
Ask HN: How did you build an audience for a consumer-focused SaaS or app? - jaredwiener
A few weeks ago, I posted a Show HN (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=19359979) for my news aggregator site, https:&#x2F;&#x2F;journali.sm.  At the time, I got a huge amount of traffic from here -- and some other pickup from posts I shared on social media.<p>There are still a few people who come by regularly (if you are one of them, thank you!), but as I look to various means to boost audience, I am a little surprised about how little works.  Facebook&#x2F;Twitter advertising seems to estimate just over 1 click per $1 spent, which seems completely unsustainable for a site that doesn&#x27;t sell anything.<p>So, HNers who have built a successful consumer SaaS or app, how did you build your audience?
======
PaulHoule
It is a mistake in 2019 to think about building an audience first and revenue
later.

The one model for free publishing that makes sense is content marketing: (e.g.
"I wrote a book about X. If you have a problem with X and hire somebody else,
now you have two problems.") Other than that, free publishing is a game that
(at best) Google wins.

If you have a plan to make money, then you can determine a customer
acquisition cost you can afford. Otherwise it's your funeral.

~~~
jaredwiener
So I guess the follow up question is, whats a low cost method for customer
acquisition?

~~~
PaulHoule
It depends on what kind of customer you are looking for.

Low cost methods won't stay low cost because competition will move in.

