HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Recruit Popular Community Members to Test and Spread It

Recruit Popular Community Members to Test and Spread It is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: A 'givers first' approach: contribute knowledge to build trust, then invite well-known, frequently-upvoted posters in the community to try your product so they recommend it organically.

It's a strong fit for teams of almost any kind, and works especially well for community-led products. As a reddit & forums play, plan for medium effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Reddit & forumsMedium effortMedium

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

A respected member's word carries far more weight with the community than your own promotion.

The exact steps (4)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
Any / universal

Frequently asked

How is the "Recruit Popular Community Members to Test and Spread It" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is medium effort, and results tend to be medium.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

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