Marketing hacks to boost your startup(slideshare.net)
slideshare.net
Marketing hacks to boost your startup
http://www.slideshare.net/benmaxime/10-marketing-hacks-to-boost-your-startup-15573937/#
14 comments
We actually have an article on our blog 'Debunking the social proof myth' that presents a case study about these sharing buttons: http://visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/split-testing-blog/social-...
Very interesting, definitely going to do more research about these buttons.
Might be a personal bias here, but I would never use those buttons to share your website/product/blog with my friends. I'd just copy and paste the URL into Facebook/Twitter/whatever and go from there.
Judging by its usage rate in previous projects I've been a part of, many other people operate the same way or simply ignore any sort of sharing aspect.
Judging by its usage rate in previous projects I've been a part of, many other people operate the same way or simply ignore any sort of sharing aspect.
I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone. Can you reveal more about the usage rates you've seen?
I can't give you solid numbers (as it's almost been a year since I touched those projects) but they were far below 5%, typically bordering 1-2%.
That's off the top of my head, so take it with a grain of salt. :)
That's off the top of my head, so take it with a grain of salt. :)
My experience is that share buttons are pretty useless. I included share buttons in a free app I released about 6 months ago: http://scottvallanceapps.com/app/what-animal-are-you/
I've had about 30 clicks on the links included in the twitter posts, from about 2 or 3 twitter posts. Not a bad number of clicks per posting, but the app itself still gets over a hundred downloads a week from App Store searches.
I've had about 30 clicks on the links included in the twitter posts, from about 2 or 3 twitter posts. Not a bad number of clicks per posting, but the app itself still gets over a hundred downloads a week from App Store searches.
Point 4 - well in person I went over how Hacker News works etc (these are people that have never heard of Hacker News)
Share buttons - yes they're effective, I've measured the conversion rate on different sites and it's proved worthy to have them. Here's a good article about share buttons - http://socialmouths.com/blog/2012/05/08/social-media-buttons...
Share buttons - yes they're effective, I've measured the conversion rate on different sites and it's proved worthy to have them. Here's a good article about share buttons - http://socialmouths.com/blog/2012/05/08/social-media-buttons...
> these are people that have never heard of Hacker News
Then I feel that you are contributing to the dilution of the value of the site.
Then I feel that you are contributing to the dilution of the value of the site.
I hate this attitude, and it's prevalent all over HN. What makes you so special? Because you simply found this site before someone else?
I imagine there are plenty of brilliant and interesting people on the internet that are not aware of HN, but could contribute nicely if they became members here.
This "age elitism" issue is wearying. It happens in other places too (SomethingAwful, for example, went through a hilariously horrible period where the year you registered was the most important part of your post).
But this is supposedly an intellectual forum, not a comedy forum. Grow up and stop thinking the number of days since joining makes you better than someone else.
(Yes, I joined after you. I am also diluting this forum. Get off my lawn.)
I imagine there are plenty of brilliant and interesting people on the internet that are not aware of HN, but could contribute nicely if they became members here.
This "age elitism" issue is wearying. It happens in other places too (SomethingAwful, for example, went through a hilariously horrible period where the year you registered was the most important part of your post).
But this is supposedly an intellectual forum, not a comedy forum. Grow up and stop thinking the number of days since joining makes you better than someone else.
(Yes, I joined after you. I am also diluting this forum. Get off my lawn.)
I think age is the wrong metric, you're right registering before someone doesn't mean jack.
What does mean something is intent, and telling people how to exploit HN brings in people intending to ... exploit HN!
It's a shitty trend and it's why we get so much generic-startup-story garbage from startups who've decided to make us their studio audience.
What does mean something is intent, and telling people how to exploit HN brings in people intending to ... exploit HN!
It's a shitty trend and it's why we get so much generic-startup-story garbage from startups who've decided to make us their studio audience.
When I first got here, people were complaining about the new guys. I only seem "old"-ish because I joined to make a comment like 3 (edit: actually 4, crikey) years ago and then didn't come back until this year.
My problem is not the new guy. It's that he says he found non-HN readers and, in so many words, said "fill up their page with stuff".
He didn't say "join HN and hang around for a while".
He said: "Get your page on the top of HN".
