# Feed Empty State & Discovery

- **Pattern:** `ab-000770` (`community-social-engagement.activity-feeds.empty-state-onboarding`)
- **Severity:** low
- **Lifecycle:** active
- **Last modified:** 2026-04-18
- **Canonical URL:** https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-000770
- **License:** CC-BY-4.0 — attribute to AuditBuffet Pattern Catalog (https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-000770)

## Why it matters

A new user who signs up, lands on an empty feed, and sees nothing but 'No posts yet' has no path forward and churns within the first session — this is the single largest drop-off point on every social product. Empty feeds are the default state for every new account; treating them as an error case instead of an onboarding opportunity wastes the one moment the user is most willing to click Follow. Activation metrics live or die here.

## Severity rationale

Low because the feature works for active users, but the activation impact on new signups is disproportionately large.

## Remediation

Detect the zero-state branch inside the feed component and render a composite onboarding block instead of a blank message. Swap the 'No posts' text for a `SuggestedUsers` list seeded from popular or topically relevant accounts, plus a `TrendingPosts` strip so the user has something to read while they build their follow graph. Update `components/Feed.tsx`:

```tsx
if (posts.length === 0) return (<div><SuggestedUsers limit={5} /><TrendingPosts limit={5} /></div>)
```

## Detection

- **ID:** `empty-state-onboarding`
- **Severity:** `low`
- **What to look for:** Enumerate all relevant files and Examine the feed component for an empty state (when the user follows no one, or follows only inactive users). Look for fallback UI: a "Start Following" call-to-action, "Suggested Users" section, or "Trending Content" injection. Check whether new users are guided toward discoverable content.
- **Pass criteria:** At least 1 conforming pattern must exist. Empty feed state has a meaningful fallback UI: suggested users, trending posts, or onboarding guidance. Users aren't left with a blank feed.
- **Fail criteria:** Empty feed shows nothing, or just a "No posts" message with no action.
- **Skip (N/A) when:** Platform architecture doesn't require feed engagement onboarding (e.g., internal tool).
- **Detail on fail:** `"Feed is empty for new users with no suggestions — no path to discovery"` or `"Empty state shows only 'No posts' text"`
- **Remediation:** Add suggested content to empty feeds:

  ```tsx
  // components/Feed.tsx
  export function Feed({ posts, isAuthor }) {
    if (posts.length === 0) {
      return (
        <div className="empty-state">
          <p>You haven't followed anyone yet.</p>
          <SuggestedUsers limit={5} />
          <TrendingPosts limit={5} />
        </div>
      )
    }

    return <div className="feed">{/* ... render posts ... */}</div>
  }
  ```

---

Taxons: user-experience

HTML version: https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-000770