The Startup Ideas Podcast
How to build a $400k/mo AI App using ASO, Organic Growth, and Paid Ads
Wed, 09 Oct 2024
Join me as I chat with Romain Torres, Co-Founder of Arcads AI, as we discuss his frameworks and strategies for finding and building profitable AI Apps. Learn his step-by-step formula to building and growth hacking apps. Episode Timestamps0:00 Intro00:49 Introduction to AI Apps and User Acquisition10:38 Product-Led Growth13:30 ASO (Apple Search Optimization)21:13 Organic Social Growth Hacks33:51 Paid Ads Strategy40:30 Creating Ads at Scale with AI Tools1) Three main strategies to grow mobile apps:• TikTok/Instagram organic growth• Paid ads (FB, TikTok, Google)• Apple Search Optimization (ASO)• Each has its pros and cons.2) ASO (Apple Search Optimization) 101:• Find keywords with high volume, low competition• Put keywords in app title• Optimize app store page conversion rate• Get reviews & high initial download velocity• Pro tip: Use AppFigures to research keywords & opportunities3) Organic social growth hack:• Create native-looking content (not ads)• Integrate app naturally into videos• Post consistently across platforms• Leverage micro-influencers for reach• Example: Travel buddy app crushing it with wanderlust reels 4) Paid ads strategy:• Test THOUSANDS of ad variations• Use AI to scale ad creation (tools like @ArcAdsAI)• Iterate on winning formats• Localize ads for different markets• Key insight: AI makes testing 1000s of ads feasible for small teams5) Case study: 17yo dev makes $400k/mo with AI calorie tracking app • Found trend on Reddit/TikTok• Built simple AI-powered app• Leveraged micro-influencers for organic growth• Iterated on viral formats• Lesson: Sometimes "overdone" ideas + AI + great marketing = $$$6) Monetization hack: Niche down existing app ideas• Examples:a) Dating apps for specific demographicsb) Bible app for womenc) Plant identifier for specific countries• Smaller audience, but higher conversion rates & less competition7) AI is leveling the playing field:• Easier to build MVP with ChatGPT• Faster ad creation & testing• Quick localization for global markets• You don't need VC $ to compete with big players anymore!8) Key takeaway: Success = Product-Market Fit + Execution• Find proven demand (ASO, trends)• Add AI "sizzle" to existing concepts• Execute relentlessly on product & marketing• Test, iterate, scaleWant more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideas 🎯 To build your own portfolio businesses powered by community you might enjoy my membership.You'll get my full course with all my secrets on building businesses, peer-groups to keep you accountable, business ideas every single month and more!Spots are limited.https://www.communityempire.co/📬 Join my free newsletter to get weekly startup insights for free:https://www.gregisenberg.com/70,000+ people are already subscribed.To improve your rankings your business on Google and using AI for SEO, sign up tohttp://boringmarketing.com/FIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND ROMAIN ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/rom1trs Arcads AI: https://www.arcads.ai/
Full Episode
So today I brought my friend Romain on. And the reason I brought him on is he knows which AI apps are popping, why they're popping, how to get users to these AI apps, and just go through the ecosystem and some of the tools that Romain's using. And I'm excited to have you, man. Me too. Thank you for having me. Let's do it. All right, where do you want to start?
Maybe let's just start by opening, what's it called, TensorFlow? A center tower. And yeah, we can just start sharing your screen and sort of walk people through the process of some other AI apps that are doing really well, how much revenue they're bringing in, and how they're acquiring users. And my goal is really just to show people how you think.
Yeah. All right. Let's do it. Have you seen this new Verse app that was popping this week?
A little bit.
Tell me more. Yeah. So to me, this app is kind of interesting because I'm not sure I can even easily describe what it does. And I feel so old saying that. But basically, it's an app that transforms the playlist, like a Spotify playlist, into something visual.
And they do these beautiful covers where you see a kid who would have designed his wall in his house with a couple of posters and stuff like that. And he does it from a link, basically from a Spotify link. And it recently popped up on TikTok. It was super viral. And to me, there are a lot of interesting insights from this one.
One, it's very hard to come up with a way to consistently come up with good ideas, because this one is so unique, such a unique idea. The second one is this app does something that is very that is very important when you are thinking about a new app idea, is that they embedded the marketing flow inside the concept of the app itself.
So basically, when you create this wall with the app, and I don't even know how to call it. I think they call it vision boards. with the Spotify link, then what to do next with it. And the next step is basically to share it with your friend, either share it directly through iMessage with the link. And they did this very well done invite flow where you can show the exact app
like the design that you have made, and send it to your friends. Or even through TikTok, because kids, those days, they are creating more and more content. And they are on TikTok themselves. And it's very easy to share those on TikTok. So I think it's a very good example of an app that, from day one, and they were released early September. I was checking on Sensor Tower. The app just got released.
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