Overhauling the DIRECTV onboarding experience to support free-tier users
DIRECTV launched MyFree DIRECTV in late 2024, which is a free service that doesn’t require payment to watch content - however, the old DTV onboarding flow requires payment. Here, I outline how we overhauled the old DIRECTV onboarding experience to give users an easy, hassle-free way to sign up for the service for free.
Timeline
Jan - June 2024 (6 months)
Released Q4 2024
Impact
500,000+ sign ups post-launch as of Q1 2025
Platforms
DIRECTV Gemini, AppleTV, Roku, FireTV, Chromecast, Mobile, Tablet, Web
Problem
DIRECTV’s onboarding conversion rate is 1%.
This is primarily because users have to pay a minimum of $80/mo to access the service.
Data shows that 71% of prospective users drop-off at the paid package selection screen.
Additionally, the onboarding process is long, visually inconsistent, and doesn’t represent the platform’s aesthetics well.
Business Goals
Increase user conversion
By introducing a free plan, prospective users can try the experience without being scared off by expensive packages.
Decrease bailout points
Streamline the onboarding flow to allow users to access content quicker
Improve visual consistency
Unify our onboarding flow’s visual design to make it cohesive with the rest of the platform
user stories & Goals
Analyzing the various types of customers using DIRECTV & their goals
We identified 6 buckets of users that could potentially use the new onboarding flow, including existing DIRECTV Satellite customers wanting to switch to Stream.
New customers, free account
Goal: Sign up for free
New customers, paid account
Goal: Sign up for paid package
Existing customers, paid account
Goal: Sign in easily
Returning customers from DIRECTV Satellite
Goal: Switch from DTV Satellite service to DTV Stream
Existing customers, free account
Goal: Sign in easily
Existing customers from DIRECTV Satellite
Goal: Explore DIRECTV Stream’s offering
DISCOVERY
Our competitors overall have more concise onboarding flows with fewer potential drop-off points.
On average, competing platforms ask for 4 fields from users. DIRECTV’s current flow asks for 9(!)
Competitors also use imagery to communicate value props and provide multiple methods of inputting data (such as QR code syncing & online registration).
Brainstorming
Condensing the onboarding process
After consolidating all types of DIRECTV users and their happy paths, and comparing our platforms to our competitors’, we worked with our engineering partners to strategically remove non-essential screens from the current onboarding process.
THE NEW FLOW
1. Splash screen
The old splash screen felt visually disconnected from the rest of the brand, and did not strongly communicate any value.
Now, the splash screen feels on-brand with the rest of the platform. It easily supports seasonal copy & imagery changes, and includes a subtle upsell hint for users looking to upgrade, while still keeping the main focus on free streaming.
2. Account info
The old onboarding flow asked for 9 fields of information.
We now only ask for 4: your email, a password, and first and last name.
No credit card info necessary.
3. Welcome
In the old onboarding flow, there were multiple screens where users had to agree to DIRECTV’s Terms & Conditions.
We’ve now replaced those screens with a Welcome page, that adds an element of excitement for the platform, while subtlely having the user accept the T&C.
This is also the first time in DIRECTV’s history that users can sign up for the platform on the mobile and tablet apps.
IMPACT
After launching in December 2024:
new user sign ups 3 months post-launch
500k+
decrease in onboarding flow length
30%
user satisfaction with new flow, from post-launch user survey
96%
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Grasshopperfund
A social recruiting & funding platform for young entrepreneurs. Won the UC Irvine New Product Competition ($10k) & a spot in Techstars x Blackstone Launchpad.