How to Get Your First 100 Users for an App (UGC Strategy Explained)

Overview

UseGrade argues that the fastest path to a product's first 100 users is distribution, not feature-building, and that user-generated content (UGC) is the most practical acquisition channel. The core playbook is to use TikTok, founder-led storytelling, and direct outreach to UGC creators to test hooks, identify high-performing creatives, and then reuse those creatives for paid ads; the discussion also covers when to trust user feedback and how priorities shift from the first 100 users to roughly 10,000+ users.

Key takeaways

UseGrade treats distribution as the bottleneck for a new app, not product quality, and recommends UGC because it doubles as both acquisition and creative testing.
TikTok is the preferred platform because hashtags can function like mini-communities, similar to a subreddit, and can deliver the first 100 users in one post.
Direct outreach to UGC creators means finding their emails or DMing them on TikTok, then asking for rates and posting terms such as one video per day.
Founder-led content works best when it looks authentic and consistent, such as daily app-building updates; examples like Yonyi's long-running focus-app posts show that build-in-public can convert.
Free-user feedback should not drive roadmap decisions early because unpaid users often request more than they will ever pay for; paid users are the more reliable signal.
Every feature should connect to one of three metrics: installs, free-to-paid conversion, or retention; otherwise it is likely a distraction.

Chapters

0:00 UGC as the Fastest Distribution Channel for an App's First 100 Users

UseGrade frames distribution as the main problem after an app goes live with zero users, and positions UGC as the best early acquisition tactic.
UGC is defined as user-generated content, distinct from influencer marketing because it does not require an existing audience.
The main value of UGC is testing hooks and videos to identify winning creatives, then repurposing those creatives for paid ads.

0:55 Three Ways to Source Creators: DIY TikTok, UGC Platforms, or Agencies

The DIY path is to search TikTok for the hashtag UGC creators, then contact creators through listed emails or DMs.
A second option is creator platforms with monthly fees, which simplify sourcing and management.
A third option is an agency that handles creator selection, posting, and day-to-day management, trading money for time.

1:35 Founder-Led TikTok Content, Feedback Prioritization, and the First 1,000+ Users

If money is tight, UseGrade recommends becoming your own UGC creator and copying TikTok-style content from similar apps to test hooks for free.
Founder-led storytelling, such as daily build-in-public updates under hashtags like #founder, can attract the first 100 users through authenticity.
Feedback from the first 15 free users is treated cautiously; paid users are prioritized, and feature requests matter more once usage reaches around 1,000 to 5,000 users with repeated signals from about 100 people.
At around 10,000 users, data becomes essential for deciding whether a feature improves installs, free-to-paid conversion, or retention.

Summary, takeaways, and chapters were generated by AI from the video's transcript and may contain errors. The video belongs to its creator, UseGrade.