What is onboarding and its role in retention?

Onboarding is the process of introducing a new user or client to a product, helping them quickly understand how to use the service and gain value.

The role of onboarding in retention is to lower the entry barrier, increase engagement, and user satisfaction from the very beginning. Well-organized onboarding helps the user reach the "aha moment" faster — the moment when they realize the benefit of the product, which increases the likelihood of continued use and return.

Example: in a mobile app, this could be an interactive tutorial or hints that show key features and help set up the profile.