Modelo 2.0 Growth Hacking
2023-2024
Product Manager
Modelo is a 3D model viewing software that allows users to easily view their 3D models of any different formats online and share with other people without the need for bulky software like Revit.
Problem Space
In early December, Modelo entered a growth hacking phase with the primary goals of user acquisition and growth. This phase was driven by the realization that we needed to expand beyond our existing user base, and focused on product-led growth strategies such as SEO and SEM.
Objective
The primary objective of this phase was to significantly expand our user base. To achieve this, we employed a multifaceted approach that centered around rigorous A/B testing. This involved developing and implementing a series of strategic initiatives designed to attract and engage new users, and then systematically evaluating their effectiveness through controlled experimentation. By iteratively testing and refining different strategies, we were able to identify the most impactful approaches and optimize our user acquisition efforts.
Some of the growth hacking and product improvements made for user acquisition included the following:
Creating an engaged user community
A/B Testing: Enhanced Share Feature
3D viewer trials
Growing an Engaged Community
Product features and changes were obviously crucial in the growth hacking phase. However, that was not the only component required for success. To truly be able to grow our product, we needed to know what our users were saying and what they thought of the product.
To be able to do so, we engaged in several ways to get in touch with our community and gather user feedback:
1
Webinar and Product Demos
We hosted webinars to do product walkthroughs and demonstrations, allowing users to see the product in action and ask questions in real-time.
2
In-depth product Tutorials and Guides
We created tutorial videos posted on YouTube to have detailed explanations on how to use features, giving users a resource they could access at any time and at their own pace.
3
Community Building
We created a Discord channel and engaged actively on public channels with our users. This allowed us to directly interact with users, answer questions, gather feedback, and address any concerns.
Gathering and analyzing this user feedback allowed us to identify areas for improvement, prioritize new features, and make changes to the product that would better meet the needs of our users. This user-centric approach was essential to our growth hacking efforts and helped us to build a product that people loved.
A/B Testing: Enhanced Share Feature
Many successful startups have leveraged the power of peer referrals to fuel their initial growth. Companies like Dropbox and others have implemented unique peer referral strategies to effectively expand their user base. We aimed to adopt a similar approach for Modelo, recognizing the potential of peer referrals as a growth strategy.
We believed that the core share functionality of this product could be leveraged to replicate previous successes and drive growth. This functionality allowed existing users to share the 3D model with anyone, regardless of whether they had an account. By enabling this seamless sharing, we aimed to convert potential users who interacted with shared models into active users of our platform.
To achieve this, I focused on improving our existing share functionality by concentrating on two key areas and AB testing them:
Enhanced User Interface
We tested out a new user interface by setting up an AB test. The user interface for sharing was redesigned to be more intuitive and user-friendly. This included simplifying the steps involved in sharing, providing clear visual cues, and optimizing the experience for different devices and screen sizes.
Streamlined Sharing and Embedding
We implemented features to make it easier for users to share and embed 3D models into various online platforms and websites. This involved generating shareable links and embed codes that could be easily copied and pasted, as well as ensuring compatibility with popular content management systems and social media platforms.
I was responsible for the relaunch strategy and market fit analysis for a product improvement initiative led by my manager. My primary focus was on re-engaging our previous user base of approximately 40,000 people by notifying them of our 2.0 upgrade and encouraging them to return.
Results
30%
increase in use of share functionality
50%
increase in new users resulting from share referrals
20%
increase in new users week on week
This was an example of successful AB testing where we found that this feature improvement greatly enhanced our product user acquisition. Realizing this, we quickly rolled out this feature to the rest of our users.
3D Viewer Trials
In addition to our core value of "share," our arguably most important core value, "view," needed a way to be presented and demonstrated to potential new users. We needed a mechanism to convert users who first encountered our landing page from a Google search or other referral into new users. Showcasing the strength of "view" was paramount.
To achieve this, we developed a quick "viewing" platform that allowed users to test our product rapidly without creating an account.
This feature enabled users to upload a small 3D model to experience our product on a limited scale. We also provided pre-uploaded 3D models that users could view if they didn't have a model readily available.
Results
10%
increase in user conversion rates
This 3D viewer "trial" feature proved to be one of the most crucial elements we built during the growth hacking phase. By combining this strategy with Search Engine Marketing (SEM) using Google Ads, we achieved outstanding results. The ability to quickly and easily experience the power and potential of our 3D viewing platform without any commitment or hassle significantly lowered the barrier to entry for potential users.
Takeaways
Striking a balance between short term goals and long term strategic planning
When growing a product and trying to acquire as many users as possible, there are so many things that one could do and test out. While during the growth hacking phase it is important to constantly have things to test and try out, it is also important to look at the bigger picture and think about where the product is going in an overall direction. Who are its real users and what is the true value that we want to bring to our users.
Use data to drive product feature proposals
Backing my proposals with not just current product data, but also competitive analysis of other products to answer the 'why' for product feature proposals.
Varying priorities in a team can lead to different ideas in how a product could grow
These varying viewpoints, while potentially causing initial friction, can ultimately lead to a more robust and well-rounded product strategy, as they encourage a comprehensive exploration of possibilities and potential challenges.