Those aren't the same things.
My problem is not the new guy. It's that he says he found non-HN readers and, in so many words, said "fill up their page with stuff".
He didn't say "join HN and hang around for a while".
He said: "Get your page on the top of HN".
Those aren't the same things.
> He didn't say "join HN and hang around for a while".
> He said: "Get your page on the top of HN".
Fair enough, I see what you are saying. Sorry for the rant, it's early and the coffee is still settling in. =)
> He said: "Get your page on the top of HN".
Fair enough, I see what you are saying. Sorry for the rant, it's early and the coffee is still settling in. =)
Perfectly understandable. In text I frequently convey an air of breathtaking arrogance (in person only occasionally so).
You could argue that if that said presentation was clearly stating to use hacker news as a marketing tool. (Which would attract the wrong people from the get go anyway).
On the flip side, bringing hacker news to the attention of the mass could have also a positive effect especially if these people can contribute relevant and good content.
Additionally I feel that HN has a good algorithm to stop most of the people who wouldn't be a good fit anyway. Posting a post on HN and then getting people to vote won't get you to the front page (and if it does, getting dropped off it is pretty easy if the content you posted is not relevant).
On the flip side, bringing hacker news to the attention of the mass could have also a positive effect especially if these people can contribute relevant and good content.
Additionally I feel that HN has a good algorithm to stop most of the people who wouldn't be a good fit anyway. Posting a post on HN and then getting people to vote won't get you to the front page (and if it does, getting dropped off it is pretty easy if the content you posted is not relevant).
> Additionally I feel that HN has a good algorithm to stop most of the people who wouldn't be a good fit anyway.
> Posting a post on HN and then getting people to vote won't get you to the front page (and if it does, getting dropped off it is pretty easy if the content you posted is not relevant).
If there's too much spam, those brave netizens who patrol the windswept frontier of /newest don't get time to look at what is actually good.
They start upvoting on headlines.
> Posting a post on HN and then getting people to vote won't get you to the front page (and if it does, getting dropped off it is pretty easy if the content you posted is not relevant).
If there's too much spam, those brave netizens who patrol the windswept frontier of /newest don't get time to look at what is actually good.
They start upvoting on headlines.
> those brave netizens who patrol the windswept frontier of /newest
I don't know how they feel about it, but I sometimes feel that visiting /newest to vote / flag stuff is a kind of civic duty. For the good of all of us (except the ones who are dead).
I don't know how they feel about it, but I sometimes feel that visiting /newest to vote / flag stuff is a kind of civic duty. For the good of all of us (except the ones who are dead).
Most of them will simply use Hacker News to find interesting content, not sure how that's diluting the site.
How are they going to get to the top of HN without posting their useless blogspam?
I believe a more appropriate question would be "How are they going to get to the top of HN posting their useless blogspam?"
Because the answer for your question is easy: Posting useful things.
And as far as I know, that's the only way to get enough upvotes to appear even on the first page.
Because the answer for your question is easy: Posting useful things.
And as far as I know, that's the only way to get enough upvotes to appear even on the first page.
Point 4 now makes a bit more sense!
Cheers for the insight.
Cheers for the insight.
Tip number one: tips are no longer popular. Call them "hacks" instead.
"How I Hacked My Way Through Harvard With Top Grades:
Hack 1: Choose major that interests you
Hack 2: Read and memorize all the course literature ..."
Hack 1: Choose major that interests you
Hack 2: Read and memorize all the course literature ..."
I agree with you. It is particularly crass that we see this trend occurring on Hacker News. I would encourage PG to add a temporary rule discouraging the misuse of the term hacker, and the mods to rewrite titles that likewise misuse the term.
It's marketing.
Hear about a horse.
Flog horse to death.
Continue flogging.
Hear about a horse.
Flog horse to death.
Continue flogging.
Bonus points if they are "curated".
It may be semantics but I definitely wouldn't call these "hacks". "Tips" or "Advice" seems much more appropriate, although with less curb-appeal to this crowd.
I think it's because "hack" connotates cheating in some way, and people are always interested in finding ways to beat the system.
Can you think of another word that has the same effect?
Can you think of another word that has the same effect?
