How to implement a guided tour in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Implementing a Guided Tour in Bubble.io

 

Implementing a guided tour in a Bubble.io application can significantly enhance the user experience by providing users with clear instructions and a step-by-step walkthrough of your app's features. This guide outlines a comprehensive, step-by-step approach for adding a guided tour in Bubble.io.

 

Prerequisites

 

• Basic knowledge of using Bubble.io, including designing pages and creating workflows.
• A Bubble.io account with a project set up for implementing the guided tour.
• Access to Bubble's element inspector and the ability to add custom elements or plugins.
• Optional: Plugin access for enhanced guided tour functionality (e.g., by installing third-party plugins if needed).

 

Conceptualizing the Guided Tour

 

• Define the key features or sections of your app that you want the tour to guide users through.
• Decide on the structure and flow of the tour (e.g., linear step-by-step or flexible navigation).
• Consider whether you need special UI elements or animations to enhance the tour experience, such as highlighting areas on the screen.

 

Setting Up Tour Steps

 

• Navigate to the Bubble editor and open the page where you want to implement the tour.
• Identify the elements that you'll guide users through. You might want to give each a unique ID to reference them within the tour.
• Create a custom state (e.g., `tour_step`) on the page or a floating group to manage the state of your guided tour.
• Create a group or reusable element as a "tour guide tooltip" that can point to or highlight your UI elements.

 

Implementing Tour Functionality

 

• Initial Set-Up:
  • Design a tour start button that users click to initiate the tour.
  • Set this button's workflow to change the custom state `tour_step` to the first step of the tour.
• Adding Steps:
  • Create a workflow for each tour step. Use conditional actions to show and hide the tour tooltip based on the current `tour_step` value.
  • Configure tooltips to point to relevant elements and provide textual guidance for users.
  • Transition from one step to the next using buttons within the tooltip or by setting a timer.

 

Using Plugins for Enhanced Functionality

 

• Consider using a guided tour plugin from the Bubble Marketplace for easy implementation. Search for popular ones like "Introduction.js" or "Shepherd.js" integrations.
• Follow the plugin instructions to add it to your app. Customize its settings to define which elements it will interact with and how the tour should proceed.

 

Testing the Guided Tour

 

• Preview your page to test the guided tour and ensure all elements appear correctly at each step.
• Check that all elements are being correctly referenced and highlighted by the tooltips.
• Test the navigation and transitions between tour steps to ensure a seamless user experience.
• Consider testing on different views and devices to check responsiveness and usability.

 

Deploying the Guided Tour

 

• Once verified, deploy your application with the guided tour enabled.
• Announce the availability of the new guided tour feature to your users if the application is already launched.
• Continuously collect feedback from users to improve and perhaps expand the guided tour to cover more functionalities or clarify existing instructions.

 

By carefully following these steps, you can successfully implement a guided tour that helps users navigate your Bubble.io application effortlessly. Enhancing user engagement and comprehension of your app's features will likely boost satisfaction and efficacy in using your product.