides your experience strategy.”

Brian Halligan
‍Co-Founder & Chairperson, HubSpot

Spotting Your "Aha" Moments 🔎

Not all product interactions are created equal. Here's how to identify the ones that matter:

High Impact Moments

Number 1

First value achievement: When users first experience the core benefit of your product (e.g., sending their first message, completing their first project, or generating their first report)

Number 2

Feature discovery: When users encounter a capability that expands their usage (e.g., learning about keyboard shortcuts, finding templates, or accessing advanced functionality)

Number 2

Workflow completion: When users finish a meaningful sequence of actions that delivers value (e.g., publishing content, sharing with teammates, or finalizing a transaction)

Number 2

Collaboration initiation: When users bring others into the product experience (e.g., inviting team members, sharing content, or delegating tasks) 

Number 2

Usage milestones: When users reach significant usage thresholds that indicate deepening engagement (e.g., creating their 10th project, reaching usage frequency patterns, or unlocking advanced tiers)

Just Noise: 

Number 1

Basic navigation

Number 2

Regular log-ins 

Number 2


Standard page views 

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Routine actions

The Moment-Mapping Framework

Think of key moments like chapters in a story:

The Hook (first value)

• What's the earliest win users can experience?

• How quickly can they get there?

• What obstacles might prevent this initial success?

The Plot (Core Actions)

• Which actions lead to regular usage?

• What patterns indicate success?

• Where do users typically get stuck or confused?

The Climax (Power User Moments)

• When do users level up?

• What triggers expanded usage?

• Which advanced features drive long-term retention?

The Friction Points (Engagement Barriers)

• Where do users commonly drop off?

• Which steps cause confusion or frustration?

• What intentional friction exists for good reason (security, compliance)?

• What unintentional friction needs to be removed?

Real-world success: Mapping moments for better adoption

Before launching Workflows, the Appcues team mapped each step users needed to take—from first discovery to long-term value. That clarity made it easier to guide users with timely nudges across channels and spot where they were getting stuck. Read the full story →

Free-to-paid conversion equation

The result:

Number 1

A more connected experience and a repeatable playbook for future launches.

Practical Methods for Discovering Key Moments

Finding your product's key moments isn't always straightforward. Here are practical approaches to uncover them:

Number 1

Experience Your Product Like a New User

  • Complete a "fresh eyes" audit: Sign up for your product with a new email and go through the experience without any insider knowledge 
  • Document points of confusion: Note every moment where you had to stop and think
  • Time your path to value: How long does it take to reach that first meaningful outcome?
Number 1

Leverage Your Data

  • Analyze retention patterns: Work with your data team to correlate specific actions with long-term retention 
  • Look for usage inflection points: Identify what actions precede significant increases in engagement 
  • Study your best customers: What behaviors do your most successful users have in common?
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Gather Qualitative Insights

  • Review customer feedback: Mine support tickets, app reviews, and NPS comments for friction points and moments of delight 
  • Interview power users and champions: Ask what specific moments "unlocked" the product's value for them 
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Map Conversion Pathways

  • Track drop-off points: Where do users abandon processes most frequently? 
  • Identify correlation vs. causation: Determine which actions directly lead to conversions 
  • Compare successful vs. unsuccessful journeys: What's different about users who succeed?

Pro Tips for Moment-Spotting

Number 1

Follow the breadcrumbs of your power users: Analyze the behavior patterns of your most engaged users to identify which actions predict long-term success. Look beyond the obvious metrics to find unexpected correlations.

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Look for natural progression points: Map the logical next steps users should take after completing foundational actions. These transition moments are perfect opportunities for timely engagement.

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Watch for struggle signals: Monitor where users repeatedly attempt actions without success or where they seek help. These friction points often indicate opportunities for proactive guidance.

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Track completion, not just initiation: Measure how many users finish important workflows, not just how many start them. The gap between starting and finishing reveals critical moments for intervention.

QUICK EXERCISE

Adding Key Moments to Your Journey Map

Let's build on the Journey Mapping Foundation you created in Lesson 1:

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For the user journey you mapped in Lesson 1

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Identify 5-7 key moments that matter most (using the high-impact categories we discussed)

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Note which moments represent "first value," "core actions," and "power user" experiences

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Document common friction points or drop-offs along this journey

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Add these key moments as a new layer on your Journey Mapping Template

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For each key moment:

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Estimate how long it typically takes users to reach this point

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Note what behavior should immediately precede this moment

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Identify what actions you want users to take next

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Mark which moments might benefit from intervention or guidance

This key moments layer transforms your communication map into a behavior-driven engagement strategy. In the next lesson, we'll determine the ideal channels for each of these moments.

The Moment-Channel Connection

Remember our discussion about connected experiences from Lesson 1? Now we're choosing which interactions deserve attention. Some moments need a full multi-channel approach, while others require just a gentle nudge.

Warning Signs You're Missing Key Moments ⚠️

• Users churning right after signup

• Feature adoption plateaus

• Support tickets about discoverable features 

• Drop-offs at predictable points

Remember ✨

Every product has its magic moments—those perfect opportunities when users are primed for the next step. Your job isn't to create more moments, but to make the most of the ones that already exist.

Moment Mapping Template

Key Takeaways

Number 1


Not every action deserves a response

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Power users leave clues—follow them 

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Timing matters more than frequency 

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Start with high-impact, low-effort moments

Next up: We'll learn exactly which channel to use for each moment you've identified. See you in Lesson 3!

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