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How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

lennyrachitsky.com

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Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#11

Post by fxtentacle »

petargyurov wrote: post #6

> Get Press Always wondered about this - do I just email an news outlet and tell them "my story" and see if they roll with it? I'm starting to advertise my business around with the idea of growing a userbase before the official release. Ironically enough mentioning a link to it on my previous HN comment lead to more visitors than either of the Facebook or Reddit ads that I put up. With that said, if you're into 3D pr…

That's what I did with my audio app. After we got featured in the first magazine, I just sent that link to other magazines and offered interviews and giveaways.

Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#13

Post by petargyurov »

chucksmash wrote: post #10
petargyurov wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely things like that end up backfiring? People on reddit have a strangely good eye when it comes to spotting "shills" in the comment sections. Then again it could just be paranoia.

Parent isn't saying you should create Reddit accounts to shill for your new thing. They are referencing the sock puppet accounts the Reddit founders used to make Reddit look like less of a ghost town in the early days[1]. > Huffman reveals that, “In the beginning Alexis and I submitted all the content.” When they submitted content they created new fake user names so that it would look like the site was populated with…

Ah now that I re-read their comment I can see that I misinterpreted it. For some reason I was thinking along the lines of buying upvotes to get your post to the frontpage, which is of course pretty shitty.

Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#14

Post by petargyurov »

fxtentacle wrote: post #11
petargyurov wrote: post #6

> Get Press Always wondered about this - do I just email an news outlet and tell them "my story" and see if they roll with it? I'm starting to advertise my business around with the idea of growing a userbase before the official release. Ironically enough mentioning a link to it on my previous HN comment lead to more visitors than either of the Facebook or Reddit ads that I put up. With that said, if you're into 3D pr…

That's what I did with my audio app. After we got featured in the first magazine, I just sent that link to other magazines and offered interviews and giveaways.

Interesting. I am curious, did the giveaways yield any significant rise in users when compared to not doing a giveaway?

Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#15

Post by unclebucknasty »

BigChiefSmokem wrote: post #9
paulryanrogers wrote: post #3

> Corey's plan was to infiltrate these communities. He wouldn't announce himself as a Netflix employee. ... and slowly, over time, alert the most respected commenters, moderators, and website owners about this great new site called Netflix. Strikes me as unethical. Unless their alerts disclosed the relationship.

Unethical would be being asked about your relationship with the company and lying about it.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Lying_by_omission

Also see: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie + Find in page: "Lying by omission"

Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#19

Post by aaronbrethorst »

sharker8 wrote: post #17

What's that first app in Create FOMO, the logo with the Bill Murray lookalike's face? Honest question, not trolling.

Clubhouse, apparently? Which is some kind of faddish social networking app that will never be heard from again after they run out of their current round of funding, I assume? https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-clubhouse-why-does-silic...

Re: How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1k users

#20

Post by jedberg »

CM30 wrote: post #2

Surprised the Reddit 'solution' to this (fake accounts and activity until real people decide to join) isn't on the list. Fake it til you make it is definitely a strategy that a fair few successful products, services and communities used to kick things off.

That's not a strategy to get new users though. It makes a social site more appealing to new users, but it doesn't attract them.

Reddit used the "tell your friends" method first, and then "have PG blog about us", which really accelerated their growth, and falls under "Leverage Influencers".

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