Looking for alternative ways to find first 50 users

[moodshare]

Hello everyone,

This is our first post on here and we were seeking advice on how to get users to use our application. We have tried paid ads across all platforms (FB, Google, Reddit Ads, Tiktok) and they seem to not be working to the intended extent.

We are a group therapy application and we're on the iOS App Store. It's called Moodshare and you can join live therapy groups led by licensed therapists on it. The main limitations that we have are:

Our application is only functional for users in the state of Georgia (state licensing laws prohibit therapists to provide mental healthcare outside state borders and all of our therapists are in GA) and

We don't really have much social proof on the app store with 7 ratings and 3 reviews so far. We are starting a blog to increase our SEO and we are building our Instagram page slowly but I feel like the problem is that people come to our app store page and they feel like nobody is actually using the app since most people are used to seeing 1K ratings on apps. How would we alleviate this problem I don't know.

We are looking for unique ways to address those problems so any help would be much appreciated by our fellow entrepreneurs!

Sincerely,

[saluki]

Just throwing out ideas.

It would be easier to market your app nationwide vs just GA.

Can your therapists do group discussions if they don't call it therapy? Or could unlicensed staff do group discussions?

If your lic. therapists are in GA when they are providing the therapy does that meet the requirement to only providing mental healthcare inside Ga? The spirit of the law might be that they are licensed in Ga and they can't setup a clinic in FL with their GA lic.

Can you add therapists in other states that can practice nationwide?

Can your therapists get licensed in an adjacent state? With engineering licensing most states have a reciprocity agreement where you can get licenses in multiple states.

Do you have an existing client base locally who could use the app and leave reviews?

Could you get health departments, doctors, universities, and churches in GA to recommend your app. Provide flyers to these organizations.

Good luck growing your app.

[zeeshanqureshi]

I'm at a similar stage.

I don't know if this is for certain the way to go about it, but I've set a target to talk to as many potential users in 100 days as possible. One on one.

How/where to find users? Anywhere and by any means possible.

When you find someone who will talk to you and seems interested in what you are offering, ask them to refer someone else who might be willing to talk.

Get referrals, talk, recruit, learn, improvise, repeat.

It is, by no means easy, simple or straightforward but I feel this is the only way to do it.

Also I would not spend a single penny on ads of any kind.

If people want what I'm offering 100 days of grind trying to talk/recruit users will set things in motion and word of mouth will keep bringing new users.

If not I might have to consider a hard product pivot or some other drastic measure. Wish you the best.

[akg_67]

The restriction with your App is only GA users using iOS device. You need to do targeted advertising.

Use Apple Ads and geographically target iOS users in GA.

Participate on GA and therapy related subreddits and Facebook groups. Show off your subject matter expertise. (No advertising)

What “stress” topics in therapy sessions are most discussed? For example if financial stress related, reach out to finance blogs and sites directly for sponsored content: guest blog post, ad placement, etc.

[darrenwestall]

Own it. Incentivise it.

“Be amongst the first people to try Moodshare, the only app where groups are led by real therapists.

We’re looking for people based in Georgia that want to work on their mental health, and give us feedback along the way.

The best part, as an early adopter you’ll get free access for the next 12 months, and so will your friends if you invite them*

*limited space, invite them ASAP!”

Turn your weakness into a strength

[ixacto]

Have you tried reaching out to therapists individually to sell them on the apps utility? That might be a better marketing strategy as they would be getting users for you directly.

Having it as a way to facilitate meetings in a specific therapy niche maybe where clients don’t want to/can’t drive to their meetings.

[nocodecdn]

What about your local classifieds, Craigslist or something like that?