
I recently had a chat with Nevo, the driving force behind Novu.co's growth.
Novu.co has reached over 31,000 GitHub stars and earned the title of Product of the Day on Product Hunt.
Here's a rundown of the valuable insights Nevo shared:
Focus on Immediate Growth Metrics:
Set weekly targets for GitHub stars and actively promote your repository in developer forums and social media groups. Use tools like GitHub's traffic analytics to track progress and adjust tactics.
Engage with Developers Where They Are:
Regularly post articles, tutorials, or updates on platforms like Dev.to and Hashnode. Participate in discussions and provide helpful responses to questions related to your project's domain.
Offer Value for Engagement:
Create comprehensive guides, free tools, or exclusive content that users can access after starring your GitHub repo or subscribing to your newsletter. This could include early access to new features or beta versions.
Consolidate Traffic Sources:
Cross-promote your content across various platforms. For example, share your blog posts on social media, link to your GitHub page in forum signatures, and mention your project in relevant online communities.
Leverage High-Traffic Platforms for Initial Outreach:
Post engaging content on Reddit in relevant subreddits. Use attention-grabbing titles and contribute to threads to drive traffic to your GitHub page or website.
Build Your Presence Gradually:
Start with niche forums or smaller tech communities. As your project grows, leverage larger platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter to reach a broader audience.
Foster a Strong Community:
Create a dedicated Discord or Slack channel for your project. Host regular Q&A sessions, share updates, and encourage community contributions and feedback.
Experiment with Various Growth Strategies:
Host webinars, participate in podcasts, or collaborate with influencers in your field. Use different content formats like videos, infographics, and interactive demos to engage your audience.
Customize Your Approach for Developers:
Write in-depth technical blogs, contribute to open-source forums, and create documentation that addresses complex issues or showcases unique use-cases of your project.
Continuously Monitor and Adjust Your Strategies:
Use analytics tools to track user engagement and feedback. Conduct surveys or ask for direct feedback to understand what works and what doesn't.
Incorporate Current Trends:
Regularly update your content to include the latest advancements in technology. Host webinars or write articles about how these trends can be integrated or affect your project.
Optimize Your Calls-to-Action: Test different CTA placements and wordings. For example, place a CTA at the end of a blog post, in your project's README, or within your social media posts.
Tailor Strategies for Each Platform:
For LinkedIn, focus on professional networking and thought leadership content. On Twitter, engage in trending conversations and use hashtags. On tech forums, provide detailed technical advice and insights.
I hope that this is helpful guys - feel free to ask your questions in the comments!
The full interview can be found here:
https://youtu.be/W4H0FEXpKkA
Thanks for sharing. Really helpful. 2 questions!
How long did it take for you to reach this stage and time-lapse to the first days, have you had a significant community in hand to get into the growth cycle or it grew over time?
Thanks for answering!
Thanks for the Q!
AFAIK the project was open-sourced from day1 with a discord community (everyone could join).
I will ask Nevo to add more details here :)
That would be great. Thanks for it!
Unfortunately indiehackers blocked his account :/
He tried posting here