Increase Adoption Video: Activate Users in 2026

Last updated 2026

TL;DR

Where to get it: Follow Wistia's adoption framework, Vidyard's platform guide, and Jonathan Levin's rollout strategy.

What it is: An increase adoption video is a targeted asset that reduces friction between signup and first value to boost activation and retention.

When to use it: Post-signup drop-off, feature launches, or onboarding redesign when docs fail to move the needle.

How to apply: Map activation milestone → Script 90-second demo → Embed in-product → Measure time-to-value reduction.

Cost/time: $0–$2k; 1–3 days to ship.

CTA: Grab [Flowjam playbook URL] and deploy this week.

Why this matters now

An increase adoption video (Wistia, Vidyard, Jonathan Levin) closes the gap between "signed up" and "saw value" that kills 60% of free trials. Unlike dense documentation or live onboarding calls that don't scale, video demonstrates exact clicks in 90 seconds while users stay in-product. Use it when activation metrics plateau or feature launches fall flat. Apply it by identifying your "aha" moment, recording the shortest path there, and embedding above the fold in your onboarding flow. Speed to first value determines Series A narrative—invest in adoption video before churn kills your growth story.

What is increase adoption video?

An increase adoption video is a concise, in-product demonstration—typically 60–90 seconds—that guides users from signup to first value with visual, step-by-step clarity to reduce activation friction and improve retention.

According to Wistia's adoption research, this format functions as a "just-in-time" intervention that replaces static help docs with contextual demonstration, directly impacting activation rate and time-to-first-value metrics.

Increase adoption video — Download & Quick Start

Where to get it:

Framework: Wistia's increase video adoption guide for strategy and examples.

Platform setup: Vidyard's video adoption blog for tool configuration and analytics.

Rollout tactics: Jonathan Levin's LinkedIn guide for team alignment and change management.

Quick-start checklist:

Identify activation milestone: What action correlates with 7-day retention? (e.g., "Invite 3 teammates")

Script the shortest path: 3 clicks maximum from signup to that milestone.

Record screen + voice: 90 seconds, founder narration, no music.

Embed in-product: Welcome modal, empty state, or tooltip trigger.

Track time-to-value: Measure hours from signup to milestone completion.

How to use it (step-by-step) — practical, not theoretical

1. Audience/ICP targeting (30 mins)Segment by use case, not persona. New users need activation video; power users need expansion video; churn risks need re-engagement video. Reference Vidyard's segmentation approach.

2. Script for activation moments (45 mins)Lead with outcome ("You'll have your first report in 90 seconds"), not feature names. Show the UI, not slides. End with CTA to next milestone. Wistia's scripting guide emphasizes clarity over cleverness.

3. Tool setup (60 mins)

Wistia: Best for branded player customization and detailed analytics.

Vidyard: Best for sales/CS integration and viewer tracking.

Loom: Best for rapid MVP testing before platform investment.

4. Distribution (2 hours)

Email: Embed in welcome series, second email (not first—let them breathe).

In-product: Welcome modal autoplay (muted), empty states, feature announcement banners.

Lifecycle: Trigger based on behavior (watched 50% but didn't complete → nudge email).

5. Measurement (ongoing)

Activation rate: % completing milestone within 24 hours.

Time-to-first-value: Hours from signup to "aha" moment.

Video engagement: 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% completion rates.

Correlation: Users who watch video vs. those who don't—retention delta at 7 and 30 days.

6. Iteration cadence (monthly)Refresh when activation rate drops or UI changes. A/B test opener hooks (problem-first vs. outcome-first). Test length (60s vs. 90s).

Founders often miss this — the increase adoption video should live in-product, not in a help center link. Users won't click "Watch tutorial"; they'll watch what autoplays in their workflow. Embed at the moment of need, not the moment of curiosity.

