PLG Activation Checklist Template

Industry benchmarks vary by product type. B2B SaaS products with self-serve onboarding typically see 20-40% activation rates. Top performers reach 50-60%. If you are below 20%, focus on reducing friction in the first session. If you are at 30-40%, focus on segmented onboarding and re-engagement. The [activation rate metric](/metrics/activation-rate) page has more detailed benchmarks by category.

Run a correlation analysis between candidate actions and Day-30 retention. The action with the strongest correlation to retention is your activation metric. Revalidate quarterly. If you are early stage and do not have enough data, pick the action that delivers the most obvious user value and refine later as data accumulates.

After. Always after. Users who have not experienced the product's value have no reason to pay. Gate usage volume or advanced features after users are activated and engaged. The [freemium conversion template](/templates/freemium-conversion-template) covers paywall placement strategies in detail.

Run the full checklist before launching a new PLG motion. After launch, run the measurement section (Section 6) weekly. Run the full checklist as a quarterly audit to catch drift: broken events, outdated onboarding copy, paywall misalignment from new features, and expansion hooks that are no longer working.

Yes. The activation and onboarding sections apply directly. For the conversion section, you will add sales-assist triggers alongside self-serve upgrade paths. The [product-led sales template](/templates/product-led-sales-template) covers the sales-assist layer in detail. Use this template for the self-serve foundation, then layer sales motions on top for enterprise accounts.