On this episode: The evolution of Headspace’s freemium model, balancing mission and monetization, and why referral programs sometimes work better without incentives. Top Takeaways 💰 Don’t be afraid to experiment with gating 100% of your content . Not only can this result in a significant lift in paid users, in cases where an app requires some effort from the user (such as with meditation), getting them committed with a free trial early on can boost engagement levels versus free users. ⚠️ Promot...
Jun 14, 2023•44 min•Ep. 66
On this episode: the one small tweak that increased revenue 5X, growing an app organically, and how hiring an ASO consultant actually tanked downloads. Top Takeaways 💰 Not all problems can be solved with money, so see if you can fix your own problems internally — like team communication — before paying for external help. 💡 Highly relevant ASO keywords with lower search volumes are a better bet for engaging audiences earlier and seeing snowballing success. 🌅 Putting a paywall early enough in t...
May 31, 2023•37 min•Ep. 65
On this episode: the trap of building for existing subscribers, incentivizing word of mouth, and why paid marketing should be an accelerant, not the foundation of your growth strategy. Top Takeaways 📱 Growth comes from focusing on product retention: Build a product users really want, creating an engaged customer base and fueling the growth loop down the line. 🗣️ Build a viral growth loop based on word-of-mouth. A product that exceeds user expectations is the ultimate way to drive word-of-mou...
May 17, 2023•39 min•Ep. 64
On the podcast we talk with Shaun about the power of community, the importance of testing your freemium strategy, and why you might not want to offer a free trial. Top Takeaways 🎆 Understanding unintuitive power laws is the ticket to explaining — and benefiting from — explosive app growth. 🪝 Deciding what goes behind the paywall is 90% of an app’s success — but developers typically only spend 10% of the time thinking about it. 🆓 Beware the free trial , which could create negative experiences ...
May 03, 2023•43 min•Ep. 63
On the podcast, Ariel dives into the fundamentals of ASO and how to research and optimize keywords. He also explains why ratings matter much more than reviews, and why you should never, ever duplicate keywords. Top Takeaways: 🔍 It’s not that it’s hard to get discovered with ASO — it’s that it’s hard to get discovered without doing enough ASO. Expect to spend more time exploring on the front-end, but this isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. ⭐ Make sure that you're optimizing for ratings : t...
Apr 19, 2023•57 min•Ep. 62
On the podcast, we talk with Alice Muir about how best to onboard premium users, what lifecycle optimization looks like both tactically and strategically, and how to spot users before they churn. She shares insight into why focusing on CRMs for win-back strategies is only part of the story, and the best campaigns to entice users to stick with their subscriptions. Top Takeaways: 📧 Email is good for two things: drip campaigns — offering a staggered, increasing discount to entice signups — and lon...
Apr 05, 2023•44 min•Ep. 61
On the podcast we talk with Jason about some of Strava’s big growth wins, the importance of feature education, and whether or not all product teams should actually be growth teams. Top Takeaways 🛠 The shift in mindset that comes with "growth engineering" — it's about a greater focus on the user and a willingness to go a little faster than usual... 🌀 While chaos in an app business may be unavoidable, the secret is learning to embrace "managed chaos" 🔬 How the key to growth is testing — and cre...
Mar 22, 2023•49 min•Ep. 60
On the podcast I talk with Ryan about the TikTokification of video ads, how partnerships help increase the value of premium subscription tiers, and why you should be thinking about retention, not just downloads, when working with influencers. Top Takeaways 🗣️ User acquisition can be more challenging for apps with niche audiences, which is why you should focus on channels where you can target by interest and search. 🎯 SEO feeds the retargeting funnel more than it drives direct conversions — but...
Mar 08, 2023•48 min•Ep. 59
On the podcast I talk with Sylvain about the top subscription app insights you should be thinking about, how important cohorting is when looking at growth metrics, and why good advice can turn bad if you apply it at the wrong stage. Top Takeaways 💎 In an early stage, engagement is more important than growth 💎 When looking at retention for your subscription apps, segment your users based on their subscription status 💎 Launching only a monthly plan first can help you improve the product 💎 Gift...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 58
On the podcast we talk with Lexi about data.ai’s State of Mobile report, the countries subscription apps should focus on for growth, and why things still look bright for apps despite a decline in overall spend. Top Takeaways 🕹️ Mobile app spend is down, but that may not be a bad thing 🤳 Non-gaming apps see additional growth with resilient spend ✍️ The subscription model underpins growth for non-gaming apps 📈 Look to non-U.S. markets for new opportunities 💝 The most successful apps will offer...
