What Comes After Launching Your MVP?

Building and launching your MVP is only the first step in the process of growing a startup. In this article, we show you what to do next.

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So, you’ve done it. You’ve developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for your project. As indie builders, we know that launching an MVP is an exciting and crucial step in the development of your startup. It allows you to test your idea with real users, collect valuable feedback, and build momentum for your project.

But what comes after launching an MVP?

In this post, we’ll go over the options and considerations that come into play once your MVP is out in the world, from our experience launching Unita and more indie projects such as WeRemoto.

We will discuss how to gather and analyze user feedback using online communities. Also, we’ll examine how to create a roadmap for future development, and plan a marketing strategy to reach new users.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to improve your product on the go and effectively grow your business. So let’s dive in and see what’s next after launching your MVP!

What to Do After Launching Your MVP?

Launching your MVP is just the first part of the game. You’ll need to invest in marketing and build connections to experience real growth.

So, let’s take a look at what to do after you decided your MVP is ready to meet the light 👇

#1: Launch on Product Hunt

Many founders find it helpful to publish their MVP on Product Hunt to get direct feedback from users, and we are no exception. The platform also allows indie builders to connect with other developers and spread the word about their products and helped Unita grow once we were ready to collect feedback.

👉 Take a look at our launch on Product Hunt.

Unita in product hunt

Product Hunt is a platform that features new and innovative tech-related developments. It has a large and engaged community of early adopters and tech enthusiasts that will be happy to test new products. So, it’s a great point to start.

Here are some steps you can follow to ensure a smooth launch on Product Hunt 👇

      1. Define your target audience: who are you building your product for? What problems does it solve? Defining your target audience will help you craft a clear and compelling message for your launch.

      1. Create a landing page: a landing page is a web page that explains your product and its benefits to potential users. It should contain a clear call to action and be optimized for conversions. You can easily create a landing page with Carrd in no time.

      1. Collect user testimonials: testimonials can be a powerful marketing tool as they give your product social credibility. Collect a few testimonials from early adopters or beta testers before publishing on Product Hunt to make sure your MVP is actually working as it should.

      1. Build a list of email subscribers: an email list is a valuable asset for any product launch. Encourage users to join your email list by offering exclusive content, discounts, or early access to your product.

      1. Create promotional materials: prepare promotional materials such as a press kit, social media posts, and blog content. These will help you spread the word about your launch.

    On the other hand, some indie builders choose to launch their MVPs in a more controlled environment (a private beta or by inviting a select group of early adopters to try out the product). It can be a useful way to gather more detailed feedback. It will also help identify and fix major issues before rolling out more broadly.

    Other indie builders publish their MVPs on a more targeted platform (industry-specific forum or niche online community). It can help you reach a more targeted and relevant audience and generate more qualified leads.

    But, what do we do when our MVP is out in the world?

    #2: Collect feedback

    Now that your MVP is out there, it’s time to collect feedback and data from your first users. You can use this information to improve your product’s valuable features, add new ones, and make it more valuable to users.

    ✍️ Surveys can be an effective way to gather feedback from a large number of people. You can use a survey tool like Google Forms to create and distribute a survey to your users. Ask targeted, specific questions that will help you gather valuable insights!

    🚀 User testing is another great alternative that involves recruiting a small group of potential buyers to test your product and provide feedback. It can be a more in-depth and qualitative way to gather feedback. You can observe users interacting with your product and ask them specific questions about their experience.

    🗣️ Encourage users to leave reviews of your product on platforms such as Product Hunt! Reading through these reviews can give you valuable insights into what they like and dislike about your product’s features. And help you identify areas for improvement.

    encourage users to leave reviews on product hunt

    Last but not least, one of my favorite ways to collect user feedback is by reaching out directly to them. You can do this through social media, in-person conversations, or by joining an online community. It is a more personal way to actively seek feedback, helping you identify patterns and trends. It can also help you build a lasting relationship with customers.

    ✨ If you have an open-source project, a community is an excellent source of talent and code contributions. Communities offer the resources you need to build a better product (and faster than doing it alone or relying on paid contractors only).

    #3: Build in Public

    There are a lot of indie founders out there that don’t get excited with the idea of showing their numbers and building in public.

    There are indeed copycats waiting for you to validate an idea to build something similar, but the truth is that is not as simple as making a copy of someone else’s project. You’ll need to build a brand with consistency and a solid marketing strategy to make it work.

    For us, building in public in the #buildinpublic Twitter community opened new ways to find feedback, grow our user base, and connect with top creators and founders.

    That’s how we got interviews, podcast collaboration, and even cool interactions with tools related to Unita.

    In addition, building in public can also help you reach buyers or investors willing to pay for your project when traffic and profit are interesting.

     

    #4: Plan improvements

    Planning improvements is a crucial part of the product development strategy, which you can illustrate with a roadmap.

    Once you have user feedback and have identified the areas for improvement, you will use this information to create a roadmap. This tool will help you prioritize and allocate your resources effectively. It will also help you communicate your future plans to stakeholders such as your team, investors, and customers.

    When creating a roadmap, you should determine the key features and functions you want to add to your MVP based on your goals and the feedback you receive. For each one, estimate how much time and resources you’ll need to implement it.

    Then create a schedule based on the time and resource estimates you have assembled. This should include a rough timetable of when you and your team will work on each item. And any milestones you need to achieve.

    And finally, you should share your schedule with others! It will keep everyone up to date on your business plans and ensure that everyone agrees on the direction the product will take.

    #5: Build a marketing strategy

    After your initial efforts to put your MVP in the market, it’s time to plan a marketing strategy aligned with your target users’ interests. Your marketing efforts can help you reach new customers, build brand awareness, and ultimately drive growth for your product.

    Here are some reasons why building a marketing strategy is crucial after launching your MVP 👇

        1. Expanding your user base.

        1. Building brand awareness & establish your product as a trusted solution in the market.

        1. Driving revenue by attracting paying customers or driving traffic to your product.

        1. Staying competitive in a fast-paced & competitive market.

      As spreading the word about your product is key to success, you’ll need to craft a marketing strategy that is aligned with your ideal user’s values. Staying active in online communities and social media is the first part. But you’ll need consistency to see results.

      Join communities and reach potential users

      Explore online communities in your industry and stay tuned to the latest trends

      For us, the goldmine is in niche networks such as Indie Hackers, but also on Twitter, although we are just starting to take it seriously a few months ago.

      Furthermore, we developed a solid SEO strategy from day one, and now we are seeing the results translated into clicks.

      Unita's impressions and clicks for the last 12 months.

       

      We had a record of 24K impressions in a day this month! ‎️‍🔥

      #6: Improve and iterate

      As you develop your MVP, be prepared to iterate and make changes based on new information or insights. Make sure to stay focused on your users’ needs. This step may involve revising your roadmap or shifting your focus to different areas of the product.

      It’s essential to continue improving and growing your product in order to achieve long-term success. It may involve collecting and analyzing customer feedback, continuously iterating on the product, building a roadmap for future development, expanding your user base, and monetizing your product.

      Building a marketing strategy is also necessary for reaching new customers and driving growth for your product. If you follow these steps and continuously expand your MVP, you’ll definitely turn it into a thriving and sustainable creation!

      This article was written by Joaquin Cahiza and Gaston Levy.

      Picture of Gaston Levy

      Gaston Levy

      I have more than 10 years of experience in user acquisition and digital marketing. Main interests: Communities, No-Code, Bootstrapping, Remote Working and Open Startups. Now building Unita, the best and most complete directory of communities.