Well, researchers and surveys in 2023 show that almost 80% of new features in software applicants go unnoticed by users.

Staying ahead of the curve is not just an option; it’s necessary for businesses aiming for growth. What we are witnessing today is that many SaaS companies are deploying features that are not necessary. This will make them avoid the core business aim and waste time on what does not matter.

Sometimes, tho, the feature could be useful for many users, but they are not just AWARE!

How often have you discovered a feature in an app you have been using for ages and thought, “If only I knew about this sooner”?

This is where a well-structured feature awareness survey and research come into play, bridging the knowledge gap and unlocking the full potential of your offering.

So, what is a feature awareness survey?

A feature awareness survey or product feature research helps users discover the full potential of your existing product or service. It acts like a spotlight, illuminating how well users understand your great product’s functionalities and how they can leverage various features.

This survey involves systematically collecting customer feedback from users about their knowledge, usage, and perception of the product features and benefits.

Implementing a feature awareness survey can reveal critical insights that we will talk about further, but briefly, a feature awareness research is a way to research and identify:

• Which are the most frequently used features
• Areas where users may require additional support
• Feature enhancement
• Increase adoption
• Fill the market gap

In addition to uncovering the level of product awareness or service awareness among the user base, this survey reveals the effectiveness of your communication strategies around new feature releases.

Here are three doubts that the feature awareness survey reveals

1. Are you utilizing the right channels to reach your target audience with product announcements?
2. How are you measuring the effectiveness of your communication about new features?
3. Are you tailoring your message to address specific user needs and pain points when highlighting new features?

A product awareness survey or a service awareness survey can answer these questions and more, providing a foundation for a more informed and user-centric product development and marketing strategy.

5 must-have key feature adoption metrics

It is not just about how many people log in. Implement these key feature adoption metrics to gain a deeper understanding of how potential users truly engage with your product and identify opportunities for enhancing the customer experience.

Let’s explore each metric in detail:

Feature adoption rate

The percentage of active users who have started using a particular feature within a given timeframe.

These metrics act as a primary indicator showing the initial interest among your user base. A high rate confirms it’s solving a pain point and signals success, while a low rate suggests a dig deeper into user data to understand why it’s not resonating.

Analyze, iterate, and educate users to turn a lukewarm reception into a user favorite.

Feature usage frequency

Shows how often users engage with a feature, indicating its value and relevance.

Feature usage frequency reveals how often users actually use a feature, not just its existence. Feature usage frequency measures this user engagement and reveals its real-world utility.

Regular interaction indicates a valuable tool, while infrequent use suggests it’s either underutilized or unnecessary.

Analyze this data to prioritize feature improvements and marketing growth. This will ensure that your product delivers features users genuinely need and use.

Time to first use

The time it takes for a user to engage with a new feature after its release or after the user’s first login.

Time to first use goes beyond initial awareness. It reveals how long users take to actually use your new feature. A short timeframe indicates discoverability and immediate value recognition, while a longer delay suggests friction or unclear value.

Analyze this data to identify barriers to adoption, improve user onboarding, and ensure your features aren’t just launched but truly launched into use.

Feature stickiness

Measures the ratio of daily active users to monthly active users for a specific feature, highlighting its long-term engagement.

It tracks how long users consistently engage with a feature. A high score indicates ongoing value and integration into their workflow, while a low score suggests the feature needs reinvention or better integration.

Analyze this data to prioritize improvement efforts and make sure your features deliver real value.

User feedback and satisfaction

Qualitative data gathered through surveys or feedback tools offers insights that can help potential customers perceive feature ideas. Eventually, this feature awareness research will reveal potential areas for improvement.

Gather qualitative data through surveys, interviews, or feedback tools to reveal and identify areas for improvement, enhance customer satisfaction, and develop data-driven features that better meet user needs.

When creating a feature awareness survey, product managers can use these metrics to have a more user-centric approach to feature development and refinement.

These gained insights enable teams to make informed and data-driven decisions that can boost feature adoption, enhance user satisfaction, and ultimately drive product success.

Why feature awareness survey is important

Data drives success in every industry, especially SaaS; it’s important to understand user interaction with product/service features.

A feature awareness survey is not just a tool, it’s a strategic asset that illuminates the path to enhanced user engagement and product growth.

Here’s why to employ feature awareness research:

To identify knowledge gaps

Surveys pinpoint features that potential users are unaware of or misunderstand. This critical insight could be used for tailoring educational content and support to ensure users fully leverage your product’s capabilities.

