Too many communities try to take newcomers through onboarding journeys at the exact moment a newcomer is least receptive to them.
Most of the time, newcomers only care about solving their problem. Everything that comes between them and asking a question is bad.
If they join and an onboarding journey pops up, a newcomer quickly clicks through all the steps so they can ask a question. They ignore the guided community tour, they don’t bother following other groups or members, and they don’t care about other important benefits of the community.
Good onboarding journeys begin after the visitor has asked their first question.
The best onboarding journeys begin when a visitor has posted their first response. This is the moment they’re most interested in the broader community.
If your onboarding journey isn’t having the desired impact, it might’ve begun at the wrong time.
