Activation

Activation metrics measure whether users successfully experience your product's core value during their first interactions. The "Magic Moment" or "Aha! Moment" represents that pivotal milestone when users first experience your product's true value.^[1]

Key activation metrics include completion rates of onboarding steps, time to first value, and the percentage of new users who complete a meaningful action specific to your product. These metrics help identify friction points that prevent users from experiencing your product's benefits quickly. There are typically multiple activation moments, for example: registration, tool connections, core actions, each deepening the user's investment in your ecosystem.

Remember that disappointing retention often masks an activation problem. Users who never truly activate have little reason to return, regardless of your re-engagement efforts. Optimizing activation often yields better results than acquiring more users who won't convert or trying to retain users who never had a successful first experience.