Comparison section (vs alternatives)

Option | Best for | Pros | Cons

Increase adoption video

Best for: Reducing time-to-value at scale, visual learners, complex UI onboarding

Pros: Scalable, contextual, measurable, reduces support ticket volume

Cons: Requires updating when UI changes, initial production time, accessibility considerations

Written documentation

Best for: Reference material, search-indexed help, accessibility compliance

Pros: Easy to update, SEO value, skimmable

Cons: Low completion rates, no emotional connection, hard to demonstrate sequences

Live demo/webinar

Best for: Enterprise deals, high-ACV onboarding, relationship building

Pros: Interactive, handles objections, high touch

Cons: Not scalable, timezone friction, 50%+ no-show rates

In-app tooltips/checklists

Best for: Simple 2–3 step activations, progressive disclosure

Pros: Native feel, contextual, no load time

Cons: Limited depth, easy to dismiss, no demonstration of output quality

Video platform comparison:

Wistia

Best for: Marketing-led growth, brand consistency, detailed analytics

Pros: Customizable player, A/B testing, marketing automation integration

Cons: Higher cost, overkill for simple needs

Vidyard

Best for: Sales-led growth, CRM integration, personal video at scale

Pros: Salesforce/HubSpot native, viewer identification, sales coaching

Cons: Steeper learning curve, sales-focused feature bloat

Loom

Best for: Rapid testing, CS team empowerment, async communication

Pros: Instant recording, low cost, easy sharing

Cons: Limited analytics, less brand control, ephemeral feel

Practical Tips & Cautions

Keep it under 90 seconds: Every additional 30 seconds drops completion rate by 35%. Wistia data shows 60–90 seconds is the activation sweet spot.

Autoplay muted only: Sound-on autoplay destroys trust. Let users opt-in to audio with a clear caption.

Show real data: Sanitized demo environments feel fake. Use actual customer data (with permission) or realistic synthetic data.

One milestone per video: Don't try to teach the entire product. One video, one "aha" moment, one CTA.

Update quarterly: Stale UI in video creates cognitive dissonance. Budget refresh cycles in your roadmap.

Caption everything: 80% of in-product video is watched muted. Burn in subtitles, not auto-generated overlays.

Accessibility fallback: Provide text transcript below video for screen readers and search indexing.

Mobile-first preview: 40% of SaaS onboarding happens on mobile. Test vertical 9:16 cut or responsive player.

Sales/CS alignment: Arm your team with video analytics—"I saw you watched the integration video, stuck on OAuth?" converts better than cold outreach.

FAQs

How do you increase video adoption across teams?

Start with one high-impact use case (new user onboarding), prove ROI with activation metrics, then expand to feature launches and CS workflows. Jonathan Levin's guide emphasizes change management: show, don't tell, with pilot programs and champion identification.

What is a good video adoption rate and how do you measure it?

Good: 60%+ play rate (clicked to watch), 40%+ completion rate, 15%+ click-through rate on CTA. Great: Correlation with 20%+ improvement in activation rate. Measure via platform analytics (Wistia/Vidyard) and product analytics (Amplitude/Mixpanel) tied to user IDs.

Which video platform drives the fastest adoption for startups?

Loom for speed to first video (minutes). Wistia for marketing sophistication and brand control. Vidyard for sales integration and revenue attribution. Choose based on your primary growth motion: PLG (Wistia), sales-led (Vidyard), or CS-heavy (Loom).

How can sales and customer success use video to increase product adoption?

Sales: Personalized 60-second demos addressing specific prospect pain points. CS: Loom walkthroughs for complex support tickets, reducing resolution time and ticket volume. Both: Video voicemails in outreach to increase reply rates 3x.

What pitfalls slow video adoption and how do you fix them?

Pitfall: Parking videos in help centers nobody visits. Fix: Embed in-product at moments of need. Pitfall: 5-minute comprehensive tutorials. Fix: 90-second single-outcome videos. Pitfall: Founder voice in month 6 when team has scaled. Fix: Refresh with relevant team member (head of product, lead engineer) to maintain authenticity.

Do I need different videos for different user segments?

Yes. SMB users need speed-to-value (60 seconds, minimal setup). Enterprise users need security and integration depth (2–3 minutes, compliance mentions). Power users need advanced feature unlocks (tip videos, not full walkthroughs).

Conclusion

An increase adoption video is your highest-leverage asset for turning signups into activated users at scale. Unlike live onboarding that caps your growth or documentation that users ignore, video demonstrates value in context exactly when motivation is highest. Follow Wistia, Vidyard, and Jonathan Levin for frameworks, grab [Flowjam template URL] to script your first video tonight, and ship before next week's cohort of trial users hits your empty state. Speed to value is your competitive mo—videotize it.

‍