Gamma's AI launch succeeded not just because of the product, but because they intentionally crafted a "spicy" and provocative tweet designed to spark debate. This drew engagement from influential figures like Paul Graham, massively amplifying their reach beyond what a standard announcement could achieve.
Instead of traditional marketing, using obscure channels forces your most dedicated fans to dig for information. This transforms them into evangelists who spread the word to the wider, more passive audience, creating an organic and powerful marketing engine built on scarcity and discovery.
Before investing in top-of-funnel marketing, ensure your core growth engine works. Gamma paused all other efforts and dedicated their entire team for months to perfecting the first 30 seconds of the user experience. This focus on the 'aha moment' was the key to unlocking true organic virality.
The ROI of a viral moment is difficult to link to direct sales. Instead, its value lies in increasing 'share of voice' and creating positive brand associations. This influences future purchasing decisions, making the brand top-of-mind when a customer is ready to buy.
To amplify word-of-mouth, Duolingo identified existing sharing behavior by temporarily tracking user screenshots. They found hotspots like streak milestones and funny challenges, then invested in designers to make these moments even more shareable.
Instead of a full product overhaul, Gamma bet the company on perfecting the initial 30-second user experience. By making onboarding so magical that users felt compelled to share it, they unlocked true organic, viral growth that had previously been missing.
Instead of spending big on trendy mega-influencers, Gamma found success by scaling relationships with thousands of micro-influencers in niche, high-trust "echo chambers" like education. These smaller, authentic voices spread like wildfire within their communities, driving more effective growth.
Influencer marketing isn't a standalone channel. Gamma discovered that for every user acquired directly through an influencer, they gained an additional 1.5 users via organic word-of-mouth. This highlights its role as a powerful amplifier for existing organic channels, not just a direct acquisition tool.
Even B2B firms can capitalize on fastvertising when they unexpectedly enter the public conversation. The company Astronomer, after its executives were part of a viral 'Kiss Cam' moment, created a clever ad with Gwyneth Paltrow to explain what their business actually does.
Gamma’s founder personally onboarded early influencers, walking them through the product and brainstorming hooks. This investment treats influencers as extensions of the team, not just a media buy, fostering genuine understanding and authentic promotion in their own voice.