How to Get Users to Try Out a New Feature

You've launched a shiny new feature. It’s your team's pride and joy, but there’s one problem: users aren't engaging with it.

Sound familiar? Rolling out new features is only half the battle. The real challenge is getting your users to notice, understand, and actually use them.

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A Look at the Traditional Way

You’ve probably tried one of the following approaches:

• Pop-ups: A pop-up announcing the new feature when the user logs in
• Banners: A vibrant, eye-catching banner at the top of the UI to announce the new feature
  While these methods aren’t inherently bad, they often lack contextual relevance. When logging onto your product, users usually have a specific intent in mind, and more often than not, discovering a new feature isn’t it.

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Better Ways to Drive Feature Adoption

So, how can you encourage users to try your new feature? We believe timing is everything.

1. Just-in-Time Notifications

Instead of pushing the feature at random, wait until the user is already in the right context.

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Example:
Imagine you have a task management product and you’ve launched a visualization feature showing team performance. When the user navigates to the analytics page, trigger a small tooltip pointing to the new visualization with a message like, “See your team’s progress at a glance in real time.”

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Why it works:

• It feels natural and less intrusive since the user is already focused on a relevant task.

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2. Just-in-Time Feature Promotion

This technique takes contextual relevance a step further by seamlessly embedding the feature into the user flow.

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Example:
If you have an email marketing platform and a user sends an email, prompt them to try the new scheduling feature to automate their workflow.

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Why it works:

• It highlights the feature as the best solution at the exact moment it’s top of mind.
• It’s non-intrusive, and users may even find it helpful as it aids in completing their tasks more efficiently.

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3. Use In-App Editorial Content

Create engaging, educational content inside your product to showcase the value of the feature. This can include quick tutorials or use case stories.

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Example:
If you’ve introduced an email scheduling feature in your platform, add a simple section on the user dashboard that highlights the new functionality. Keep the design clean and avoid cluttering your UI.

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Why it works:

• Users can access the content whenever it’s relevant to them.
• These editorial pieces establish credibility for the feature, highlighting its importance and benefits.

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4. Update Your Onboarding Experience

Lastly, don’t forget to refresh your onboarding process to highlight the new feature for new users. Integrate it naturally into their first interaction with your product, such as through an updated onboarding checklist.

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Allocate Time for Adoption Design

When planning your project timeline, remember to allocate time for designing strategies to attract users to your new feature. This crucial step is often overlooked during development but plays a vital role in ensuring a successful launch.

Want more ideas to boost user adoption? Download a copy of the Ultimate UX Playbook for B2B User Adoption today!

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