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Product Analytics

Product analytics does not have to be complicated. These posts help you understand what is happening in your product and what to do about it.

Side-by-side comparison of a typical 5-step onboarding flow where 18% reach first value versus a lean 2-step flow where 55% reach first value
onboardingactivation

How to improve your onboarding experience (without overcomplicating it)

Most products lose the majority of new users before those users ever see what the product can do. The problem is almost always a long path to first value, not a missing feature.

·9 min read
Two user journey timelines side by side: a fast path reaching first value in 4 minutes with 62% day-7 retention, and a slow path with 5 overhead steps before value with 11% day-7 retention
activationonboarding

Time to first value: why it matters (and how to improve it)

Someone signed up. They had intent. But between signup and the moment your product did something useful, the gap was too wide. They left. That gap has a name.

·10 min read
Retention curve chart comparing activated versus non-activated users over 14 days, with four common reasons users don't return and quick-fix strategies
retentionanalytics

Why users don't come back (and how to fix retention early)

100 users signed up this month. 12 came back a week later. The other 88 left and are not returning. Here is why that happens and what to do about it.

·10 min read
Five numbered metric cards showing visitor count, signup rate, activation, top sources, and bounce rate, with a list of metrics to ignore below
analyticsmetrics

The 5 metrics that actually matter for small products

Most analytics tools show you 50 metrics. You need 5. Here is how to know which ones to watch and which ones to ignore.

·7 min read
Side-by-side comparison of signup (200 accounts created) versus activation (68 experienced core value), with product-specific activation examples
activationanalytics

What is user activation? (And how to measure it properly)

200 people signed up. 68 actually used the product. The gap between those numbers is the most important thing you are not measuring.

·8 min read
Funnel diagram showing user drop-off from 1,000 visitors through pricing, signup, and activation, with the signup form highlighted as the biggest bottleneck
analyticsconversions

Where users drop off on your website (and how to find it)

Your conversion rate is low but you do not know where the problem is. Here is how to find the exact step where visitors stop and what to do about it.

·8 min read
Signup flow diagram showing progressive drop-off across four steps, with callouts for each gap and a prioritized list of quick fixes
onboardingconversions

Why users don't complete signup (and how to fix it)

500 people clicked your signup button. 95 made it through. The other 405 wanted to use your product but something in the flow stopped them.

·7 min read
Comparison of a cluttered analytics dashboard versus a clean Muro insight summary
analyticsfounders

Why dashboards fail solo founders

You opened the dashboard to answer one question. Forty-five minutes later, you still don't know what to do. Here is why, and what to do instead.

·8 min read