{"id":66592,"date":"2024-04-03T15:46:17","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T15:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatfix.com\/blog\/?p=66592"},"modified":"2026-01-14T16:13:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:13:35","slug":"in-app-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatfix.com\/blog\/in-app-training\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Types of In-App Training to Enable Users (+Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"

90%<\/a> of digital products and services reported that new users experienced friction during onboarding<\/a>, resulting in high abandonment and churn rates. Sectors like the banking industry see new user leak rates of 25%+ for new users during the onboarding phase.<\/p>\n

Overall, 30% of current customer education programs lack maturity; only 29%<\/a> of SaaS companies provide a product tour and 24% utilize interactive walkthroughs for in-app training, opting for more a more traditional, hands-on approach to customer education and training<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This highlights a gap for many companies to bridge it from outdated end-user training<\/a> to new, in-product training that guides customers with contextual and interactive application training experiences to help them realize value from a tool and achieve their business outcomes.<\/p>\n

This article explores the different types of in-app product training formats, how products and digital services can enable customers with in-app training experiences with a digital adoption platform like Whatfix, and showcases a few examples of excellent in-app training.<\/p>\n

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What Is In-App Training?<\/h2>\n

In-app training provides guidance, assistance, and direction directly within an application or website. Unlike traditional onboarding or training processes, in-app training doesn\u2019t require users to leave the screen to get needed help. Instead, in-app training uses pop-ups, pointers, checklists, and more to help users become familiar with an application, adopt new features, or troubleshoot problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Types of In-App Training Formats & Widgets<\/h2>\n

In-app training is an umbrella term for different types of in-app guidance <\/a>that helps end-users familarize themselves and learn a new software or website. Here are nine of the most popular widget formats to facilitate in-app training.<\/p>\n

1. Product tours<\/h3>\n

A product tour<\/a> provides an overview of an app\u2019s features and functions. It\u2019s often a first step in introducing new users to the platform, giving them all the information they need to use the tool.<\/p>\n

\"Popup-guided-tour\"<\/p>\n

2. Interactive walkthroughs<\/h3>\n

An interactive walkthrough<\/a> is similar to a product tour but encourages the user to engage. Interactive walkthroughs point out new features or guide a user through how to use a particular app function, waiting for the user to complete a task before moving on to the next step.<\/p>\n

\"whatfix-flow-and-survey\"<\/p>\n

3. User checklists<\/h3>\n

User checklists<\/a> provide a rundown of activities to complete training or onboarding. These checklists direct new users towards the processes they need to follow and help keep them on task.<\/p>\n

\"task-list\"<\/p>\n

4. Self-help resource centers<\/h3>\n

In-app help centers<\/a> make it easier for new users to find support materials as they get familiar with the app or platform. Resources are available on demand and can be offered contextually to users based on the page they view or the features they interact with.<\/p>\n

\"self-help-gif\"<\/p>\n

5. Tooltips<\/h3>\n

Tooltips<\/a> are a UI element that shares a message or tip with a user when interacting with a specific page, element, or feature within an app. They can provide additional information or context but typically should be kept brief and concise.<\/p>\n

\"typeform-tooltip-example\"<\/p>\n

6. Beacons<\/h3>\n

Beacons (or hotspots<\/a>) can draw users’ attention to a specific feature or app element. Beacons are microinteractions<\/a> that can encourage users to engage, remind them of features or applications, or direct them toward new features or product changes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

7. Pop-Ups<\/h3>\n

Pop-ups are often used to alert users to significant changes or issues that need their immediate attention. Pop-ups may welcome new users to the app, update them on major software or product changes, or promote events or surveys.<\/p>\n

\"CRM-in-app-pop-up\"<\/p>\n

8. Video tutorials<\/h3>\n

Video tutorials help make in-app training feel more personal. Not only can videos be used to introduce new concepts or provide overviews of a product\u2019s features and services, but they can also help explain complex or detailed processes.<\/p>\n

9. Live product demos<\/h3>\n

Live product demos allow new users to sit back and watch how a platform works straight from an expert. Including live product demos in in-app training programs can eliminate confusion and ensure new users get the most value from your platform.<\/p>\n

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Related Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • How to Create a User Guide (Examples, Tips, Tools)<\/a><\/li>\n
  • How to Improve Feature Adoption (+KPIs & Metrics)<\/a><\/li>\n
  • Product-Led Onboarding: Best Practices (+Examples)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    Best Practices for Effective In-App User Training<\/h2>\n

    Enabling customers with in-app training requires building contextual onboarding, reinforcement learning, and on-demand support experiences. Here are best practices and tips for creating better end-user training programs via in-app experiences, guidance, and assistance.<\/p>\n

    1. Create contextual in-product training based on different personas and end-user types<\/h3>\n

    Products have different use cases, and each user group will engage with your product in different ways depending on their intended outcomes and use roles. Creating persona-driven training helps ensure that the information provided to each user is relevant, informative, and valuable.<\/p>\n

    While personalizing training programs based on personas requires a more significant time investment, matching user needs with training materials can improve end-user adoption<\/a> and reduce churn.<\/p>\n

    With a digital adoption platform<\/a> (DAP) like Whatfix, creating multiple, contextual in-app training experiences is simple.<\/p>\n

    With Whatfix\u2019s no-code visual editor (Whatfix Studio), you can create guided tours, interactive flows, task lists, and more without coding experience and matching your product\u2019s brand.<\/p>\n

    \"whatfix-visual-editor\"<\/p>\n

    Generate new in-app training experiences, tutorials, and resources in just a few clicks, enabling you to diversify onboarding pathways with multiple branches and ensure all materials are up-to-date with the latest features and interfaces.<\/p>\n

    2. Map your user journey and its critical adoption moments<\/h3>\n

    New users will experience user friction<\/a> and hit roadblocks throughout their adoption journey. They may have questions, concerns, or challenges completing specific tasks or using different features at these points. While the goal is to eliminate as many roadblocks as possible, providing the right resources and support at those moments is also critical.<\/p>\n

    Find these friction points in your user journey with Whatfix Analytics. With Whatfix Analytics, analyze your user flows to identify where users frequently drop out of your processes and identify areas where you can improve the user experience to keep them moving forward.<\/p>\n

    \"user-funnel-analysis-product-analytics\"<\/p>\n

    Whatfix\u2019s end-user analytics can help bring customers to their \u201caha!\u201d moment faster. Track critical User Actions to gain a deeper understanding of each phase of the user journey to help them realize the full value of your product. Use this data to create new in-app training content to help drive value for your users.<\/p>\n