#2: Building in public & TikTok for Gen Z
On the trend of startups "building in public", and how TikTok has helped really early-stage startups go viral!
Hi, I’m Erifili Gounari, and this is issue #2 of The Digital Native. This newsletter is aimed at driven, curious and inspired Gen Zers, interested in mindset, entrepreneurship, business, marketing, and more!
In this issue, I’ll be exploring the startup trend of building in public, with some examples of how it’s worked incredibly well for some early-stage startups using TikTok to spread the word. For Gen Z entrepreneurs that are building something aimed at our own generation, this way of marketing on social media has delivered impressive results.
What does building in public entail? 👇
You might have noticed a trend arising on TikTok, where young Gen Z founders make a short video introducing themselves and their friends/co-founders, and very briefly explaining the exciting startup idea they’re working on. Startups such as Flox and Monet, have gone viral organically and quickly, just by showing the process of what they’re building, to their target audience.
When their target audience is Gen Z, this works extra well. We’re a generation that loves being inspired by others, finding out about cool things, apps and startups, and feeling like we can be active participants in what’s going on online. In addition to that, building in public can provide some element of the ‘velvet rope’ strategy, which refers to launching a startup that seems exclusive, and giving early access to your ideal customers. This creates natural hype around your product (see: Clubhouse), and makes your early users feel connected to your brand, while incentivising everyone else to join your waitlist as fast as possible!
Even for startups that are just collecting waitlist signups until they launch for everyone at once, the building in public strategy is working wonders. Simply keeping your followers updated on the process of creating your startup/product and getting ready to launch, builds hype around it and grows your waitlist more than it ever could, if you were just keeping your idea vague and private until demo-day.
In addition to all that, making your audience feel involved in the process of building the brand, has benefits that cover multiple areas. For example, when deciding on the branding, or considering potential features for your product, there’s no one better to help you out than your ideal customer. Brands are now taking to social media like Twitter and Instagram to ask their followers for honest opinions on decisions they’re making to shape the product, through polls or open discussions. As a result, building a brand becomes a conversation, not a one-way process!
Then, when you launch, it’s no surprise that those people who felt connected with your product from the start, will be there as your first supporters. Building ‘in private’ can be tempting if you’re afraid of your idea getting stolen, but this should not be a deciding factor anymore.
Gen Z founders are embracing the power of including your target audience in the process of building a brand. And if you ever want to build a loyal community organically and quickly, you should too! 🌈
If you’re looking for an interesting read, Sahil Lavingia, the Founder and CEO of Gumroad, has published an article describing Gumroad’s unique way of working, and their purposely established ‘minimum viable culture’. I recommend checking it out to get a glimpse into the ways the internet can be used to work in a way that maximizes productivity, and prioritizes personal freedom. 👇
Thanks for reading this issue of The Digital Native! I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. ☺️
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If you’d like some Gen Z insights…
Stay up to date with my Gen Z social media agency, The Z Link. We post a lot of marketing-related content on Instagram!
Reach out to me for a chat about this newsletter issue, work, or anything else.
Drop me a note on erifiligounari@gmail.com.