Find out how Tiktok onboards their users - the good sides and the bad. Tiktok's become one of the largest social networks in the world, but since the start they've had strong financial backing, so have they prioritised sign up conversion and retention, or did they focus more on marketing? I wanted to find out, so I went on their sign up journey. Tiktok started with a high school audience, where virality is easy once you've reached that critical mass tipping point. School mates show each other how the app works. But a majority of Tiktok's users are now over 24, so will the app make sense for them? Flip through the presentation to find out. A big thank you to Samuel Hulick for the inspiration for this analysis! N.B. SlideShare's a little buggy with the arrows, showing some properly and others not. I played around with the arrows and upload to see if I could fix, but I couldn't, sorry!

1. Tiktok Onboarding Analysis
Step-By-Step Strengths and Weaknesses

2. Tiktok Intro
- Breakthrough social media app, mostly 15 sec videos
- 41% of users between 16-24, but a growing
user base among those 24+
- Let's have a look at how they do their onboarding!
*SlideShare doesn't render some of the arrows properly. I tried a
few different arrows and uploads but it doesn't come out right.
Sorry!

3. Ok, no explana ons of
the app...just going
straight into it...
Tiktok's so well-
known, perhaps they
feel they don't need to

4. At any rate, I'm a li le
confused. What are
these interests for?

5. It explains it a bit here,
but it's easy to miss...

6. Well, let's give it a go
and see what
happens...

7. These ckboxes feel
intui ve, with a great
'Tap' state

8. But the categories
seem really broad. I'm
interested in football,
but not cricket or
basketball. How do
they define things like
'Talent'? I'm not sure
I'm going to get very
relevant videos.
Anyway, moving on...

9. This is a crucial piece
of info to get the most
out of Tiktok. All social
media works this way
though. I wonder if it's
necessary.

10. Well-signposted
bu on too. I know I'm
going to watch videos
now...

11. These requests are
always a li le jarring,
but it makes sense in
context.

12. Have we reached that
all-important 'Aha!'
moment though?
Where the user really
gets the value and is
ready to go all in?
TikTok might get more
conversions for this
important step if they
waited un l the user's
gained value.

13. So straight away,
here's TikTok bringing
me value!

14. It's a video of a woman
drinking on a ledge,
making a wi y
comment...it's not
really my taste. It's
about 6 seconds long
and it's on repeat.

15. I'm a li le lost. What
am I supposed to do
now? There are so
many op ons.
Meanwhile, the
woman is on repeat
while I figure it out.
There's no way to turn
her off (unless you
figure out to tap on
the screen)

16. I found out later you
swipe up on this
screen for a new video,
like the previous
screen said. There are
no design cues which
remind me here
though, so I assumed
that instruc on was
for a video feed like
the 'Discover' tab.

17. Apparently for other
people, this screen
appeared. This is
exactly the kind of
thing I needed to see
to make sense of the
swiping func onality
and to know how to
improve my feed.
Disappointed this
didn't appear for me!

18. I get why TikTok wants
people to be able to
explore and
experience in their
own way, but we really
don't need some of
these ac ons yet. And
that user ID looks
horrible!

19. And I wouldn't know
what these are for. The
bo om one doesn't go
to the profile. It's for
videos with the same
sounds but it's not
clear.

20. They could do an A/B
test with just their one
main call to ac on at
the bo om.

21. Also, I haven't actually
given Tiktok any
personal details yet, so
I haven't got an
account yet...

22. Anyway, it feels like
this + bu on is what
they want me to do, so
let's try it. I'm not
really sure where it will
take me. Perhaps to
take my own video?
Feels a li le early for
that...

23. Yep, that's what it is. I
feel the pressure to
shoot a video. What
should I shoot? What
would interest people?
Why would anyone
want to see something
from me?

24. This is your first ever
video on Tiktok, but
they expect you to be
a pro already. Perhaps
they could suggest you
film a short video just
saying 'Hi!' to fellow
Tiktokers. Breaks you
in with an easy video.

25. It's great that they ask
you permission for
camera and mic access
in context. If you just
get a popup asking you
with the background
darkened, it's hard to
understand the reason
for the request. Let's
click 'Allow'...

