Sizzle AI · B2C · AI learning app
Get first users from the founder's launch post and personal network
Helped get the first users; no numbers
What they did
What happened
- Stage
- launch
In their words
Yev Marusenko - How I Grow Viral Apps to 1M+ Downloads (just copy me)
HostHow'd you get like the first 1,000 users? Are there any weird hacks or do things that don't scale-type of tactics that you did?
Yev MarusenkoInitially, this is hard to recommend, but I'm doing everything on the growth side. Our founder is ex-Facebook VP of AI. Kind of just doing announcement helped, so it's not something where I can give a growth hack of like starting exactly from scratch, but that's that's where connections and PR start coming in.
HostGotcha. Okay. What has been the biggest thing that you really think has made Sizzle grow at its fastest peak rate?
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- Find the funnel step losing over half your users and have everyone fix it2-3x more users reaching the next step, vs ~10% gains from new features
- Put $1-$20 of ads behind every organic video; back the one getting clicksOne winner per 20-30 videos; the winner drove hundreds of purchases
- Hire creators via JoinBrands, SideShift, Whop and Discord to post on their own accountsA JoinBrands creator's TikTok hit 79K likes and became the top ad
- Open with a silent shocked face, demo the app, end on a goofy twist79K likes; this ending beat the creator's other endings
- Buy test traffic with your best ad and run 3-4-way paywall tests in daysCost per purchase fell from ~$500 to ~$300 within days
- Scale a winning video by testing 10 headlines, then new countries and devicesWinner scaled into hundreds of ads; one-word headline changes made a difference
- Switch ads off and on to measure real sales lift; compare every attribution sourceReal purchases usually about double what the ad platform reports
- Add columns showing each ad's step-by-step drop-off from install to paywallSurfaces ads and journeys with 10x higher purchase conversion
- Test clean, warm and social-proof sign-up screens; break ties with assisted conversionsSocial proof: more purchases in some groups, neutral overall on assisted conversions
- Run 10+ faceless Shorts channels with fake texts, cartoon clips and satisfying videos26M views in 28 days on one channel; over a billion total, but low revenue
- Use viral formats from unrelated niches in study-app videos
Tags: founder-network, launch-announcement