The good bits:
- Reddit employs a free sample approach to onboarding. Sometimes, getting users immediately to content is all that’s needed. On app launch, users are shown a single value proposition screen which allows them to sign up or begin exploring via “Skip for now.” The subsequent experience drives interest in deeper engagement by exposing popular posts (and their hilarious comments) in a breadth of categories. Reddit knows that its fresh content is what drives users, and that its website already provides that content account-free. Its mobile app doesn’t make the mistake of forcing all new users to have accounts or to have them watch an intro slideshow.
- New users are able to fully explore all the subreddits Reddit offers in the second, “Categories” tab of the app.
- The signup flow is simple, and it includes the ability to unmask their password as they type, and to continue using the app without being forced to exit for email verification.
- Once an account is created, the new user receives a welcome message in the “Messages” tab to introduce them to the basics of contributing to Reddit. There is also a subreddit for community support at r/redditmobile.
To be improved:
- When signed in, the new user will find their “Categories” tab evolved–in that it’s suddenly sparse. Unlike not-signed-in-users who see all categories exposed by default, account owners need to manually search for and subscribe to specific categories in order to make them display here.
- Although new, account-less users can browse content, the majority of interactions in the app require an account. Instead of these interactions triggering opportunities to enter Reddit’s signup flow, the app just shows repetitive toasts reminding the user that certain features are locked.
- The app misses opportunities to leverage its empty states for education. Inline cues can be used to provide education on these blank slates, making something that is empty, actionable and informative. But Reddit’s app doesn’t use these to its advantage. Before a new user is signed up, for example, the content on the “Messaging” and “Profile” tabs is only that of a generic sign-up prompt. When the new user does sign up for an account, the new links shown in the “Profile” tab lead to either a blank screen or an unhelpful “Wow, such empty” message.