Bloom · B2C · learn-to-invest app for Gen Z
Scale TikTok ads hard, then switch focus to organic when costs climb
Customer cost worsened from mid-2023; organic became the 2024 focus
Mixedpaid-social
What they did
In 2023 Bloom massively scaled TikTok paid ads. CAC performed worse from mid-2023 and had dropped off by end of 2023, so in 2024 they doubled down on scaling organic growth instead.
What happened
Paid TikTok CAC deteriorated through the second half of 2023; triggered the pivot to organic.
- Stage
- growth
- Effort
- Massive TikTok ad spend through 2023
In their words
The Superwall Podcast · Jae Hwang - This App Makes $2M/Year With This Viral TikTok Strategy“In 2023 we massively scaled TikTok paid ads and then we saw that, you know, CAC is actually not performing as well as, you know, mid-2023, and by 2023 end of 2023 it really tailored down.”
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More from this episode
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- Bloom: Never say 'download' in organic videos; have a team name the app in commentsFounder says viewers flow into the app organically; no numbers
- Bloom: Hire small creators whose videos look right, not ones with big followingsFounder credits it for scaling faster; no numbers
- Bloom: Pay creators $500-$1,000 a month for 60 videos, plus $2-4 per 1,000 viewsPure pay-per-view lost many creators early; adding a retainer kept them
- Bloom: Give each creator 2 accounts, then post both daily videos on whichever grows
- Bloom: When a viral TikTok's views fade, run it as an ad to the right age and countryFounder says it flattened download spikes into steady growth; no numbers
- Bloom: Add a 15-second app demo ending 'download now to flex on your friends'Founder says these ads worked pretty well; no numbers
- Bloom: Post Reddit-story videos over gameplay listing 'underrated iPhone apps', including yoursFounder says the Reddit carousel did really well in 2024
- Bloom: Post relatable study tips for college students that lead into investingGot views, but conversion was lower because the app isn't a study app
- Bloom: Split one wordy onboarding screen into tap-through slides like Instagram storiesLifted signups from download to entering personal details; no numbers given
- Bloom: Open onboarding with 'start at 18, have $1M at 65'; end with reviewsFounder says this order converts downloads to signups well; newest version not live
- Bloom: Give $2-4 of free stock at signup; let users earn up to $75 moreFounder says free stock beat cash for building a long-term mindset; no numbers
- Bloom: Test the headline free-stock reward at $40, $60 and $75Amount barely changed subscriptions; $75 now being tested
- Bloom: Test Bible and self-care angles for investing on 1-2 TikTok accounts
- Quitter: Aim ads and content at Christians while the app itself stays secularHost says the app recently hit $100-200K a month
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