How to Get Your First 100 Users: Actionable Tips for Indie App Makers

Table of Contents
- Introduction: Why Your First 100 Users Matter
- Part 1: Pre-Launch Foundation
- Part 2: Launch Strategy & Early Traction
- Part 3: Technical Optimization for User Growth
- Part 4: The Right Mindset for Success
- Key Takeaways
- Resources & Tools
Introduction: Why Your First 100 Users Matter
The moment you deploy your app's final build is both exhilarating and terrifying. You've invested countless hours, consumed gallons of coffee, and poured your soul into creating something from nothing. But once the initial excitement fades, a daunting reality sets in: the empty room. You've built it, but will they come?
For indie app developers, the journey from zero users to your first 100 is arguably the most challenging yet crucial phase of your entire venture. This isn't about hitting vanity metrics—these first 100 users are your pioneers, co-creators, and most honest critics.
What You'll Learn in This Guide
This comprehensive guide provides actionable, low-cost strategies to find, attract, and delight your first 100 users. We'll cover:
- ✅ Pre-launch foundation building
- ✅ Launch strategies that work
- ✅ Technical optimization for user retention
- ✅ The right mindset for sustainable growth
Let's fill that empty room. 🚀
Part 1: Pre-Launch Foundation
Success in acquiring your first users often begins long before your app is ready for the public. Building a solid foundation is essential for generating initial interest and creating a beacon for your future audience.
Start with Your Inner Circle (The "Friends and Family" Round)
Before venturing into the world of internet strangers, start with people who already want you to succeed: friends, family, and colleagues.
Why they're invaluable:
- Low-pressure testing environment
- More likely to provide honest feedback
- Higher engagement rates for initial testing
How to approach them effectively:
Don't ask vague questions like "Do you like my app?" Instead, be specific and task-oriented:
- "Can you try to sign up and tell me where you got stuck?"
- "What was the most confusing part of the main screen?"
- "Could you try to complete [core action]? I'll watch you do it."
Treat them like genuine beta testers, not just a cheering squad. Their early friction points are invaluable clues for improving user experience.
Build a High-Converting Landing Page
Your landing page is your app's digital storefront. Long before your app hits any App Store, this single page is your most powerful tool for capturing interest.
Essential elements for your landing page:
-
Crystal-Clear Value Proposition
- Single sentence explaining what your app does and for whom
- Example: "The simplest time-tracking app for freelance designers"
-
Compelling Headline
- Grab attention immediately
- Speak directly to their pain point
-
Key Features/Benefits (Visual)
- 3-4 bullet points or icons highlighting main benefits
- Use mockups or screenshots, even design files
- Show, don't just tell
-
Single, Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
- Prominent button: "Get Early Access" or "Join the Beta List"
- Lead to simple email capture form
-
Social Proof
- Even one testimonial from testing adds credibility
Recommended tools: Carrd, Webflow, or Leadpages for professional-looking sites in hours.
Dive Deep into Online Communities
Your target users are already gathered online, discussing the exact problem your app solves. Find them and become part of their conversation.
Where to look:
- Reddit: Find niche subreddits (r/fitness, r/SideProject, r/IndieDev, r/alphaandbetausers)
- Facebook Groups: Search for domain-specific groups
- Indie Hackers: Community of developers building in public
- Slack/Discord Communities: Hobby and profession-specific channels
The golden rule: Provide value before asking for anything.
Effective community engagement example:
"Hey everyone, I've been active in this group and noticed many of us struggle with [problem]. As a developer, I started building a small tool to help. It's still early, but here's a sneak peek. Would love your thoughts on the concept."
This approach invites collaboration, not just promotion.
Part 2: Launch Strategy & Early Traction
You've laid the groundwork—now it's time for active promotion. The goal is concentrated attention from early adopters.
Harness Launch Platform Power
Specific websites showcase new products to people who love trying new things. A successful launch can easily deliver your first 100+ users.
Product Hunt Strategy:
- Find a "Hunter": Established member to submit your product
- Prepare Assets: High-quality images, compelling GIF/video, killer tagline
- Write First Comment: Tell your story, explain the "why," offer special deals
- Engage All Day: Spend launch day answering questions and responding to feedback
Alternative Platforms:
- BetaList, StartupLister: Perfect for pre-launch/beta phase
- Submit landing pages weeks/months before launch
- Build email waitlists with free submission tiers
Content Marketing on a Micro-Scale
You don't need hundreds of articles. For your first 100 users, focus on one or two high-value pieces.
Strategy: Write the definitive guide on the problem your app solves.
Example: If your app helps manage houseplants, create "The Ultimate Guide to Not Killing Your Fiddle Leaf Fig." Naturally introduce your app as a helpful tool within the content.
