How to consistently go viral: Nikita Bier’s playbook for winning at consumer apps
People & Blogs
Introduction
Nikita Bier, renowned for his viral successes in the app world, gained fame for launching TBH, an app that took the world by storm and was later sold to Facebook for over $ 30 million. His approach combines keen market insights, rigorous testing, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior, particularly focusing on teens. In a recent podcast, Nikita shared his experiences and philosophies that have guided him in creating successful products.
The Insight Behind TBH
The idea for TBH came when Nikita noticed an app called Saraha topping the App Store charts, despite being fully in Arabic. This sparked the notion that there was latent demand for anonymous messaging among teens, as they craved affirmation through positive feedback. Rather than duplicate the anonymous app model, he designed TBH to ensure all interactions would be uplifting, limiting the negative experiences common in other anonymous platforms. This simple insight set the stage for rapid growth.
Moments of Chaos
Nikita described the chaotic journey during TBH's launch. Within a week, their servers began crashing due to overwhelming interest, making it evident that they were on track to become number one in the United States. He shared an important lesson: focus on identifying latent demand and build a product that fulfills that need authentically. This intense focus on user motivation led to explosive adoption.
The Reality of Product Management
During his time at Facebook, Nikita learned that being a product manager at a large tech company often involves less hands-on work than expected. Instead of designing products, much of the role is centered around documentation and securing approvals. This experience sharpened his view that the real magic happens in the design and iteration of the product itself. As he puts it, "Products live and die in the pixels."
Insights on Growth
Key to his success is the belief in making apps easy and instinctive to use. Nikita highlights the significance of minimizing friction during the user onboarding experience. He advocates for getting users to experience the app’s core value swiftly, ideally within three seconds. This is crucial for maintaining user interest as attention spans dwindle.
Nikita emphasized the importance of testing; he believes in running multiple iterations of an app to test features and obtain user feedback quickly. Asking users about their experiences, integrating a live support system into apps, and ensuring everyone feels included are all strategies he emphasizes for growth.
Navigating Challenges
Throughout his career, Nikita has encountered numerous challenges. After the success of TBH, he faced a hoax concerning gas, another app he developed, being linked to human trafficking. This misinformation could have severely impacted user trust and retention. However, he approached the situation proactively, engaging with users, journalists, and social media to combat these false narratives head-on.
The Shift to Gas
When developing Gas, Nikita used insights from TBH but applied them to a new context. He needed to ensure that the product addressed new app store restrictions and resonated with current user demands. This adaptation required him to refine their marketing strategy and growth mechanisms significantly.
The ultimately successful Gas app showcases the importance of remaining adaptable and aware of evolving user behaviors and legal regulations while maintaining a firm commitment to user safety and satisfaction.
Conclusion
Nikita Bier embodies the philosophy that success in consumer apps is more than just hitting viral moments—it's about understanding user needs, making data-driven decisions, and responding quickly and ethically in a rapidly evolving market. His playbook not only focuses on growth but also on long-term brand integrity and user wellbeing.
Keywords
- Viral growth
- Consumer apps
- Latent demand
- User experience
- Onboarding
- Product management
- Market insights
- Adaptation
FAQ
1. What is Nikita Bier known for? Nikita Bier is known for his successful app ventures, particularly TBH and Gas, which both achieved rapid adoption and sales.
2. What was the critical insight behind TBH? The critical insight was recognizing the demand for positive anonymous feedback among teens, which was underserved by existing apps.
3. How does Nikita suggest improving user onboarding? Nikita emphasizes minimizing friction in onboarding and getting users to experience the app's core value quickly—ideally within three seconds.
4. What strategies does he recommend for testing apps? Testing involves running multiple iterations, engaging with users for feedback, and incorporating live customer support to collect insights.
5. How did Nikita deal with misinformation about his app Gas? He proactively engaged with users, reporters, and used social media to combat false information, ensuring clear and open communication to maintain user trust.