Finding another word to suggest such a thing is difficult because the word "hack" or "hacker" did not originally suggest cheating or beating the system, but has had the meaning altered by people who didn't know the subject matter they were discussing.
It is people like this that have taken this word, changed its meaning to be something devious sounding, and then using it inappropriately (even with the new devious meaning) that is the source of the contention. It is for me at least.
The funny part to me is that in using the word "hack" in this way that suggests "beating the system" also suggests that his whole thought process is to offer suggestions that are inherently wrong. Hacking is cheating, so do these things to cheat. What a wonderful suggestion for long-term business growth.
If someone like this needs another word for what is being attempted then I think "cheating", "gaming", or even "spamming" fits quite nicely.
Finally, I cannot possibly take anyone that uses the term "growth hacking" seriously in a business context. It's like those job posts that use "ninja" or "rockstar"; just an attempt to appear hip or cool in a strange way.
It is people like this that have taken this word, changed its meaning to be something devious sounding, and then using it inappropriately (even with the new devious meaning) that is the source of the contention. It is for me at least.
The funny part to me is that in using the word "hack" in this way that suggests "beating the system" also suggests that his whole thought process is to offer suggestions that are inherently wrong. Hacking is cheating, so do these things to cheat. What a wonderful suggestion for long-term business growth.
If someone like this needs another word for what is being attempted then I think "cheating", "gaming", or even "spamming" fits quite nicely.
Finally, I cannot possibly take anyone that uses the term "growth hacking" seriously in a business context. It's like those job posts that use "ninja" or "rockstar"; just an attempt to appear hip or cool in a strange way.
I couldn't agree more.
Linkbaiting is starting to piss me off soooo much.
Linkbaiting is starting to piss me off soooo much.
+1
I hate the way HN is emphasized every time I see something about growth hacking. If the only way you can get your startup on HN's front page is by writing about something else then this obviously is not your market and you are doing a terrible job even if you "win".
Very interesting and actionable. One thing I disagree is point #5 because your previous users could feel screwed.
Here are the 10 hacks
1. Guest post (send editor email with post and short intro)
2. Offer premium giveaways
3. Use Rapportive to find and connect with anyone
4. Use Hacker News (~10k to 50k visitors for #1)
5. Drop the app to free after a regular pricing
6. Create one day viral projects to promote your brand
7. Use share buttons
8. Distribute on AppSumo (+730k subscribers)
9. Reach out bloggers (provide value before asking for something)
10. Use Dropbox style to incentive and gamify signups
Accessible on this link http://tldr.io/tldrs/50c74e31babbb5f813000b32
Here are the 10 hacks
1. Guest post (send editor email with post and short intro)
2. Offer premium giveaways
3. Use Rapportive to find and connect with anyone
4. Use Hacker News (~10k to 50k visitors for #1)
5. Drop the app to free after a regular pricing
6. Create one day viral projects to promote your brand
7. Use share buttons
8. Distribute on AppSumo (+730k subscribers)
9. Reach out bloggers (provide value before asking for something)
10. Use Dropbox style to incentive and gamify signups
Accessible on this link http://tldr.io/tldrs/50c74e31babbb5f813000b32
Pointless slides with no real tips or hacks. These are here just to promote Ben "Branding".
for example Guest blogging: The tip is "Guest blogging is great, write stuff and send a small email to important people so they publish it on their blog". Social proof inside, " Look how i wrote an article for TC" ... Woopidioh!
Everybody know it is important to do guest posts. That is not rocket science. What would have been great is actually tips on how to write awesome guest blog post? The process, the research, etc .
Leo Widrich of Buffer wrote a great "Guest Post" on Guest blogging ( I know, so meta ^^ ) somewhere but I can't find it anymore.
The only thing I agree with the slide is the last comment.
"In the end none of this matters if you have a crappy product."
for example Guest blogging: The tip is "Guest blogging is great, write stuff and send a small email to important people so they publish it on their blog". Social proof inside, " Look how i wrote an article for TC" ... Woopidioh!
Everybody know it is important to do guest posts. That is not rocket science. What would have been great is actually tips on how to write awesome guest blog post? The process, the research, etc .
Leo Widrich of Buffer wrote a great "Guest Post" on Guest blogging ( I know, so meta ^^ ) somewhere but I can't find it anymore.