Distribution channels:
- Medium
- Relevant communities
- Direct outreach contacts
Build in Public: Share your journey, challenges, and wins on Twitter or Indie Hackers. People connect with authentic stories.
Direct Outreach That Doesn't Scale
Manual, personalized outreach is your secret weapon in early days.
Process:
- Identify Potential Users: Search Twitter, LinkedIn, forums for people actively discussing your problem
- Craft Personalized Messages: Reference their specific comment/post
Effective outreach template:
"Hey [Name], I saw your comment in [Forum] about how frustrating [problem] is. I felt the same way, so I built a small app to fix it. It's brand new with rough edges, but would you be open to brutal honest feedback? No worries if not, but thought you might find it interesting. [Your Link]"
This respectful, personalized approach has much higher success rates than generic pitches.
Part 3: Technical Optimization for User Growth
How you build and present your app is as important as how you market it. Smooth technical experience is vital for retaining hard-won first users.
Make Onboarding Absolutely Seamless
Your first 100 users have zero emotional investment and little patience. Onboarding must be frictionless.
Optimization strategies:
- Reduce Steps: Use social logins (Google, etc.)
- Guide, Don't Command: Use tooltips and helpful empty states
- Fast "Aha!" Moments: Focus onboarding on core value delivery
Streamline Development Workflow for Faster Iteration
As an indie developer wearing all hats, time spent on complex deployments is time not spent improving your product based on user feedback.
Modern development tools can be lifesavers. Services like instatunnel.my solve common frustrations by allowing you to expose your local development server to the public internet with secure, stable URLs.
Game-changing benefits:
- Instant Demos: Send live links instead of clunky videos
- Real-World Webhook Testing: Your local machine becomes the server
- Faster Feedback Loops: Fix bugs and users see changes instantly
This optimization means less time on infrastructure headaches, more time listening to users and building better products.
Build Feedback Loops Directly Into Your App
Don't make feedback hard to give. Users shouldn't hunt for "Contact Us" pages.
Implementation ideas:
- Add Feedback Button: Simple, persistent "Send Feedback" inside app
- Use Simple Tools: Marker.io, Userback for screenshot annotations
- Ask Directly: In-app prompts after successful key actions
The easier you make complaints or suggestions, the more high-quality feedback you'll receive.
Part 4: The Right Mindset for Success
Strategies and tools matter, but the right mindset keeps you going when things get tough.
From 0 to 1 is the Hardest Step
Internalize this: Getting your first non-relative user is monumental. Getting the first ten is harder than the next 90. Initial inertia is the biggest force to overcome.
Don't be discouraged by slow initial progress—it's the nature of building from nothing.
Embrace Painful Feedback 💔
You'll hear things you don't want to hear:
- Users will call your "intuitive" design confusing
- They'll ignore features you spent months perfecting
This isn't failure—it's a gift. Early users provide free roadmaps to product-market fit. Thank them for honesty, analyze the "why" behind feedback, and be willing to kill your darlings.
The Goal Isn't Just 100 Users
The real goal is 100 learning opportunities—finding 100 people who help shape your product.
100 signups with 99 immediate departures isn't success. Better to have 10 highly engaged users you talk to weekly than 100 silent ones.
The number is a milestone, but learning is the real prize 🏆
Key Takeaways
Getting your first 100 users requires:
- Strong Foundation: Start with inner circle, build compelling landing page, engage authentically in communities
- Smart Launch Strategy: Leverage platforms like Product Hunt, create valuable content, do personalized outreach
- Technical Excellence: Seamless onboarding, streamlined development workflow, built-in feedback loops
- Right Mindset: Embrace learning opportunities, expect challenges, focus on engagement over vanity metrics
Remember: This phase isn't about mass marketing—it's about personal connections and learning from every interaction.
Resources & Tools
Landing Page Builders
- Carrd - Simple, affordable landing pages
- Webflow - Advanced design capabilities
- Leadpages - Conversion-optimized templates
Launch Platforms
- Product Hunt - Premier product launch platform
- BetaList - Early-stage startup directory
- StartupLister - Startup submission service
Development Tools
- instatunnel.my - Instant local server exposure
- Marker.io - Visual feedback collection
- Userback - User feedback and bug reporting
Community Platforms
- Indie Hackers - Entrepreneur community
- Reddit - Niche communities for every market
- Various Slack/Discord communities in your domain
Ready to start your journey? Your first 100 users are waiting to discover what you've built. The path will be challenging, but reaching this milestone validates your hard work and sets the stage for everything to come.
Now, go get them! 🚀
About This Guide: This comprehensive resource is designed for indie developers and app makers looking to build their initial user base through proven, actionable strategies. Last updated July 2025.
fAdnim
Author at Nazca. Passionate about creating exceptional mobile applications and sharing knowledge with the developer community.