User Acquisition For All Founders in 2024
Nick Grayson • 2024-09-16
Successful user acquisition is about mastering the basics—ASO, social media, and referral programs—then expanding into effective channels like TikTok ads and UGC, leveraging viral growth loops, and continuously iterating to optimize results at every stage of app growth.4o
Let’s be honest: we can’t hope to cover every aspect of user acquisition in a single blog post.
There's no magic playbook for guaranteed app success.
Every app is unique, with its own challenges, audience, and growth trajectory.
But here’s why you should keep reading, whether you’re:
- A fresh app founder hustling for your first 1,000 users, or
- A seasoned app publisher managing millions of users across multiple apps.
We've extracted actionable insights from case studies on paid ads, TikTok installs, viral growth loops, and UGC (user-generated content) that are applicable no matter where you stand on your app journey.
At the end, there’s a collection of the most inspiring app ads that went viral in the last decade, from TikTok to Reddit, YouTube to Vimeo - inspiration is key!
Let’s start off with the basics:
Basics Checklist: The Foundations of App Growth
It's important to cover the fundamentals. Here's your checklist for the initial user acquisition phases:
1. Don’t underestimate your network: Start by sharing your app with friends, family, and relevant communities like Reddit. Build social profiles, have a basic email campaign for new users in place, and continuously refine based on early user feedback. The key is to gather insights quickly and iterate before going big.
2. App Store Optimization (ASO): Spend extra time getting a feel for how your target audience perceives the problem your app is solving, and optimize your app listing with keywords, icons, and descriptions that are built to resonate with them.
3. Search Ads: Never forget that Apple Search Ads have a conversion rate above 60%. They’re especially effective for mobile-first apps.
4. Social Media Marketing: Get out there! Make a few videos! Talk about your journey. DM and tell people about your app like it’s the next sliced bread.
5. SEO: Hire a cheap SEO writer for $50 and build a web presence to bring in organic traffic, even if you’re mainly mobile-focused.
6. Referral Programs: Offer users incentives (like extra features or in-app rewards) to share your app with their network.
NEVER skip these basics.
It’s the strongest foundation you can set up before you dive into more advanced user acquisition tactics.
Expanding Into New Channels
You’ve probably heard the buzz about TikTok’s potential, but you may still be hesitant to dive into it, especially if you’re bootstrapping. And I get it. As one founder on Reddit shared:
"As a bootstrapped and small team, we do a lot of ASO, search ads, some social media marketing, and recently started SEO to get traffic from the web. Our MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner) is great. I haven't looked into TikTok ads yet, but I’m happy to explore them."
The apprehension around TikTok ads is understandable, especially when you consider the cost-per-install (CPI) debates. While $1 CPI might sound appealing, there’s no single magic number. It varies wildly by region and user quality.
The real question you need to ask yourself: Does it make sense ROI-wise?
High CPI in one geo could still bring in users that are worth the cost, while lower CPI in another market might lead to less engaged users with lower lifetime value.
This is where data-driven decision-making becomes crucial.
Your MMP (whether it’s Adjust, AppsFlyer, or something similar) should be your best friend. With real-time analytics, you can track everything from user acquisition to retention and pivot your marketing strategies accordingly.
The Power of UGC and Viral Growth Loops
It probably won’t come as a surprise to you that 2024’s most cost-effective user acquisition strategies revolve around user-generated content (UGC) and viral growth loops.
As an app founder, these are effective tools in your marketing toolkit because social proof is like magic for app installs.
When users see a person solve a common problem with a single tap, it sticks.
You can leverage an app walkthrough video that shows off your product's usefulness with a UGC creator in less than $200 to run ads that could lead to a drastically better chance at recouping your investment faster.
Here are 2 case studies right from TikTok that give a great overview of successful strategies:
https://www.tiktok.com/business/en-US/inspiration/noice?ab_version=control
UGC emulates word-of-mouth marketing, which is the oldest and most impactful form of advertising.
A “let me show you” from someone you know and trust trumps any paid ad you can run because it translates into instant engagement and possible action.
That’s where viral growth loops come in. Companies like Dropbox popularized viral loops by incentivizing users to refer others in exchange for free storage.
And now, every startup, from gaming to fintech, knows the power of getting their users to become frontline ambassadors.
Ortto reports that integrating viral loops can increase user sign-ups by 15% month-over-month, depending on the effectiveness of the incentive structure.
Ad Inspiration ✨
If you’re struggling with user acquisition because of marketing efforts, here are some viral lightbulb-inducing ads from popular apps that you can always come back to and learn something from:
Lemonade - Insurance that actually helps
Bonus: An Inspiring User Acquisition Strategy in 5 Simple Steps
Regardless of your app’s size or stage, these five steps offer a simple yet inspiring approach to user acquisition:
1. Tell Your Story: Founders who communicate their personal journey and mission build deeper connections with users. See: buildspace
2. Leverage UGC Early by Engaging Micro-Influencers: You don’t need a $1000 budget. Rather than shooting for the stars with mega-influencers, tap into micro-influencers in niche communities. They have higher engagement rates and more authentic connections with their audience, which can result in more conversions for your app.
3. Activate Viral Growth Loops: Give users a compelling reason to invite others—whether through rewards, exclusive content, or premium features unlocked through referrals. Gamify this experience to keep users invested.
4. Continuously Iterate: User acquisition isn't a one-size-fits-all or one-and-done process. Continuously test new ideas, evaluate what works, and optimize as your app scales. Analyze user behavior to double down on channels and strategies that drive the best results.
Need Help? Scale User Acquisition with the Exponential Growth Model
The model brings together paid ads with a data-driven creative strategy and continuous iteration to make high-converting ads in less time. Over time, you streamline your ad spend and optimize user acquisition at every stage, from awareness to retention.
If you want to learn more out about the Exponential Growth Model, join us at apptalks.io - we’re a community of app founders and publishers that swap strategies and help each other find app success quicker.
Want to find app success quicker? Get growing with hundreds of fellow founders in the App Talks community at apptalks.io.
Get user acquisition tips from other founders on our bi-weekly calls, Tuesdays 12pm Central.
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