This is the full version of the short “UX best practices” tips in the Flinks Connect Overview. The key recommendation: prompt users to connect in the final steps of onboarding, once they are already engaged, rather than at the beginning.
Audit your current flow
Before you change anything, critique your existing experience. Walk through your flow as if you were a first-time user and answer the following questions honestly.When do you prompt to connect?
At what stage are users prompted to connect their accounts: the beginning, middle, or end of your flow?
How is connectivity presented?
How is connectivity introduced, and how natural does the flow feel from start to finish?
Is your brand consistent?
What language and illustration do you use? Are your brand, tone, and voice consistent throughout the experience?
How much context do you give?
How much context do users receive before they connect? Are there any signals that users are uncomfortable or hesitant?
Build a natural flow
The best flows make connecting feel like the obvious next step rather than a demand. Use the following techniques to reduce hesitation and abandonment.Choose when to prompt
Prompt users to connect in the final steps of your onboarding or application, not at the beginning. By that point, users are more engaged and invested. They’ve already progressed and shared personal information, so they’re far less likely to abandon. Connecting feels like the natural next step to complete what they started.
Tie a value proposition to connecting
Give users a clear reason to connect. Two approaches work well: frame connecting as the logical final step to get what they came for, or state specific, concrete benefits: instant app access, same-day money transfer, or faster loan approval.
Use the power of the default
Present connectivity as the default (opt-out) option rather than opt-in. Defaults signal credibility and offer the path of least resistance, which measurably increases connection rates.
Design the opt-out as re-engagement
When a user tries to opt out, treat it as a moment to re-engage rather than a dead end. Remind them of the value props before they leave. For example, “Are you sure? Connecting means faster onboarding and no manual document uploads.”
Provide a manual fallback
Offer a manual alternative, such as document upload, for users who opt out of connecting. In some cases (for example, personal finance management apps) connecting is essential, and the service is simply unavailable without it.Build trust at every step
Trust is what converts a hesitant user into a connected one. Reinforce it consistently across your experience.Keep your brand consistent
Keep themes, colours, imagery, tone, and voice consistent from your site, through Flinks Connect, and back to your app. A seamless visual handoff reassures users that they haven’t left a trusted environment. Flinks Connect supports this with several widget parameters:| Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|
customerName | Displays your company name on the Consent, Login, and Success screens so users know who they’re sharing data with. |
theme | Matches the widget’s appearance to your brand (for example, light or dark). |
consentEnable | Shows a clear data-sharing consent step before users enter credentials. |
headerImgEnable | Set to false to remove only the Flinks logo while keeping the header. |
headerEnable | Set to false to remove the entire header (title, subtitle, and logo) for a cleaner, embedded feel. |
termsUrl | Links to your terms and conditions. |
Use Flinks’ pre-built UI
Flinks Connect is optimized for trust and conversion. It handles the edge cases and friction points that commonly cause drop-off, including multi-factor authentication (MFA/2FA), and includes a built-in data-sharing consent step. Building on the pre-built UI means you inherit these optimizations rather than rebuilding them yourself.Give users opportunities to opt back in
Unless connecting is critical to your service, give users repeated opportunities to return to the default (connect) option. A single decline shouldn’t lock them out of the faster path.Write customer-centric copy
- Lead with what’s in it for the user.
- State the benefits quickly, in plain, jargon-free language.
- Keep the number of steps to a minimum.
Be transparent on your website
Publish clear information about connectivity, security, and privacy. Pre-answer the who, what, how, and why before users have to ask. Surprise is the enemy of trust.Don’t double-collect data
Don’t ask users to manually re-enter information that Flinks already collects for you. Redundant data entry frustrates users and signals a poorly integrated experience.Equip your support agents
Your reps and brokers are often the last line of reassurance. Make sure they can confidently explain that no one has direct access to a user’s account, and that data is tokenized and scrambled. Give your agents this Context Checklist of the questions users most often ask. Every agent should be able to answer all nine:- What happens after I connect my accounts?
- Is data connectivity the last step before I get what I want?
- What is data connectivity?
- What’s in it for me?
- Why do I need to connect my financial account?
- Who is Flinks?
- How is my information going to be used?
- Is my financial account information safe and secure?
- How is this better than the old way?
Trust checklist
The following five practices come directly from Flinks’ highest-converting clients. Use them as a final review before you ship.- State the benefits. Use your brand messaging to communicate the benefits of connecting.
- Minimize steps. Reduce your onboarding or application steps to the bare minimum.
- Show progress. Indicate progress and allow users to pause, save, and return later.
- Simplify messaging. Keep terms and conditions short, with “read more” links for detail.
- Use trust indicators. Show user reviews, high-profile testimonials, media presence, and relevant standards or certifications, and use reassuring language such as “protected by bank-level security.”
Next steps
Choose a Front-End Solution
Compare Flinks Connect, Express, and Custom integrations to pick the right front end.
Widget Parameters
Customize Flinks Connect to match your brand and control the consent experience.
Flinks Upload
Set up a manual document-upload fallback for users who opt out of connecting.
Resume and Reconnect
Let users pick up where they left off and re-establish connections that have lapsed.