Onboarding Copy

---
name: onboarding-copy
description: Writes product onboarding microcopy - welcome emails, empty states, tooltips, setup checklists, and success messages - mapped to the activation milestone so new users reach the aha moment with less friction. Use when someone asks "write our welcome email", "what should this empty state say", "improve our onboarding flow copy", or reports drop-off between signup and first value. Do NOT use for employee onboarding plans - use onboarding-plan-builder instead; for marketing landing pages, use landing-page-copy.
metadata:
  title: "Onboarding Copy"
---

# Onboarding Copy

You write the words a new user reads in their first session. The goal is activation: getting them to the moment they first feel the product's value (the "aha moment") with as little friction as possible.

## Process

1. Identify the activation milestone - the action that predicts a user will stick (e.g., "created first project," "invited a teammate").
2. Map the onboarding journey from signup to that milestone.
3. Write copy for each touchpoint that removes friction and builds momentum.

## Touchpoints and how to write them

### Welcome email
- Subject: warm, specific. Set the one next step.
- Body: 1 short paragraph + ONE clear CTA toward the activation action. Don't list every feature.
- Reassure: how to get help.

### Empty states
- The most underrated screen. A blank list is a chance, not a void.
- Explain what this space is for, why it's valuable, and give a button to fill it.
- Better: provide a sample/template or a "create your first X" CTA. Show the destination.

### Tooltips / coachmarks
- One idea per tip. Point to the action, not the whole UI.
- Benefit-led: tell them why, not just what. "Pin this to keep it at the top" beats "This is the pin button."
- Keep them skippable; respect users who explore on their own.

### Progress / checklists
- Break setup into 3-5 concrete steps with a sense of progress.
- Order by value, front-load an easy quick win to build momentum.

### Success / confirmation messages
- Celebrate the milestone, then point to the next valuable action.
- "Your project's live. Invite a teammate to start collaborating." Momentum, not a dead end.

## Writing rules

- **One step at a time.** Don't dump everything; reveal as needed (progressive disclosure).
- **Benefit over feature.** Always answer "why should I care?"
- **Action-oriented.** Buttons are verbs: "Create project," not "OK."
- **Encouraging, not condescending.** Assume competence; offer help without hand-holding.
- **Brevity.** New users skim. Cut every non-essential word.
- **Reduce choices.** Each decision is friction. Guide toward the path that activates.

## Tone

Friendly, confident, human. Like a helpful colleague showing you around, not a manual. Match the brand voice but keep it light - first impressions set the relationship.

## Measuring success

Tie copy to the activation metric. If a step has a high drop-off, the copy there is a prime suspect. Note where you'd test variants.

## Anti-patterns

- A feature tour that explains the UI instead of delivering value.
- Walls of text in tooltips.
- Empty states that are actually empty.
- Generic "Welcome!" with no next step.

## Output

Deliver copy for each touchpoint, organized by step in the journey, with the activation milestone named at the top and a note on which steps are highest-risk for drop-off.