What is a coachmark?
Used in a sentence: New users keep getting lost on the portfolio screen, so let's run a short coachmark the first time they land there.
How it works
A coachmark dims the screen and cuts out a spotlight around one element, with a short caption and a “Next” or “Skip” control. The tour moves step by step, so the user’s attention follows a set path.
Coachmarks usually fire on a first visit: first app open, first time on a screen, or first use of a new feature. Some steps advance only when the user performs the action, such as tapping the highlighted button, which turns the tour into practice rather than reading. The SDK records progress, so a user who leaves halfway can resume later or be excluded once they complete the flow.
Example
A new user on a trading app opens the order screen for the first time. A three-step coachmark highlights the quantity field, then the order type toggle, then the “Place order” button. The last step only completes when they place a small practice order. Users who have already traded on the app never see the tour, and anyone who skips it gets a single reminder tooltip on their next visit.
Coachmark vs tooltip
| Coachmark | Tooltip | |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | Several, in a set order | One |
| Background | Often dimmed | Stays usable |
| Purpose | Teach a flow | Explain one element |
Use a coachmark to teach a path through the app. Use a tooltip to explain a single control.
Best practices
- Teach the one flow that leads to the first success, not the whole interface.
- Let the final step require the real action so users finish having done it once.
- Always show a skip option and a step indicator.
- Measure activation for users who saw the tour against a holdout.
How to do this with Digia Engage
A product team builds each step in Digia’s no-code visual builder, picks the elements to highlight and sets the trigger, such as first visit to a screen, from events in CleverTap, MoEngage or WebEngage. Progress and completion rules decide who sees the tour and when it stops. The coachmark goes live without an app release, and steps can be edited after launch. See the options on the mobile app coachmarks page.
Frequently asked questions
- How many steps should a coachmark tour have?
- As few as the task needs, usually two or three. Each step should lead to something the user wants to do, not describe every button on the screen. If a tour feels long, split it and trigger the later steps when the user first reaches the relevant feature, instead of front-loading everything.
- Should users be able to skip coachmarks?
- Yes. A visible skip or close option respects users who already know the app or want to explore on their own. Forcing a tour usually leads to fast tapping without reading. Track who skips, and offer a lighter reminder later only if those users then fail to reach the key action.
Related terms
Read more
Part of the In-app engagement glossary.