How to get your first SaaS users
Getting first users is not a launch problem. It is a signal problem. You need to find the people who already feel the pain, understand the language they use, and show up in the places where they are asking for help.
That is slower than buying traffic and less glamorous than a big launch post. It also works better for founders who need learning, not vanity metrics.
TL;DR
Start narrower than feels comfortable
Most founders try to get first users from an audience that is too broad. They say the product is for marketers, founders, developers, or small businesses. That sounds bigger, but it makes discovery harder because nobody can tell which exact person has the painful version of the problem today.
A better first-user wedge is specific: one type of person, one workflow, one painful trigger, and one current workaround. If you cannot describe that clearly, do not start with channels. Start by finding public conversations where the pain appears in plain language.
Look for people already trying to solve the problem
First users are rarely passive. They complain, compare options, ask for recommendations, describe broken workflows, or share ugly workarounds. Those signals matter more than likes, follower counts, or launch-day traffic.
Reddit, Hacker News, Dev.to, Stack Overflow, YouTube comments, niche forums, X, Bluesky, and broader web discussions can all reveal demand. The trick is searching for problem-shaped language instead of only your product category.
- Recommendation requests: people asking what tool to use.
- Alternatives threads: people frustrated with a current product.
- Workaround posts: people stitching together manual fixes.
- Complaint threads: people naming a repeated workflow pain.
- Pricing or migration discussions: people close to switching behavior.
Reply like a founder, not a billboard
A useful first reply should prove you understand the problem before you mention your product. Lead with context, share a real observation, name tradeoffs, and only mention your product if it genuinely fits the thread.
The best early-user replies often do not sell immediately. They open a conversation. A founder who asks one sharp follow-up question can learn more than a founder who drops a polished pitch into ten weak threads.
- Bad: 'We built exactly this, check us out.'
- Better: explain the tradeoff, share what you are seeing, and say where your product might help.
- Best: answer the immediate question, disclose your connection, and invite a specific next step only if it fits.
Turn each conversation into reusable signal
The first-user process is not only about signups. Every good thread should teach you something about positioning, objections, product scope, landing page copy, onboarding, or content. If you only count conversions, you throw away most of the value.
A single thread can become a better reply, a customer interview, a landing page section, a comparison article, a product-feedback note, or a keyword idea. That is how early acquisition compounds before you have a real growth engine.
Track source quality before traffic volume
For the first 10 to 100 users, volume is a lousy scoreboard. You need to know which conversations brought people who understood the problem, activated, gave useful feedback, or paid. A simple signup-source question is enough to start.
This keeps you honest. If Reddit brings five users who activate and a launch directory brings 300 visitors who disappear, the tiny source is the real signal.
Where InsightScout fits
You can do this manually at first. You should. Manual discovery teaches you what the market sounds like. InsightScout becomes useful when the manual search turns into a daily tax and you want a smaller queue of live public threads worth reviewing.
InsightScout finds public conversations across multiple sources, prioritizes the ones with useful intent, and gives you follow-up actions. It does not post for you. That judgment stays with the founder, because that is where the trust is.
FAQ
How do I get my first SaaS users?
Start by finding people already describing the problem your product solves. Look for recommendation requests, alternatives threads, complaints, and workarounds, then reply usefully and turn the conversations into product and positioning signal.
Should I launch before finding first users?
A launch can help, but it is usually not the main source of first users. Direct conversations with people who already feel the pain usually teach more and convert better.
Is Reddit good for getting first SaaS users?
Yes, when the target audience actually discusses the problem there. Reddit works best for problem research, recommendation threads, alternatives discussions, and careful founder replies.
What should I measure first?
Track signup source, activation, reply quality, and repeated pain patterns. Early on, those are more useful than raw pageviews or launch-day traffic.