

Ask HN: How did Snapchat gain initial traction? - frankphilips

How did an app like Snapchat gain initial traction? I understand the viral loops, great UI&#x2F;UX, and overall appeal to the app. However, they must have done something to generate that initial buzz of kids using it.<p>Did they hit up every high school and get some kids using it? Did they pay for mobile ads?
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gkuan
This Inc. article (and the quoted NYT article) describes the initial scene
very well. It started as a friends and family word-of-mouth viral loop that
got into one particular SoCal high school of a founder's cousin and then
quickly propagated to other SoCal high schools big time (3,000 to 30,000 DAU
in a month) as a way for passing notes. They hired a community manager after
they hit a critical mass. [http://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/real-origins-
of-snapcha...](http://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/real-origins-of-snapchat-
growth.html)

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frankphilips
Wow I didn't read this article. Awesome. Thanks!

