HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Scrape App-Store Analytics to Find Proven, Weakly-Defended Markets

Scrape App-Store Analytics to Find Proven, Weakly-Defended Markets is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: He wrote a script to scrape App Annie analytics, then ranked apps by estimated earnings, downloads and ratings to surface categories with big userbases, low ratings, and in-app purchases — proven demand with weak incumbents.

It's a strong fit for E-commerce / DTC teams, and works especially well for app/game and tool builders picking what to make. As a first users & traction play, plan for high effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

First users & tractionHigh effortSlow

Why does first users & traction work for this?

Entering a market with proven paying demand and weak competitors beats betting on a novel unproven idea.

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.

Unlock the steps · $29 oncePlus all 3,000+ tactics and the new ones we add weekly.

Sources

Works for
E-commerce / DTC

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Scrape App-Store Analytics to Find Proven, Weakly-Defended Markets" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for E-commerce / DTC — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Scrape App-Store Analytics to Find Proven, Weakly-Defended Markets" 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 high effort, and results tend to be slow.
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.

Related tactics

First users & tractionLow effort· Fast

Hijack a Proven Meme Niche Instead of Inventing a Product

Skip original product ideas and build a store around an already-viral aesthetic that has a meme-driven, hungry audience baked in.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionMedium effort· Medium

Stock the App With Content Before Driving Any Downloads

Rather than launch an empty app, the founder spent the store-review and indexing window curating engaging content so the first visitors arrived to a full, usable product.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionLow effort· Medium

Mine the Chrome Web Store for Free Organic Installs

Publishing the extension to the Chrome Web Store generated 75 users in week one plus a steady stream of organic traffic from store search, with zero marketing spend.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionMedium effort· Fast

Engineer a Shopify App Store Staff Picks Feature

Launching their beta in the Shopify App Store got them featured in Staff Picks within a month, driving the traffic for their first 1,000 installs; they later landed two homepage features of 7 days each.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionLow effort· Fast

Spin Up a Zero-Cost Store to Validate in Hours

Stand up a fully functional storefront for $0 upfront using a free trial, print-on-demand, and free design tools so you can test demand before spending money.

Read the steps →
First users & tractionMedium effort· Medium

Turn Naming Into a Public Upvoting App to Pull In Your Audience

Instead of picking names alone, the founder built a no-code crowdsourced voting app so startup friends could submit and upvote name ideas, engaging an audience before the actual store launched.

Read the steps →

Get all 3,000+ tactics in one place

Filter by your product and channel, follow the exact steps, and get the new tactics we add every week. One payment, yours for good.

Unlock for $29 onceBrowse by channel