Are people ghosting your product?
You’ve built something amazing, and have gotten great feedback on it. But, now that it’s out in the world, where are the users?
Apple saw an insane 84% increase in Apple Store submissions in Q1 of 2026. And the reason for that:
Vibe-coding.
Since generative AI-assisted app and web page creation has been unleashed on the world, it’s easier than ever to make your idea a reality!
But, as it turns out, just a download isn’t enough to make your product successful. Now that it exists, you’ll want to evaluate exactly what makes users stick around…and what makes them ghost.
The 4 stages of user ghosting
No product starts out perfect. In order to know how to move forward, it’s important to know exactly where you are. Check out the 4 stages of user ghosting to see where you’re at!
1 Ghost central
Your users are dropping like flies, and there could be a few reasons why:
It doesn’t work on all device or browser types, or screen sizes
The text is too wordy and hard to read or understand easily
The signup process takes too long
Signup steps were hard to understand or complete
The app didn’t do what it promised
2 The “situationship”
Users stick around. But, once something better comes along, they’re DUST. Here’s what could be happening:
It works on different device or browser types, but not always
The text is missing important info, and people might read about 20% of it
The signup process isn’t too bad, but didn’t feel easy and seamless
They don’t feel like they know exactly what they’re doing at all times
The app kind of does what it promised, but the user doesn’t leave satisfied
3 Casual, but not committed
Your users are interested. They could be in it for the long haul, but they might have one foot out the door. Here’s what could be happening:
Your app is technically sound, and works well
They can read and understand the information you provide
The signup process is clear, but not predictable
The app does what was promised, but perhaps doesn’t fit easily into their daily lives
4 Long-term potential
There’s no better situation, because this attachment style is healthy AF:
The tech feels easy and fun to use
The messaging is clear and concise
It’s easy to signup and use
It’s just shy of becoming a household name!
Not sure which stage you’re at?
Want some personalized help with improving your users’ experience? Check out the Anti-Ghosting Accelerator, brought to you by Rent a Founder [link].
How to stop users from ghosting
No matter which stage you’re at, there’s still room for improvement! Here are 3 simple things you can do with no budget or tech experience to help boost how “usable” your product is.
Check text accessibility
No one can use what they can’t read. Make sure everyone can read your text by running a couple of tests using helpful tools like accessibilitychecker.org for web pages, or contrast checkers for apps like WebAIM.
Test on a friend’s device
Sometimes things can look great on your iPhone, but terrible once you look at it on an Android (or vice versa). Different screen sizes can also affect how things appear to your users. You can’t change what they’re using, but the more you test things out on different devices to fix issues as you see them, the better.
Be a “fly on the wall”
The best thing you could be doing is literally watching other people use your product. You get to see things you didn’t expect to happen, and hear what they really think and feel about the experience. That kind of research is worth its weight in gold!
If you’re looking for some expert advice…
