The Evolution of User Engagement
Explore how engagement has evolved from isolated messages to connected experiences. Learn why siloed campaigns fall flat and how the most effective teams are breaking down channel barriers at scale.
The Evolution of User Engagement
Welcome, engagement innovators! 🚀
Ready to revolutionize how you think about user communication? Let's explore why traditional engagement is falling short and how to create experiences users actually appreciate.
The Problem With Traditional Engagement
Think about the last time you signed up for a new product. You likely received welcome messages across multiple channels - some helpful, some redundant, some just confusing. That's exactly how users feel when our channels don't work together.
Why This Matters Now ✨
Let's get real about how most teams operate: in silos. Does this sound familiar?
Meanwhile, users are experiencing all of this as one potentially confusing journey.
The Data Behind Disconnected Experiences
The research paints a clear picture of why connected experiences matter:
- You've got just 50 milliseconds to make an impression (T&F Online)
- 84% say that experience is as important as products and services (Salesforce)
- Connected customer experiences drive 1.7x higher customer retention (Forrester)
“At scale, personalization is what makes the difference between churn and long-term success.”
Wade Foster,
Co-Founder & CEO, Zapier
The Scaled Engagement Approach 🎯
Instead of:
Treating channels as separate entities with different goals
Try:
Viewing all touchpoints as part of one cohesive user experience
Instead of:
Starting with the channel ("What should our email say?")
Try:
Starting with the user moment ("What does someone need when they first create a project?")
Common Engagement Myths Busted
MYTH
Starting with the user moment ("What does someone need when they first create a project?")
REALITY
Quality and timing trump quantity every time
MYTH
Each channel needs its own strategy
REALITY
Channels should share one user-focused strategy
MYTH
Users notice which channel they're using
REALITY
Users just want a consistent, helpful experience
Real-world success: How Fullstory got it right
To scale onboarding across different user roles, Fullstory combined in-app messages with a targeted three-part email series. Each email was personalized by role and timed to reinforce in-app actions with helpful next steps. Read the full story →
The result:
Pro Tips for Scaled Engagement
Let's explore how to implement a connected approach:
- Map out key user paths from end to end
- Identify critical moments that deserve communication
- Note where different teams might be overlapping
- Document all touchpoints by channel and timing
- Identify potential conflicts or message fatigue points
- Establish clear ownership for cross-channel coordination
- Move beyond time-based sequences to behavior-driven ones
- Create logic that adapts based on user actions or inactions
- Build in feedback loops that inform future messages
- Create regular sync points between channel owners
- Develop shared goals that transcend individual channels
- Build shared measurement frameworks
QUICK EXERCISE
Journey Mapping Foundation
This is the start of an ongoing exercise that we'll build on throughout the course. Today, we'll create the foundation of your cross-channel engagement strategy:
Phase 1: Current State Assessment
Coming in Future Lessons
- Adding behavior triggers and key moments (Lesson 2)
- Optimizing channel selection (Lesson 3)
- Refining message content (Lesson 4)
- Building connected flows (Lesson 5)
Download our Quick Start Guide: User Journey Map to get started. We'll build on this foundation in each subsequent lesson until you have a complete roadmap for implementation.
Remember ✨
Your channels should work together to create one meaningful experience. In our next lesson, we'll explore how to identify those perfect moments when users are ready to engage.
Key Takeaways
Ready to find those perfect moments for engagement? See you in Lesson 2! 🚀
