User journey refers to the path or sequence of screens and interactions that a user goes through when using an application, from initial download throughout their time using the app to achieving their goal. The user journey in a mobile app typically involves navigating through different screens, interacting with various features, and completing specific tasks or actions. The term user journey and customer journey are often used interchangeably because they both refer to the process of steps or interactions that customers take when engaging with a product or service. The key difference between the two terms is that user is more often associated with applications rather than consumer goods or services.
User Journey Defined
Common User Journey FAQs
You can map out the user journey for your mobile app by creating a chart or diagram that outlines the different interactions, milestones, and features that a user will encounter when using your app as well as the challenges and goals associated with reaching each sequential step. Using a User Journey Mapping Template can help you organize this information in a straightforward way and make it easier to identify gaps that could be contributing to your user churn rate and opportunities to improve your engagement strategy. You can also use user research, analytics data, and user feedback to inform your user journey map.
Common user journey stages include app discovery and awareness, download, onboarding and exploration, app reuse, in-app purchase, user loyalty, and more. To learn more about what occurs in each stage, check out this article on understanding and identifying your mobile app user journey stages.
To optimize your user journey, you must first identify points of friction or confusion for users and make changes to improve the user experience. This can include simplifying navigation, reducing the number of steps required to complete a task, improving or implementing communication workflows, and adding helpful features or content.
You can use user journey data to identify areas where users are struggling or dropping off, and make changes to your app design, development, or engagement strategy to address those issues. This can help improve user engagement, retention, and satisfaction.
Yes, user journey mapping can be applied to both iOS and Android apps, as well as to other digital products like websites and desktop applications. If you have different apps and digital products, it's important to bear in mind that your user journey may vary by device type. It's important to define what user journey entails for your brand — for some companies, a single user journey may span across a desktop device and a mobile application or mobile web browser. For other companies, a user journey may be limited to a single device but include touchpoints across different communication channels such as email or social media.