6 ms·

User Acquisition isn't the only thing, but it should be the first thing. Once you figure out how to get users, then you do need to build a good product to retai

by idoh 15y ago

User Acquisition isn't the only thing, but it should be the first thing. Once you figure out how to get users, then you do need to build a good product to retain them. First figure out a strategy to get people to use something, and then build out the product around that. For instance, I know Facebook virals pretty well, and it is through that lens that I look at new ideas - is this something that they'd post to their wall, share, like, comment on, etc. If not, how can the idea be shifted around to work? In my experience getting users is a lot more important than building a good product. I know lots of really bad products that have lots of users because they nailed the UA part. There is even one app I know that is basically nonfunctional that has over 1MM users. Outside of FB I can only speculate, but I'd imagine that you have to think about how you could get users. If it is through ads, there is nothing stopping you from running ads before you've built the product, to see what type of ads or products people are interested in. You could find out how to get people to leave their email for invites, or what would get people to post to blogs or tweet, etc.

TheSmoke 15y ago
I agree with you. In my belief, we have built a great product yet in 6 months we only have 86 users. However I think we have not made it clear for people so they would share on their walls or timelines -which is something I'm working on.- Some of our visitors got the point and signed up but most of them did not. Do you think "invitation only" launches are more successful? I think they are for a certain degree because from what I see people want to feel special and they want to have their place on that new thing before somebody else or everyone else does.
- idoh 15y ago
  I don't know much about using that, because I mainly play in the FB app space. It certainly works for some people, I think pinterest is the poster child for that. On the other hand there is something to be said for letting users use as much of your app as possible before logging in, e.g. see reddit where they ask for an account only after you try to rate a link or post a comment. If you got users already, then congrats! That means you have data, and with data you can make decisions on how to improve the app. The framework I use to evaluate what to do is based on three factors, UA/virals, retention, and monetization. Let's set aside monetization. I'd look at your metrics and see if where you are weak. If you don't have metrics, then that's the first place to start. For UA/Virals, you want to know what your conversion funnel looks like, for example how many people that land on your app become users, what channels do you get users from, and from there a/b test to make those better. You can also try to have incentivized virals, for instance dropbox gave users more space if they referred a friend. In my world it is inviting the user to get some sort of benefit or unlocking some part of the app. Once you hit upon a strategy that seems like it work, you have to a/b test like crazy because even small changes can have a big impact. If your app monetizes really well, then paid UA can be workable, basically it becomes an arbitrage problem where you try to acquire paying users for a lower cost than they will spend in the app. For retention, you want to know what the second day retention for your app is. If I have over 10% second day retention I find that workable, above 20% is really great. The retention curve seems to be that 14th day retention is about half of second day retention, so if you get 100 users on day 0 and have a 10% 2nd day retention then you can expect to keep 5 users from that cohort 14 days later. To boost retention you could improve your app, but that's usually not the low hanging fruit so to speak. Do you do anything to try an reengage your users, such as sending them welcome emails, or other bacon-y emails. If it is a FB app, do you send app-to-user notifications or post stories on their wall? Basically, you need to find a way to reach out to them and get them to come back to the app. It depends on your comfort level, but I don't mind pissing off 80% of my day 0 users if I can get 20% of them to come back, because without being aggressive hardly anyone will come back anyway.

by idoh 15y ago

TheSmoke 15y ago

I agree with you. In my belief, we have built a great product yet in 6 months we only have 86 users. However I think we have not made it clear for people so they would share on their walls or timelines -which is something I'm working on.- Some of our visitors got the point and signed up but most of them did not. Do you think "invitation only" launches are more successful? I think they are for a certain degree because from what I see people want to feel special and they want to have their place on that new thing before somebody else or everyone else does.

idoh 15y ago
I don't know much about using that, because I mainly play in the FB app space. It certainly works for some people, I think pinterest is the poster child for that. On the other hand there is something to be said for letting users use as much of your app as possible before logging in, e.g. see reddit where they ask for an account only after you try to rate a link or post a comment. If you got users already, then congrats! That means you have data, and with data you can make decisions on how to improve the app. The framework I use to evaluate what to do is based on three factors, UA/virals, retention, and monetization. Let's set aside monetization. I'd look at your metrics and see if where you are weak. If you don't have metrics, then that's the first place to start. For UA/Virals, you want to know what your conversion funnel looks like, for example how many people that land on your app become users, what channels do you get users from, and from there a/b test to make those better. You can also try to have incentivized virals, for instance dropbox gave users more space if they referred a friend. In my world it is inviting the user to get some sort of benefit or unlocking some part of the app. Once you hit upon a strategy that seems like it work, you have to a/b test like crazy because even small changes can have a big impact. If your app monetizes really well, then paid UA can be workable, basically it becomes an arbitrage problem where you try to acquire paying users for a lower cost than they will spend in the app. For retention, you want to know what the second day retention for your app is. If I have over 10% second day retention I find that workable, above 20% is really great. The retention curve seems to be that 14th day retention is about half of second day retention, so if you get 100 users on day 0 and have a 10% 2nd day retention then you can expect to keep 5 users from that cohort 14 days later. To boost retention you could improve your app, but that's usually not the low hanging fruit so to speak. Do you do anything to try an reengage your users, such as sending them welcome emails, or other bacon-y emails. If it is a FB app, do you send app-to-user notifications or post stories on their wall? Basically, you need to find a way to reach out to them and get them to come back to the app. It depends on your comfort level, but I don't mind pissing off 80% of my day 0 users if I can get 20% of them to come back, because without being aggressive hardly anyone will come back anyway.