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The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

viniciusvacanti.com

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Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#2
Unless your target audience is "vapid people who care about online startup gossip rags," then please don't get upset when your launch is 99.999% bounces.

After working on one project for a protracted period of time, we become slightly delusional. We think we matter more than we do. We think people care a heckuva lot more than they do. That's perfectly fine, but you must recognize your own delusions and not base your hopes and dreams on 'em.

Drag in your target customers and adjust from there.

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#4
And the answer to, "Why won't people share" is probably because people are extremely tired of automated 4square-like notices. I know I instantly unfollow anyone from Twitter if I see a 4square notice. If I started seeing yipit ones I bet I would react the same way.

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#5
These posts make me want to write a Startup FAQ:

Q: How do I get on Techcrunch:

A: Ignore Techcrunch. Don't waste brain cycles on them. If they cover you on their own, great. It almost certainly won't do anything to improve your odds of success, but it probably can't hurt. A better question to ask is: how do I design and implement the right marketing strategy for my startup?

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#6
post #5

These posts make me want to write a Startup FAQ: Q: How do I get on Techcrunch: A: Ignore Techcrunch. Don't waste brain cycles on them. If they cover you on their own, great. It almost certainly won't do anything to improve your odds of success, but it probably can't hurt. A better question to ask is: how do I design and implement the right marketing strategy for my startup?

I'd say the takeway from yipit is that they need to build a better product. If the engagement is that low after receiving 8k+ hits (resulting in 3 returning users), then it's probably not the right time to work on a marketing strategy. you need to go all the way back and work on the fundamentals of your product. 0.03% (as well as the 1.5% for users who successfully signed up) is an abysmal rate for returning users - no matter how you put it.

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#7
post #6
post #5

These posts make me want to write a Startup FAQ: Q: How do I get on Techcrunch: A: Ignore Techcrunch. Don't waste brain cycles on them. If they cover you on their own, great. It almost certainly won't do anything to improve your odds of success, but it probably can't hurt. A better question to ask is: how do I design and implement the right marketing strategy for my startup?

I'd say the takeway from yipit is that they need to build a better product. If the engagement is that low after receiving 8k+ hits (resulting in 3 returning users), then it's probably not the right time to work on a marketing strategy. you need to go all the way back and work on the fundamentals of your product. 0.03% (as well as the 1.5% for users who successfully signed up) is an abysmal rate for returning users -…

The post was loosely based on our experience years ago. We now have many users and our conversion rates are much higher.

I just wanted people to know that getting some PR isn't the finish line, it's the start of the race.

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#9
post #6
post #5

These posts make me want to write a Startup FAQ: Q: How do I get on Techcrunch: A: Ignore Techcrunch. Don't waste brain cycles on them. If they cover you on their own, great. It almost certainly won't do anything to improve your odds of success, but it probably can't hurt. A better question to ask is: how do I design and implement the right marketing strategy for my startup?

I'd say the takeway from yipit is that they need to build a better product. If the engagement is that low after receiving 8k+ hits (resulting in 3 returning users), then it's probably not the right time to work on a marketing strategy. you need to go all the way back and work on the fundamentals of your product. 0.03% (as well as the 1.5% for users who successfully signed up) is an abysmal rate for returning users -…

I agree. Also, it turns out that improving their product involves marketing. I went to the site and I had no idea why I would want to sign up. How is it different/better than all the existing coupon/deal sites? The "about" link is below the fold, and on my laptop screen I had no way of knowing that there was anything to scroll down to. Chrome doesn't show a scroll bar until you try to scroll.

Re: The Depressing Day After You Get TechCrunched

#10
post #7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say the takeway from yipit is that they need to build a better product. If the engagement is that low after receiving 8k+ hits (resulting in 3 returning users), then it's probably not the right time to work on a marketing strategy. you need to go all the way back and work on the fundamentals of your product. 0.03% (as well as the 1.5% for users who successfully signed up) is an abysmal rate for returning users -…

The post was loosely based on our experience years ago. We now have many users and our conversion rates are much higher. I just wanted people to know that getting some PR isn't the finish line, it's the start of the race.

that's encouraging to hear. so what did you do to increase conversion rates? work on the landing page, change your product or something else?
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