How to Convert Trial Users to Subscribers

Table of Contents

Want to turn trial users into paying subscribers? Start by focusing on user experience and delivering clear value. Here's how:

Engage users early: Simplify onboarding, highlight essential features, and integrate with popular devices like Apple Watch or Fitbit.
Use personalized messages: Celebrate milestones, show progress, and introduce premium features at the right moments.
Offer smart promotions: Create urgency with limited-time deals, emphasize annual savings, or bundle features for added value.
Track and improve: Use data to identify where users drop off and adjust your strategies to keep them engaged.

The key is personalization, timely communication, and refining your approach based on user behavior. These steps can help you convert trial users into long-term subscribers.

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Trial User Behavior Patterns

Trial users focus on usability, essential features, and perceived value, offering insights into what drives conversions.

Key Trial User Priorities

Trial users care about these main aspects:

Smooth Onboarding

Straightforward setup with intuitive navigation
Tailored workout plans that match personal fitness goals

Activity Tracking

Real-time tracking of workouts
Visual performance updates to highlight progress

Gamification Features

Rewards like badges for achievements
Progress trackers to encourage continued use

Device Integration

Compatibility with devices like Apple Watch and Fitbit

These priorities influence how users interact during the trial period.

Trial Period User Activity

User engagement typically follows three stages:

Initial Phase – Setting up profiles, exploring features, and completing onboarding.

Mid-Trial Engagement – Tracking workouts consistently and engaging with gamified elements like achievements.

Evaluation Phase – Comparing results to personal goals and deciding if the subscription offers enough value.

These phases can guide how you shape the first-week user experience, which will be discussed next.

Improving First-Time User Experience

The onboarding process should quickly demonstrate the value of your product to keep users engaged early in their trial. Here's how to make that happen.

Simplifying User Setup

Make the setup process straightforward by identifying user goals right away. Use guided plans, progress tracking, and even gamification to keep things engaging from the start. Allow easy integration with devices like Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Garmin to streamline the experience.

Guiding Feature Discovery

Introduce features gradually during the first week. Use short in-app tips to highlight advanced functions, showing users how to get the most out of the product without overwhelming them.

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Messages and Offers That Convert

Once you've set up a smooth first-week experience, the next step is crafting messages and offers that drive subscriptions. By combining in-app messages with targeted promotions, you can keep trial users engaged while encouraging them to subscribe.

How to Use In-App Messages Effectively

In-app messages are a great way to keep users engaged and highlight the value of premium features. For example, sending a congratulatory message after a user's first workout can celebrate their progress and link them to premium insights.

Here are a few message types that work well for conversions:

Progress updates: Show users their workout history and improvement trends to keep them motivated.
Feature highlights: Introduce premium tools when users hit usage limits, making them aware of what they’re missing.
Personalized suggestions: Recommend workouts or features based on individual goals, making the experience feel tailored.

Smart Subscription Promotions

When promoting subscriptions, focus on long-term value rather than just discounts. Some effective strategies include:

Annual savings: Encourage users to switch from monthly to annual plans for a better deal.
Feature bundles: Combine premium access with extras like coaching sessions to make the offer more appealing.
Limited-time deals: Provide a discounted introductory rate for a short period to create urgency.

Tailor your offers to the user. For example, frequent trackers might appreciate advanced analytics, while those who enjoy instructor-led workouts may value expanded program libraries.

Timing is everything. Present your most compelling offers after users have experienced key benefits - like completing several workouts - rather than too early in their trial.

Finally, be transparent. Clearly communicate:

Pricing details, including what happens after promotions end.
Features included in each subscription tier.
How users can manage or cancel their subscription.
Any satisfaction guarantees or refund policies.

Transparency builds trust and helps users feel confident about subscribing.

Handling Non-Converting Users

When to Extend Trial Access

If subscription prompts and in-app messages don’t lead to conversions, consider offering a targeted trial extension. For users who actively used key features but didn’t subscribe - or those who encountered technical issues - an extra trial week could make a difference. Tie the extension to a specific goal, like: “Get one more week to finish your first workout plan.” Use this opportunity to track how the extension impacts your conversion funnel.

Tracking and Improving Results

Once you've re-engaged inactive users, it's time to figure out where trial users drop off and why. This information will help you make better decisions to keep them engaged.

Key Metrics to Watch

Pay attention to drop-off points - specific app screens or features where users tend to disengage during their trial.

How to Use Data to Boost Conversions

Analytics and user feedback are your best tools for identifying and addressing the reasons behind user churn:

User Journey Mapping: Track the paths users take through your app to find where they lose interest or abandon the process.
Feedback Analysis: Collect user comments and survey responses to understand the reasons behind their disengagement.

These insights can help you fine-tune onboarding processes and better highlight key features.

Comparing Conversion Strategies

When testing different approaches, follow a clear process:

Discovery Phase: Dive into your trial data, target audience behavior, and business goals to tailor your strategies.
Thorough Testing: Check for bugs, usability issues, and compatibility to ensure a smooth experience.

Evaluate how each approach impacts conversion metrics. For instance, compare results from trial-extension offers versus in-app messaging campaigns, and adjust your strategy based on what works best.

Conclusion

Converting trial users comes down to three key strategies: personalization, data analysis, and timely communication. Customize each user's trial experience to align with their objectives, track where users disengage or how they interact, and send value-driven messages at just the right moments. For example, suggest a premium feature after they reach a usage milestone or offer an extended trial to help them finish a task.

Keep refining your approach at every step. Use A/B tests to compare results - like whether trial extensions or bundled offers work better - adjust the timing of promotions, and optimize onboarding flows based on actual performance data. This ongoing process of tailoring, evaluating, and targeted messaging helps turn trial users into long-term subscribers.