Feb 08, 2023•49 min•Ep. 57
On the podcast we talk with Brennan about the challenge of building and growing kids apps in 2022, how to make effective decisions with minimal data, and why AppsFlyer had to build Sago Mini a custom SDK. Top Takeaways 🧒 Building and growing kids apps is hard 🤔 Making effective decisions with minimal data is a challenge 💕 Find the right partner to invest in solving tough challenges together — especially if it’s a custom job About Brennan Clark 👨💻 Director of Product at Sago Mini, which has...
Jan 25, 2023•49 min•Ep. 56
On the podcast we talk about RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report, all the nuance that didn’t make it into the report, and why your app landing in the bottom quartile of some metrics might not be as bad as it seems. Top Takeaways 🤔 Understand your own business model and unique leverage 📈 Consider the stage of your app when looking at benchmarks 🖐️ 5 key insights: conversions, renewals, retention and more Links & Resources ‣ The report: State of Subscription Apps 2023 ‣ Give us y...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 55
On the podcast we talk with Osman about Duolingo’s culture of experimentation, data and testing as a moat, and why passive aggressive push notifications actually work in the right context. Top Takeaways 🧪 Leverage a culture of experimentation to create a top user experience 📊 Data and testing are Duolingo’s best moat 👍 Passive-aggressive push notifications might work in the right context About Osman Mansur 👨💻 Product Manager (PM) at Duolingo, the global language learning app with close to ...
Jan 04, 2023•54 min•Ep. 54
On the podcast we talk with John about the far reaching implications of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, how app developers should be thinking about the opportunities created, and why Apple making so much money from the App Store might be bad for Apple long-term. Top Takeaways ⚖️ The EC’s DMA is set to shake things up in a big way — but how isn’t completely clear 🪟 Don’t panic, app developers — the DMA creates opportunities, too 🤑 The profitability of the App Store might not be good f...
Dec 21, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 53
On the podcast I talk with Dan about how to design experiments that answer the right questions, common A/B testing pitfalls to avoid, and how a simple checklist might just save your complex experiment. Top Takeaways 🍞 Conclusions from tests sometimes go stale faster than you realize 👌 Minimizing the cost of running tests will improve decision making 🤪 Check your sanity — or don’t live and die by statistical significance About Dan Pannasch 👨💻 Senior Product Manager at RevenueCat 💪 Dan saw ...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 52
On the podcast I talk with Melissa and Félix about why more apps should be more than just apps, the benefits of a hard paywall, and why a lower price might actually make you more money even if the A/B test shows it didn’t. Top Takeaways 📱 More apps should be more than just apps 💳 Hard paywalls can (and do) sometimes pay off 💵 How a price change can lead to big returns — if the quality is there About Melissa Cash & Félix Boudreau 👨💻 Melissa is Co-Founder and CEO and Félix is Head of Gro...
Nov 23, 2022•59 min•Ep. 51
On the podcast we talk with Jaycee about how Blinkist increased trial starts by 23%, how to balance user experience with business objectives, and why telling people how to cancel can actually lead to fewer cancellations. Top Takeaways ⚖️ Balancing ethics and business means making tough decisions, but taking a smart approach lets you master both 🤝 Helping people unsubscribe isn’t the most intuitive thing for subscription app businesses, but ethical design patterns might be better for business in...
Nov 09, 2022•42 min•Ep. 50
On the podcast we talk with Eric about the largest consumer marketplace that’s ever existed, the growing exit opportunities for Consumer Subscription Software businesses, and why the CSS industry may be relatively recession-proof. Top Takeaways 👀 Simply occupying eyeballs isn’t the game plan anymore 💰The CSS space could be recession-proof 👴 The data and tooling landscape has matured, making it easier to build and grow subscription businesses About Eric Crowley 👔 Partner at GP Bullhound, a gl...
Oct 26, 2022•51 min•Ep. 49
On the podcast we talk with Andrew about the journey to cash flow positive for Elevate Labs, the importance of creative, and why spending less money can sometimes be the key to figuring out paid user acquisition. Top Takeaways 📈 The journey to cash flow positive is a long one, demanding tough decisions along the way 💵 Spending less money can sometimes be the key to figuring out paid user acquisition 🎨 Control and collaboration are key elements of a creative culture About Andrew Maguire ⚙️ Chi...
Oct 12, 2022•54 min•Ep. 48
On the podcast we talk with Adam about when and why to use an MMP, which subscription events to track in your analytics, and why A/B testing doesn’t always work the way you think it works. Top Takeaways 📏 Understand what your users are doing to help define — and then achieve — your goal 📈 Spreadsheets are a great start, but growing sophistication requires something more long-term 🔧 Turning events into actions is difficult but necessary About Adam Landis 👨💻 Founder and CEO at AdLibertas 💪 ...
