If you want new users to actually stick around, you can’t just dump them into your product and hope for the best. You need a simple, automated onboarding flow—one that helps people get value fast, without you hand-holding every step. That’s where June.so comes in. This guide is for anyone looking to turn that first user experience from “meh” into “actually useful,” without hiring a whole ops team.
Let’s walk through how to build onboarding workflows in June.so that are worth the effort—and what to skip so you don’t waste hours on stuff nobody cares about.
Why Automate Onboarding in June.so?
Before we jump into the how-to, a quick reality check: automated onboarding can make or break user retention, but only if it’s done right. Here’s what automation in June.so does well:
- Saves you from chasing new users manually. No more spreadsheets or “Did they finish signup?” emails.
- Scales without getting messy. Once it’s set, new users get the same experience—every time.
- Gives you real data. You can see where users drop off and fix what’s broken.
But it’s not magic. Automation won’t fix a confusing UI or a product newbies don’t actually want. Use it to reinforce a decent experience, not to cover up bigger problems.
Step 1: Map Out What “Success” Looks Like for New Users
Don’t even open June.so yet. First, get clear on what you want new users to do.
- What’s the “aha!” moment in your product?
- Is it connecting an integration? Creating a first project? Inviting a teammate?
- What steps reliably lead to active, happy users?
Write these down. The most effective onboarding is dead simple and focused. If you’re not sure, ask a recent user what tripped them up. You’ll get better answers than guessing in a vacuum.
Pro tip: Ignore the urge to automate everything. Pick the 1–3 actions that actually matter.
Step 2: Get Your Data Tracking Right
Automated onboarding lives and dies by event tracking. If June.so can’t see what your users are doing, you’re flying blind.
Here’s what you need:
- June.so SDK installed (JavaScript, React, or whatever fits your stack)
- Events set up for the key actions you listed above
Don’t: Overtrack. If you’re capturing 50 events, you’ll drown in noise. Stick to the basic stuff that maps to user progress.
How to check if you’re set:
- Go to your product’s codebase.
- Make sure you’re calling
june.track('event name')(or equivalent) at each key moment. - Use June.so’s live event feed to verify events are firing.
If you’re not technical, get a dev to help. It’s a one-off setup, but it has to be right.
Step 3: Set Up a New User Segment in June.so
Now that June.so knows what’s happening, you need to tell it who counts as a “new user.”
How to do it:
- In June.so, go to the “Segments” section.
- Click “Create Segment.”
- Define your rules: usually something like “Signed up in the last 7 days.”
- Save and name it (“New Users,” “Fresh Signups,” etc.)
Why bother? Segments let you target onboarding only to people who need it—without annoying your established users.
What not to do: Don’t get fancy with segment rules unless you have a good reason. Keep it simple; you can always tweak later.
Step 4: Design Your Onboarding Workflow
Here’s where you actually build the workflow. June.so isn’t a full-blown marketing automation tool—and that’s a good thing. You’re not here to send 20 emails or drag users through a “choose your own adventure” maze.
Common onboarding steps:
- Welcome email/slack/notification
- Nudge to complete a key action (e.g., “Create your first project”)
- Reminder if stuck (e.g., “Looks like you haven’t invited a teammate yet”)
- Success celebration (“You did it! Here’s what’s next.”)
To set this up in June.so:
- Go to “Workflows” or the “Onboarding” tab (names may vary; June.so loves a UI refresh).
- Click “Create Workflow.”
- Choose your trigger: usually “User joins New Users segment.”
- Add actions:
- Send email: Write one clear, friendly message. No jargon or 10-step lists.
- In-app message: If available, use these for nudges right where people get stuck.
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Slack/Teams alert: If you want your team to jump in, set up notifications for when someone seems lost.
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Add delays or conditions: e.g., “If user doesn’t create a project in 24 hours, send reminder.”
Don’t: Build a 10-step campaign out of the gate. One or two well-timed nudges work better than a barrage.
Pro tip: Write your messages like a helpful person, not a robot. “Hey, saw you signed up! Need any help?” works better than “Dear valued new user…”
Step 5: Test the Workflow (Don’t Skip This)
Nobody gets this perfect the first try. Run through the onboarding as a new user:
- Sign up yourself using a different email.
- Walk through the steps. Do you get the right nudges at the right time?
- Are events firing in June.so? Are you moving through the workflow as expected?
Watch out for:
- Messages coming too late (or too early)
- Triggers not working because of missing events
- Overlapping emails/notifications—users hate being spammed
If something’s off, fix the workflow logic or your event tracking. Better to catch mistakes now than annoy 100 real users.
Step 6: Measure and Tweak
The best part about automation: you can see what’s working and what’s not. In June.so, check your onboarding funnel:
- Where are users dropping off?
- Are your nudges actually moving people forward?
- What’s the “activation rate” over time?
What to ignore: Vanity metrics like “messages sent” or “open rates.” Focus on real outcomes—did more users hit your key action?
Iterate: Change one thing at a time. If nobody clicks your reminder, try new wording or timing. Don’t overhaul everything at once or you’ll never know what did the trick.
What Works (and What Doesn’t) in June.so Onboarding
What works:
- Keeping it simple. One or two key actions, one or two timely messages. That’s usually enough.
- Personal, human-sounding messages.
- Letting real usage data drive what you automate.
What doesn’t:
- Overcomplicated flows with too many steps.
- Generic “Welcome to our platform!” emails that don’t help users do anything.
- Relying on automation to fix a bad product experience.
Don’t waste time: Trying to recreate full-blown marketing journeys in June.so. It’s great for simple, action-based nudges—not a replacement for a CRM.
Final Tips: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Setting up automated onboarding in June.so isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of upfront work. Don’t try to automate everything at once. Start with one key action, set up a basic workflow, and watch what happens.
Once you see what works (and what doesn’t), tweak and improve. The best onboarding flows are always evolving, just like your product. Stay focused on what actually helps real users—and skip the rest.
Now get your workflow live and give your new users a fighting chance to get value, fast.