Best Practices

Guidelines for creating effective in-app messages that engage users without annoying them.

Message Strategy

One Message, One Goal

Every message should have a single, clear purpose:

Good	Bad
"Welcome! Take the product tour."	"Welcome! Here's a tour, our pricing, our blog, and a survey."
"New feature: Dark Mode"	"New feature plus 5 other updates you missed"

Choose the Right Format

Goal	Best Format
Quick announcement	Banner
Important info requiring attention	Modal
Multi-step guidance	Checklist
Collect feedback	Feedback survey
Product updates	Changelog

Don't Overwhelm

• Limit active messages - 2-3 concurrent max

• Space out modals - Users need breathing room

• Use banners for passive info - Less intrusive than modals

Targeting Best Practices

Be Specific

Broad targeting = irrelevant messages = annoyed users.

// Too broad
Everyone sees everything

// Better
Free users → Upgrade prompts
New users → Onboarding
Pro users → Advanced features

Combine Dimensions

Layer targeting for precision:

Contact + Time + Behavior

Example:
  Plan = "free"              // Contact
  Signed Up > 14 days ago    // Time
  Used feature 5+ times      // Behavior

= Engaged free users ready for upgrade conversation

Test on Yourself First

Before launching to everyone:

1. Add a rule: Email equals [email protected]

2. Test the full experience

3. Remove the rule when ready

Exclude Already-Converted

Don't show conversion messages to converted users:

// Upgrade prompt
Plan equals "free"
AND
Event "upgrade_viewed" has not done (recently)

Content Best Practices

Headlines

• Be specific: "Introducing Dark Mode" > "New Feature!"

• Lead with value: "Save 2 hours/week" > "New automation"

• Keep short: 5-8 words ideal

Body Copy

• Front-load value: Most important info first

• Use bullets: Scannable > walls of text

• Be concise: Respect user time

Calls to Action

• Action-oriented: "Start Free Trial" > "Submit"

• Specific: "See Pricing" > "Learn More"

• One primary CTA: Don't split attention

Good CTAs:

• "Get Started"

• "Try It Now"

• "View Plans"

• "Take the Tour"

Weak CTAs:

• "Click Here"

• "Learn More" (sometimes okay)

• "Submit"

• "OK"

Timing Best Practices

New Users

Time	Message Type
Day 1	Welcome modal, onboarding checklist
Day 3	Feature discovery hints
Day 7	Check-in, value reinforcement
Day 14	Upgrade prompt (if free)

Established Users

• Announce features when relevant

• NPS after 30+ days

• Re-engage after 7+ days inactive

Trigger on Actions

Better than time-based:

// Time-based (less precise)
Show after 7 days

// Action-based (more relevant)
Show after they've done X 5 times
Show when they visit feature page
Show after completing onboarding

Design Best Practices

Visual Hierarchy

1. Headline - Biggest, boldest

2. Key message - Clear and scannable

3. CTA - Prominent, clickable

Colors

• Match your brand - Consistency builds trust

• Contrast matters - Text must be readable

• Use color purposefully - Red for warnings, green for success

Images

• Add value - Don't use decorative images

• Show the feature - Screenshots > stock photos

• Optimize size - Don't slow page load

Mobile

• Test on mobile - Many users are mobile

• Keep text short - Less space available

• Ensure tap targets - Buttons must be tappable

Checklist Best Practices

Item Count

• 5-7 items ideal - Achievable but comprehensive

• Too few (2-3) - Doesn't feel valuable

• Too many (10+) - Overwhelming, low completion

Item Quality

• Specific actions: "Create your first project" > "Get started"

• Achievable: Each item completable in minutes

• Valuable: Every item teaches something useful

Completion Types

Use Manual	Use Automatic
Reading docs	Creating something
Watching videos	Inviting someone
Acknowledging info	Using a feature

Progress Motivation

• Always show progress bar - Motivates completion

• Celebrate completion - Thank users when done

• Consider rewards - Unlock something upon completion

Feedback Best Practices

When to Ask

• Not too early - Wait until they've experienced value

• Not during critical flows - Don't interrupt work

• After positive moments - Just completed something? Good time.

Question Design

• One question - Surveys ≠ interrogations

• Be specific - "Rate dashboard usability" > "Rate our product"

• Make it quick - 5 seconds to complete

NPS Guidelines

• Wait 30+ days - They need experience to judge

• Target active users - Inactive users skew results

• Don't over-ask - Once per quarter max

Act on Feedback

• Review regularly - Weekly at minimum

• Follow up on low scores - Reach out personally

• Close the loop - Tell users when you fix things

Testing Best Practices

Before Launch

1. Test on yourself (target by email)

2. Check mobile appearance

3. Verify links work

4. Test dismiss behavior

5. Check targeting logic

A/B Testing

Test one variable at a time:

• Headline A vs Headline B

• CTA text variations

• Different images

• Modal vs banner

Measure Success

Metric	Good Sign	Bad Sign
CTR	>10% (modal)	<2%
Completion rate	>50% (checklist)	<20%
Dismissal rate	<30%	>70%
NPS response rate	>20%	<5%

What to Avoid

Don't

• ❌ Show modals on every page load

• ❌ Make messages impossible to dismiss

• ❌ Use dark patterns ("Not interested" vs "No thanks, I hate saving money")

• ❌ Send the same message repeatedly

• ❌ Block critical user workflows

• ❌ Use misleading CTAs

Do

• ✅ Respect user attention

• ✅ Provide clear dismiss options

• ✅ Be honest and direct

• ✅ Test before launching

• ✅ Monitor analytics

• ✅ Iterate based on data

Quick Reference

Message Frequency

Type	Max Frequency
Modals	1 per session
Banners	1-2 concurrent
Checklists	1 active
Feedback	1 per month

Targeting Priorities

1. User stage (new/established)

2. Plan level

3. Behavior (events)

4. Page context

Content Length

Element	Ideal Length
Headline	5-8 words
Body	2-3 sentences
CTA	2-4 words
Checklist item	5-10 words