Time to Value (TTV)

Definition

Time to Value (TTV) is the time from a user’s first interaction (signup) to reaching a defined value milestone (activation event).

Formula

• Activation Event: First value milestone
• Signup: Start time of user journey

If signup is Monday 10:00 and activation is Monday 10:12 → TTV = 12 minutes.

How to improve

• Use templates and defaults.
• Provide sample data/importers.
• Guide users to the shortest path to value.

Common pitfalls

• Choosing activation events that don’t represent value.
• Measuring average only; track distribution (p50/p90).

FAQ

Should TTV be measured in minutes or days?

Depends on product. Use the unit that matches buying/usage cadence; track p50 and p90.

How does TTV relate to churn?

Long TTV typically correlates with lower activation and higher early churn.

Related metrics

• Activation Rate

  Activation rate shows what percent of new users reach first value. Learn definitions, formulas, and practical levers to increase activation.

• Product Qualified Lead (PQL)

  PQLs are leads qualified by product usage. Learn definition, criteria examples, and how to operationalize PQL routing.

• Trial-to-Paid Conversion

  Trial-to-paid conversion measures how many trials become paying customers. Learn levers to improve.

• Retention Rate

  Retention rate measures how many users/customers come back or stay active. Learn cohort retention and levers.

• DAU/MAU (Stickiness)

  DAU/MAU indicates how frequently users return. Learn interpretation and levers.

Related templates

• PLG Activation Template

  A template to define activation events, track time-to-value, and improve onboarding.

• Cohort Retention Template

  Template to track cohort retention curves and identify retention drop-off points.