Definition:
A new user is a person whom a digital system records for the first time according to its identification method. That record may be based on a device, browser or account. In digital analytics, this status means that the tool does not recognise previous activity associated with the available identifier, but it does not necessarily prove that the person has never used the website or application.
The exact definition depends on the platform. A program may consider someone new when they create an account, while a web analytics tool may rely on cookies, device identifiers, signed-in sessions or other signals permitted by its configuration.
How a new user is identified
Analytics tools cannot always determine whether a person is visiting a site for the first time. They identify users through cookies, devices, browsers or accounts, so the same person may be counted as several new users and several people may appear as one.
For this reason, the number of new users is an estimate based on identifiers, not an exact count of people. It should be interpreted according to the tool’s definition, the period analysed and the consent configuration, and is useful for studying acquisition and initial behaviour.
New-user acquisition and retention
Acquiring new users is a common objective for digital businesses, but a new user is not necessarily a lead or customer. Cost per lead (CPL) relates investment to the potential contacts obtained, for example, through a form, information request or newsletter subscription. Only some first-time visitors complete one of these actions.
Promotions, discounts and free trials may support acquisition. Their usefulness should not be assessed only by the number of registrations, but also by subsequent conversion and user retention.
Several basic aspects can improve the relationship with people arriving for the first time:
- Provide clear information about the product or service and its possible cost.
- Ensure a good user experience (UX), with understandable navigation and no unnecessary obstacles.
- Use discounts, promotions and personalised communications appropriately and with the necessary permissions.
When the experience is satisfactory, a new user may become a returning customer or recommend the product to other people. Acquisition and retention are related stages, but they should be measured with different indicators.