The only thing I agree with the slide is the last comment.
"In the end none of this matters if you have a crappy product."
Thanks for the kind words.
Guess what, this is a presentation not a blog post. Maybe in your presentation you write blog posts but I don't. When I talked about guest posts I went over mostly how to write a good guest post and how to get it to the editor of the blog.
Same for every other slide....
Guess what, this is a presentation not a blog post. Maybe in your presentation you write blog posts but I don't. When I talked about guest posts I went over mostly how to write a good guest post and how to get it to the editor of the blog.
Same for every other slide....
The parent's complaint is valid. You may have given a talk with more detail but the slides are what you submitted.
Honestly, I'm a little tired of these marketing posts that have no new information and only serve to market the author's product.
How are they getting upvoted?
Honestly, I'm a little tired of these marketing posts that have no new information and only serve to market the author's product.
How are they getting upvoted?
How about focusing on making the internet a better place? These tips generally do the opposite.
Funny that notification control's goal is to prevent web services from spamming you, but all of this advise is about how to spam other people on the internet.
The focus of all these things seem to be entirely self-serving, without any focus on really providing value to people. Instead, figure out how to help others so they actually want to share your content. If you can't do that, the work you are doing is not worth doing — and indeed harmful.
Funny that notification control's goal is to prevent web services from spamming you, but all of this advise is about how to spam other people on the internet.
The focus of all these things seem to be entirely self-serving, without any focus on really providing value to people. Instead, figure out how to help others so they actually want to share your content. If you can't do that, the work you are doing is not worth doing — and indeed harmful.
I fail to see how much of this is that useful to most startups. It seemed more about how to create and push mass amounts of spam in the hopes of hitting it big. I didn't see much in the way of actually increasing your interaction with potential customers. It's just a numbers game about how many eyes can I get in front of hoping something works.
I'm sorry, but I just cannot possibly take someone who uses the term "growth hacking" serious. Much like job postings using "ninja" or "rockstar"; it's just a blatant attempt to appear cool or hip in a strange way.
I'm sorry, but I just cannot possibly take someone who uses the term "growth hacking" serious. Much like job postings using "ninja" or "rockstar"; it's just a blatant attempt to appear cool or hip in a strange way.
Great presentation Ben, thanks for sharing
very good tips!!!
Great work Ben!
Really really great. Thanks for posting!
Appreciate it.
You know what @jacques_chester said further up the page?
This is what he was talking about.
This is what he was talking about.
Yes, especially since there appears to be a set of almost new accounts with little or no karma and no comment history being positive in response. This is an old marketing trick and is also a serious dilution problem.
Your favorite deity of choice forbid HN turns into a marketing gimmick that plagued Digg.
Your favorite deity of choice forbid HN turns into a marketing gimmick that plagued Digg.
Sorry that I recommended a few people at the presentation to sign up for Hacker News and they saw that I posted this here and commented.
Didn't realized Hacker News was closed for registration in your opinion.
I don't think I said anything about registration being closed and that new people shouldn't get involved.
What I pointed out was that there were a few fairly new accounts with little or no history here at all with positive responses to your article. This is a known marketing gimmick to, I shall use your word, "hack" a site in an attempt to game the system. Considering the subject of your "hacking" article then I don't find it wrong to consider that possibility.
If this is not the case and it is as you say, then I will gladly apologize and say good for you. But you are the one that suggested spamming sites in an effort to boost visitation numbers.
What I pointed out was that there were a few fairly new accounts with little or no history here at all with positive responses to your article. This is a known marketing gimmick to, I shall use your word, "hack" a site in an attempt to game the system. Considering the subject of your "hacking" article then I don't find it wrong to consider that possibility.
If this is not the case and it is as you say, then I will gladly apologize and say good for you. But you are the one that suggested spamming sites in an effort to boost visitation numbers.
Reminiscent of 'How to draw an Owl' - http://i.imgur.com/Z1oTC.jpg
In all seriousness, Point 7: Share Buttons - are these actually effective? It's a genuine question as I've seen such a mixed response to them. We've chosen not to include any obvious share buttons on hackerjobs.co.uk as I figured no-one would want to share a job on their facebook account so lets not ruin the minimalism of the page. Thoughts?