HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Surf the Trend (and the Drama)

Surf the Trend (and the Drama) is a launches & ph/hn tactic for getting your first users: When a relevant news event or a public controversy is dominating attention, you attach your launch to that wave so the existing conversation carries your reach far beyond your own following.

It's a strong fit for AI products and Consumer / mobile apps teams, and works especially well for AI tools, fast-moving consumer products. As a launches & ph/hn play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

Launches & PH/HNLow effortFast

Why does launches & ph/hn work for this?

You ride traffic and emotion that are already flowing, so a single well-timed post can go viral on borrowed momentum instead of paid reach. Trends concentrate attention; you just redirect a slice of it.

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
AI productsConsumer / mobile apps

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Surf the Trend (and the Drama)" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for AI products and Consumer / mobile apps — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Surf the Trend (and the Drama)" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 2 primary sources — real founder write-ups and interviews, not generic advice. They are linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original accounts yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is low effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Riding the ChatGPT API wave and Timing a launch around competitor drama, is in the paid library.

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