Guides product development

Feature awareness research can highlight the most and least valued features. This can inform developers to prioritize development resources and align product enhancement based on user needs.

Enhance user engagement

Understanding feature awareness can help in designing targeted campaigns to increase engagement. Users who are fully aware and understand how to use all available features are more likely to have a more satisfied user experience.

Drives adoption and retention

Increasing feature adoption creates a greater product value for users, which boosts retention rates. Feature awareness can reveal opportunities to enhance the onboarding process that will result in the user’s easier adoption of the product or the service.

Facilitates better communication

Feature awareness research insights can assess the effectiveness of your communication strategies regarding the new features. This feedback enables a refined message and better channels to reach and educate the user base.

Boosting feature adoption? Master these 5 tactics

As mentioned, feature adoption is key to success, especially in SaaS. Here are 5 actionable strategies to get users on board and maximize the value of your product.

Educational content and training: from passive to proactive

Don’t wait for users to get lost; proactively guide them. Create tutorials, guides, and webinars to educate users about your features.

Your content should be clear and concise and answer their specific questions and pain points.

Make this content easily accessible within your app and through other communication channels.

In-App notifications and tooltips: “new feature alert”

Use targeted and personalized in-app notifications and tooltips to highlight new features or forgotten gems right within the app.

Create actionable prompts, switch “maybe later” into “try it now”

Craft timely nudges to encourage feature exploration and drive adoption.

Personalization and customization: go beyond one size fits all

Don’t treat everyone the same. Leverage user data based on the user’s usage pattern to tailor and highlight relevant features and trigger them at the right moment.

Reveal functionalities that address specific needs and solve individual pain points.

This data-driven approach boosts feature adoption and user satisfaction and eventually unlocks hidden connections.

Customer success and support: more than a helpdesk

Don’t just answer questions; guide your users to success. A dedicated, proactive customer success team offers personalized support and actively engages with users to guide them toward discovery.

It’s crucial that your team gathers feedback and share them with decision-makers to improve features.

Create a feature suggestion roadmap to increase your user’s engagement with your company and increase your brand’s visibility. Keep in top of mind that the brand awareness survey questions could make great marketing efforts to create robust brand recognition.

Gamification and incentives: game on

One of the recent trends is to implement challenges, badges, and rewards to motivate users to try new features.

Designing gamification elements and incentives provides a fun approach that increases exploration and adoption.

Recognize your brand

Conduct a brand awareness survey of your target market to measure brand awareness. When you are aware of your brand, you could have more loyal customers which in today’s competitive market is important to have a high brand loyalty level.

A successful example of increased brand awareness in today’s market is Coca-Cola.

Turn users into fans: 10 MUST-ask questions for your feature awareness survey

When designing your feature awareness survey questions, consider covering these critical topics to ensure having a comprehensive insight:

Feature awareness

Assess user awareness of existing features.

Key question: Are you aware of all the features our product offers?

Feature usage

Explore how frequently and in what contexts features are used.

Key question: How often do you use {specific feature} in your daily tasks?

Satisfaction levels

Measure satisfaction with current features.

Key question: How satisfied are you with {specific feature}?

Feature Impact

Understand the impact of specific features on the user’s workflow or satisfaction.

Key question: How has {specific feature} impacted your workflow?

Usability

Collect feedback on the usability and accessibility of features.

Key question: How easy is it to use {specific feature}?

Training and resources

Determine if users feel they have adequate resources to learn about features.

Key question: Do you feel you have enough resources to fully understand how to use {specific feature}?

Improvement suggestions

Invite suggestions for improving existing features.

Key question: What improvements would you suggest for {specific feature}?

Desired features

Identify any features users feel are missing from your product.

Key question: What features do you think are missing from our product?

Communication effectiveness

Evaluate how effectively new features are communicated to users.

Key question: How well do you think we communicate about new features?

Overall Experience

Assess the overall customer experience and how features contribute to it.

Key question: How would you rate your overall experience with our product, particularly in terms of its features?

Feedback fuels success: create your tailored survey

Create a feature awareness survey with Formaloo.  

Once you created your outline, leverage the Formaloo no-code tool to craft and deploy a feature awareness survey tailored to your needs.

Use our survey template questions, or start from scratch. Formaloo offers an easy-to-use interface, drag and drop and create your survey.

Share your survey and send customized emails automatically to respondents once they answer and receive real-time notifications.

You can also use logic to guide your users to the path you desire and take your personalization to another level.

Use Formaloo today and unleash the power of feature awareness to take your company on the path of exponential growth.

Sign-up today and enjoy this free survey tool.

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