Login walls are a common technique companies use to encourage users to create an account on their website to access certain features. Often, these walls are necessary — you don't want random users accessing sensitive data on your banking app, for example. But in many cases, login walls are an unnecessary barrier for users, preventing them from doing the thing they want to do.
This video from the Nielsen Norman Group does a good job of explaining the downside of login walls.
Breaking the Law (of UX)
Okay, login walls aren't illegal, but they do violate several best practices outlined in Jon Yablonski's Laws of UX.
Hick’s Law
The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices.
🔗 https://lawsofux.com/hicks-law/
Before users are even able to see why they should sign up for an account, they're presented with a fork in the road. Now instead of seeing value, they’re deciding whether your app is worth the hassle.
Miller’s Law
The average person can only keep 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their working memory.
🔗 https://lawsofux.com/millers-law/
By disrupting the user's process, you're often unnecessarily increasing their cognitive load and taking up valuable space in their working memory. As cognitive load increases, a person's ability to understand and make decisions diminishes.
Jakob’s Law
Users spend most of their time on other sites. This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.
🔗 https://lawsofux.com/jakobs-law/
The people visiting your website expect things to work the same way as they do on other websites they're familiar with.
They use e-commerce websites where they can browse, and even add items to their cart, without signing into an account. And even when they want to checkout, they can often do so without having to create an account. They can browse places to rent on Airbnb, and they can even book a flight with Southwest — all without being asked to create an account.
Paradox of the Active User
Users never read manuals but start using the software immediately.
🔗 https://lawsofux.com/paradox-of-the-active-user/
This should come as no surprise, but people generally don't like reading before they're able to do anything. They're much more likely to read as they're doing, as they run into things they have questions about. But they don't want to have to read before they can get their hands on the tool, app, etc.
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By prompting users with a login wall, you're interrupting them with a decision to make when their motivation and curiosity are likely at their highest. They wanted to use your app for a specific purpose; now they have to deal with red tape.
What Should You Do Instead?
Before you can decide this, you have to ask yourself, what is your objective? Is your goal to make more sales, or get more people to use your app? Is your goal to get people into your drip marketing campaign?
I was actually joking before, because it almost certainly doesn't matter. Unless you're dealing with sensitive information (banking, healthcare, etc.) you should just treat the people using your website as esteemed guests. Let them look around and touch things. Give them the chance to play with features and see the value you're offering them.
Don't ask them to create an account until it's necessary – maybe that's when they want access to a premium feature, or they want to save their settings.
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To wrap things up I'll just say, unless you're protecting sensitive data, or the value is already clear, let people experience the value first – then prompt them for an account.