Why This Project
Affirmations had quietly become a loved feature on the platform. Our WhatsApp pilot showed surprising demand: over a thousand monthly users, tens of thousands of messages sent with a high read rate, but it came with a ₹2 lakh + annual bill and little control over experience. The platform version existed, but felt flat and one-time: users binged multiple affirmations at once and rarely returned.
From the wider platform data, we also saw a shift in mental health behaviour: users were moving from crisis-first care toward preventive, daily wellness rituals. Affirmations fit perfectly into this proactive space.. light, daily, habit-driven.
And the audience fit was clear: a majority of all sessions came from 21-30 year olds (young professionals and students), the very group most open to small digital rituals woven into their day.
We believed affirmations could be more: a calming, habit-building ritual that lives inside the platform, supported by thoughtful design and nudges.
The Challenge
When we analysed data and spoke with counsellors, these themes came up:
- Retention was weak: Early day return rates stayed in single digts
- Content felt static: No pacing or habit reinforcement.
- WhatsApp was unsustainable: Cost + user journeys outside our ecosystem.
At the same time, our research showed session timing trends: around half of all sessions happen during afternoon work/study hours, while mornings were lighter. That reinforced our design hunch: use affirmations to fill the morning gap with a calming ritual.
The Goal
We defined clear goals and success metrics:
- Migrate at least 40% of WhatsApp users to the app
- Lift retention by 20% across the first 10 days
- Zero WhatsApp cost within 2 weeks of phase-out
- Increase engagement: Increase in sharing and favourites
- Support corporate adoption: By 2024, corporates had grown to 45% of platform usage, so affirmations offered a low-barrier, corporate-friendly wellness entry point
First Steps
Competitor scan: Most had reminders and favourites; few had a “daily unlock” habit loop.
User interviews: Counsellors confirmed affirmations were a “quick emotional win,” but users wanted something new each day, not a library.
Tech input: Engineers flagged feasibility for daily timers, deep linking, and migrating users safely from WhatsApp.
How We Built It
Designing The Daily Unlock
One new affirmation each morning; past affirmations in a growing library.
Explored calming backgrounds and typography; we kept it minimal to avoid cognitive load.
Scoped daily reset logic and storage with engineers.
Improving UI Across Devices
Old UI was static lists; new UI feels like a calming ritual.
Desktop and mobile share a visual language: space, backgrounds, subtle animations.
At completion of daily read, a popup suggests 1 to 2 related resources (journal, mood tracker).
Making Notifications Work Harder
Push notifications deep link to today’s affirmation.
Rotating morning notifications: “Quiet your mind. Open today’s affirmation.”
Missed and reactivation reminders in late afternoon the next day, aligning with platform peak usage.
Moving Off WhatsApp
This was sensitive, since users loved the familiarity. We created a 14-day exit plan:
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- Messages at 14, 7, 3, 1 day(s): gentle reminders, value pitches.
- Final day message: celebrated the journey, linked to platform.
- Marketing and ops handled templates, engineering handled deep links.
Working Process
Hurdles Along The Way
Timing: Balancing design polish with engineering feasibility (e.g., daily timers).
Deep Link work around: Deep linking of the push notifications needed to be solved.
Migration risk: Could we lose users when shutting down WhatsApp?
Results (2 Months Post-Launch)
Migration: A sizeable percentage WhatsApp users moved in-app, on par with targeted numbers.
Engagement: Opens peaked at around 30% in early weeks, then stabilised at in the 20% range.
Favourites: Users actively saved affirmations consistently, turning the feature into something personal.
Retention: D1–D10 curve showed baseline around 10% rise.
Costs: WhatsApp spend down to ₹0.
What Users Say
“I used to feel anxious when I would wake up, confused about how I will manage my tasks. When I subscribed for Affirmations, before talking to any person, I would open the message and feel a little more positive. I feel happier and more confident..”
“It has helped me to not be afraid of the things life puts me through.”
“Had zero energy to go for work, but affirmations started a positive chain of thoughts, that felt different, eventually it made me more enthusiastic for the day.. Thank you.”
“1 single line made me rethink a challenge as an opportunity.”
“Daily affirmations helped me to remain positive. Whenever I feel low, I read them.”
“This gives a little push in the morning!”
“Helped me undertake a few responsibilities which otherwise due to some doubt or overthinking, wouldn't be possible. A sense of confidence..”
Key Takeaway
Affirmations evolved from a costly, one-time feature into a daily ritual — a calming, habit-forming experience that lives inside the platform, not outside it.