1 min lesson
Onboarding copy is PMM surface area
Walk through the important items in "Onboarding copy is PMM surface area" and give the practical point of each.
Step 1 of 2
Onboarding copy is PMM surface areanot just lifecycle's job
The empty state, the first-run tooltip, the nudge that says "try Agent on this file" - that copy decides whether a developer reaches the activation moment or bounces. Treat it as launch-quality writing, because it carries the narrative into the exact instant a developer decides if Cursor is for them.
- Write the onboarding flow toward the activation moment, not a tour of every feature.
- Keep in-product copy concrete and short - a developer in flow won't read a paragraph.
- Carry the launch narrative inward so the promise that got them here matches what they meet.
- Reduce time-to-value: every step between sign-up and the first win is a place to lose them.