Activation
The point at which a new user reaches a meaningful first success that predicts long-term retention. Defining and optimizing the activation moment is central to onboarding and PLG.
Related terms
Product-Led Growth (PLG)
A go-to-market strategy where the product itself drives acquisition, conversion, and expansion. In PLG, users experience value before buying, often through free trials or freemium plans.
Freemium
A pricing model that offers a free tier indefinitely, with paid plans unlocking more capacity or features. Freemium lowers the barrier to adoption and feeds a product-led funnel.
Self-Serve
A motion where customers can sign up, onboard, and purchase without talking to sales. Self-serve scales efficiently for lower-priced products and complements assisted sales for larger accounts.
Time to Value (TTV)
How long it takes a new user to experience the product’s core benefit for the first time. Shorter TTV improves activation, conversion, and retention, and is a key PLG metric.
Aha Moment
The instant a user first grasps the core value a product delivers for them. Designing onboarding to reach the aha moment quickly is a primary lever for activation.
Product Qualified Account (PQA)
An account showing strong product usage and fit signals that indicate readiness for a sales conversation or expansion. PQAs extend the PQL concept from individuals to whole accounts.
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