26. Yes, happy to! I know
what it's for.

27. I really like this. You
get a small sense of
accomplishment, like
you're ge ng the hang
of this app. You know
what you need to do
next and
psychologically, you've
made a micro-
investment in doing
the video now. I'll just
do the same for the
mic and get started!

28. I also really like the 'x'
in the corner too. I like
to have a way out if I
want it, and I'm not
overloaded with
op ons. This screen is
focused on the task at
hand.

29. Big red record bu on -
nice. Clear how to start
and based on a
standard 'record'
ac on.

30. I also like these
op ons down the side.
Icons with words are
normally the most
effec ve, and Tiktok's
target audience will
expect filters and
effects from their
Instagram experience.
Let's get recording
then!

31. Yes, that's my floor. I
didn't know what to
film, so you've got the
floor.
Meanwhile, the
recording was simple
enough, and the
op ons to record
more, delete the clip or
accept it seem clear
enough.
I could play around
with the filters, but
let's accept this one
now and see what
happens next.

32. Ok so this is a post.
Clear enough. You
need a lot of
confidence in yourself
to publish something
to the world! Again,
perhaps ge ng new
users just to say 'Hi' to
begin with would help
get them going.

33. Not immediately sure
how to actually post
this now...let's just tap
around and see if
something happens...

34. Ah there it is! And
somehow the icon
makes it seem exci ng!

35. I also like how one of
the op ons is half cut
out. It feels intui ve
that you need to scroll
to see all the op ons.
Let's post this amazing
3 second video of my
floor! #viralmarke ng

36. Ah, it's FINALLY me
to sign up! And I kind
of presume if I do, I'll
be able to post my
amazing video

37. It's a nice idea to get
people to sign up once
they've seen the value
and have something to
share with the world.
Some companies get
greedy for personal
details and ask them
upfront before the
user's really sure and
can face lower
conversion rates.
S ll, I'm not sure I
really have gained
value from Tiktok yet.

38. This is another good
place for an A/B test.
Which op on should
go top? How many
op ons should you
have?
Let's choose the top
one.

39. I feel like I've been
through a lot already.
How much more of
this is there? A
progress bar would
keep my hopes up that
one day, before I'm
grey and old, I'll be
signed up to Tiktok...

40. They don't say why
they need this info,
and if it's to censor
some videos for
children, I can
understand. Younger
users might lie if
Tiktok explained that.
Normally though, it's
nice to tell your user
why you're asking for
personal informa on.
It helps improve trust.

41. I really like this date
picker though! No
fiddly dropdown to tap
or nasty mini date
boxes to tap. Standard
Apple design users are
used to, easy to use,
fat finger proof (for
people like me!)

42. Need my number.
Seems simple enough.

43. Surely they can tell I'm
in the UK though?
Can't they have that as
default?

44. It would be be er if
they list the most
popular choices first
before the alphabe cal
list comes up. As a UK
user, I always have to
scroll to the bo om on
these things.

45. This is a nice way of
doing a modal window.
It slides up and keeps
the parent page in the
background to keep
the context, with a
clear 'x' to go back to
it.

46. I like the use of a
simple number pad
here rather than the
full keyboard. It's
obvious, but lots of
apps and websites s ll
don't do this.

47. It's good that they
show the password
criteria you have to
fulfil, but it's small and
easy to miss. In my
work, I o en put in a
li le traffic light
system for each
criterium which goes
green when fulfilled.
Others like cks and
crosses, but either
way, it would make
this step a li le easier.

48. Also, this 'Skip' link has
appeared for the first
me...does this mean I
don't need to sign up?
Or I don't need to
create a password?
What would happen to
the video I just made?
Seems weird it's just
appeared. I never
tapped on it to find
out what it does.

49. Simple enough. I like
the 'You can change
later' text. Really
important for people
hesita ng and feeling
like they have to come
up with the best
username right now
before it's set in stone.
In my designs, I always
add this li le line if
relevant.

50. Throughout this actual
sign up part of the
journey, the bu on's
been greyed out un l
you fulfil that step's
criteria. This helps you
stay focused on the
task and makes it clear
when you're ready to
move on.

51. It takes me back here
to the woman drinking.
But I'm fully signed up
now, so I'll head to the
'Discover' tab to find
something be er!

52. Thank you for watching!
Feel free to ping me on LinkedIn