Empty states

Empty states are the most important UI surface for activation. A new user with no data sees empty states constantly; each one is a chance to guide the next action.

Weak empty state

'No items yet' with a shrug icon. Doesn't help.

Strong empty state

• Clear explanation of what goes here
• One clear action button
• Optional: example or template
• Optional: brief why this matters

Common opportunity

Every table, list, or dashboard has an empty state. Most are 'no data' placeholder. Each is an activation opportunity.

Measure

Click-through rate on empty-state CTAs. Optimize the ones users hit most.

What to do with this

• Audit every table, list, and dashboard in your product for empty states, each one is an activation opportunity
• Design each empty state with a single clear CTA, multiple CTAs in an empty state split attention and drop conversion
• Offer a template or sample row, "pre-filled example" CTAs often convert 2-3x higher than "create from scratch"
• Measure empty-state CTR separately from in-product CTR, they're different metrics and the empty-state is the activation funnel
• Review empty states quarterly, product adds new surfaces and new empty states that tend to start ugly and stay ugly