Sep 28, 2022•54 min•Ep. 47
On the podcast we talk with Emmanuel about the magic of affiliate marketing, how to best use Stripe payments, and why you should probably build a web app before you build a native one. Top Takeaways ✉️ Don’t skip user registration — and do it early in onboarding 💰 The road to subscription revenue isn’t a straight one 📈 The little things add up over time About Emmanuel Crouvisier 👨💻 Founder at CardPointers , an app that makes it easy to optimize credit card rewards and has saved users over $...
Sep 14, 2022•52 min•Ep. 46
On the podcast I talk with Darrell about going from zero to an 8-figure ARR in just 18 months, building a product improvement loop combining user research and A/B testing, and why expecting failure is one of the keys to success. Top Takeaways 📈 Going from 0 to an 8-figure ARR in 18 months is doable 🙈 Sharing and selling data isn’t necessary to build and scale subscription apps 🎰 Structuring product development as a “bet” liberates you from needing to be right About Darrell Stone 👨💻 Head of...
Aug 31, 2022•46 min•Ep. 45
On the podcast we talk with Phil about the thesis behind Tinder’s monetization strategy, the importance of product differentiation, and why some companies shouldn’t use subscriptions. Our guest today is Phil Schwarz, Partner at Corazon Capital, a leading Chicago-based venture fund investing in early stage tech companies. Prior to joining Corazon, Phil served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Tinder during the rollout of subscriptions. He was also previously Head of Growth Initiatives at Match Gr...
Aug 10, 2022•49 min•Ep. 44
On the podcast we talk with Gessica about how to think about brand marketing for apps, finding product/channel/messaging fit, and why you shouldn’t even refer to Bill Gates in an ad campaign. Our guest today is Gessica Bicego, Chief Marketing Officer at Paired, the #1 app for couples. Prior to joining Paired, Gessica spent 6 years leading performance marketing and growth at Blinkist. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to build a moat around your brand Paired’s growth stack & favorite data co...
Jul 27, 2022•39 min•Ep. 43
On the podcast we talk with Giancarlo about soft vs. hard paywalls, how to think about product experiments, and why removing friction from onboarding didn’t actually help. Our guest today is Giancarlo Musetti, Growth Product Manager at Ad Hoc Labs. Ad Hoc Labs makes several apps including Firewall and Dialed, but is most well known for Burner, an app that allows you to create multiple phone numbers to protect your privacy and better manage communication. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to mak...
Jul 13, 2022•45 min•Ep. 42
On the podcast we talk with Darrell and Jake about optimizing your app’s paywall, how to increase revenue by giving users a better experience, tips for pricing your app, and how to reduce subscriber churn. We’re with Darrell Stone and Jake Mor in front of a live audience at the App Promotion Summit in New York City. The App Promotion Summit is America’s leading app marketing conference. Darrell is the Head of Product & Design at Citizen, the number one public safety app in the U.S. Jake is t...
Jun 29, 2022•32 min•Ep. 41
On the podcast we talk with Mark and Jeff about community led growth, how they improved trial starts by 25%, and why running ads for a blog post might actually perform better than sending people directly to the App Store. Mark is an RRCA Certified Distance Running Coach and created None to Run as a blog and personal outlet to stay in touch with his passion for exercise science and healthy living. Jeff has been developing iOS apps since 2009 and teamed up with Mark to build an app as the None to ...
Jun 15, 2022•56 min•Ep. 40
On the podcast I talk with Sean and Ethan about the importance of a north star metric, optimizing for speed to value, and why product/market fit needs to be dialed in over time. Sean has worked on growth at some of the fastest growing companies in the world, like Dropbox, Lookout, and Eventbrite. He not only coined the term “growth hacking”, but literally wrote the book on it. Today, Sean helps companies around the globe accelerate customer and revenue growth through workshops, keynote presentat...
May 25, 2022•53 min•Ep. 39
On the podcast we talk with Mike about building a principled, mission driven app, keeping product development focused on the right customers, and how ClassDojo scaled to tens of millions of downloads without a marketing budget. Our guest today is Mike Overell, Revenue Lead at ClassDojo. Having founded his own company as well as working at McKinsey and Lyft, Mike is now using that experience to help every kid on earth get an education they love with ClassDojo. Mike also invests in and helps forei...
May 11, 2022•50 min•Ep. 38
On the podcast we talk with Cliff about the benefits of building for a niche, the one ad that changed things for Speechify, and why Cliff is now hiring comedians. Our guest today is Cliff Weitzman, the founder and CEO of Speechify. As someone with dyslexia, Cliff built Speechify to help himself learn by having text read aloud. Cliff went on to blitzscale Speechify with an irreverent approach to SaaS norms and a willingness to experiment. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Cliff found early tract...
Apr 27, 2022•38 min•Ep. 37
