How Daze Gained 156K Sign-Ups Prelaunch with Creative Messaging
Who is Willem Simons?π
Willem Simons, founder of Daze, is a New York-based entrepreneur who dropped out of the University of Delaware to pursue creative social app development, previously co-founding the app Muze with childhood friends.
What problem does Daze solve?π
Daze simplifies creative expression in messaging, addressing the boredom of plain text by letting teens draw, collage, and animate their chats.
How did Willem come up with the idea for Daze?π
Willem Simons came up with the idea for Daze by observing how people engage with digital communication and realizing the limitations of existing messaging platforms. His personal experiences with previous projects, like Muze, which emphasized creativity and expressiveness in communication, deeply influenced his thinking. Willem was inspired by how people used simple tools on social media to express themselves and wanted to create a more interactive and artistic platform.
Before fully pursuing the concept, Willem engaged in discussions that highlighted evolving trends in social media and communication. He recognized that much of the existing digital communication was utilitarian, lacking in opportunities for creative expression, which helped validate his vision for Daze. Throughout the ideation phase, he refined his idea by incorporating playful and creative tools, ensuring they would still be intuitive for users who were familiar with traditional messaging apps.
Willem faced the challenge of balancing expressive features with core messaging functionalities, which he overcame through iterative design and feedback from early testers. His key takeaway was the importance of melding utility with creativity, ensuring that the platform remains easy to use while enabling richer forms of communication.
How did Willem build the initial version of Daze?π
Willem Simons built Daze, a freestyle messaging app, by utilizing a tech stack centered around React Native, ensuring a simultaneous launch on both iOS and Android platforms. The development process spanned over two years and started as a social calendar app before pivoting to a creative messaging platform. Early prototyping and iterations involved leveraging AI-powered creative tools, which were integrated to enhance user experience through features like interactive fonts, graphics, and free-flowing message placements. Despite the creative freedom offered by the app, building Daze was challenging, as it required balancing innovative, artistic features with core functionalities needed to compete with established messaging services like iMessage. With roughly seven full-time and one part-time team members, most based in New York, the project relied heavily on collaborative efforts and feedback from around 1,400 beta users to refine its functionalities before the November 4th 2024 launch.
What were the initial startup costs for Daze?π
- Funding: Prelaunch, Daze has raised $5.7 million in funding from investors including a16z, Kindred Ventures, Alpaca Ventures, and several others.
How did Willem launch Daze and get initial traction?π
TikTok Viral Contentπ
Daze utilized TikTok to create and share product demo videos showcasing the app's unique features in an engaging way. These videos were designed to appeal to Gen Z's desire for playful and expressive communication. The informal and organic presentation of the app's capabilities caught the attention of users who appreciated the interactive elements shown. The most successful TikTok garnered 8 million views, contributing significantly to the app's visibility.
Why it worked: TikTok is a platform known for engaging younger audiences, and Dazeβs target demographic was already active there. The video content didn't feel like traditional advertising; it was authentic and demonstrated the product in a way that resonated with potential users, leading to increased interest and sign-ups.
Social Media Teasers and Waitlistπ
Before officially launching, Daze generated buzz through strategic social media posts and building a waitlist. By sharing sneak peeks and updates about the app's features and development journey, Daze captured the interest of over 156,000 people who signed up to receive early access notifications.
Why it worked: Creating a sense of exclusivity and anticipation encouraged people to sign up for the waitlist, knowing they would be among the first to experience the new platform. This helped build a strong community before the full launch, allowing word-of-mouth to further amplify the reach.
Invite-Only Beta Testingπ
Daze employed an invite-only beta testing phase with approximately 1,400 users. This allowed for controlled testing of the app, collection of user feedback, and fine-tuning before going live. By selectively inviting users, Daze ensured a high level of engagement among participants who were excited to be part of the app's development process.
Why it worked: The exclusivity of invite-only access made users feel special and part of an inner circle, which increased their involvement and commitment to using the app. Their enthusiasm helped in spreading the word about Daze, contributing to the app's rise in popularity even before the official launch.
Metrics:
- Leveraged 53 million+ combined views across social media platforms to drive interest
- Achieved 202,000+ sign-ups, showing strong pre-launch momentum
- Maintained over 50% user retention in 60-day beta tests, indicating a compelling user experience
What was the growth strategy for Daze and how did they scale?π
TikTokπ
Daze effectively leveraged TikTok as a significant growth channel before its official launch. The app's product demo videos have gone viral, with one popular video amassing 8 million views. These videos showcase Daze's creative features, such as the ability to draw, use stickers, and create interactive content within a chat. This has resonated well with a younger audience who values interactive and visually stimulating communication.
Why it worked: The TikTok platform is highly popular among Gen Z, a demographic that Daze specifically targets. The simplicity and shareability of TikTok content helped Daze reach millions of potential users without relying on traditional advertising. The viral nature of the content created genuine interest and demand, demonstrated by a waitlist of 156,000 sign-ups.
Viral Marketing and Social Proofπ
Prior to its launch, Daze capitalized on the viral potential of social proof through platforms like TikTok and Instagram. By showcasing engaging product demos and user interactions, Daze built anticipation and credibility among potential users. Across these platforms, Daze gathered around 48 million combined views, reinforcing the excitement and demand for its offering.
Why it worked: Demonstrating the product in real-world scenarios helped potential users understand its unique features and benefits. The significant viewership and engagement lent credibility and social proof, making it easier for users to trust and be curious about the app, thereby augmenting organic growth.
Influencer and Word-of-Mouth Strategyπ
While Daze did not heavily rely on paid influencers, the nature of the app itself encouraged users to share and discuss it within their social circles. The appβs high school and college ambassador program aimed at fostering word-of-mouth growth. This organic spread facilitated network effects, which are critical for the adoption of new communication platforms.
Why it worked: Messaging apps inherently benefit from network effectsβthe more users who join, the more valuable the app becomes to its user base. By focusing on environments where users have close-knit social networks, such as schools, Daze boosted its chances of going viral within these communities, enhancing organic growth.
Waitlist and Beta Testingπ
Daze utilized a strategic waitlist to create excitement and exclusivity around its launch. With roughly 156,000 sign-ups before the official launch, Daze was able to gauge interest and collect early user feedback through invite-only beta testing with 1,400 users. This approach not only validated the product but also ensured that those interested were genuinely excited about its release.
Why it worked: The waitlist created a sense of urgency and exclusivity, prompting potential users to sign up early. Beta testing allowed Daze to refine its product offerings based on initial user feedback, ensuring a smoother launch. This strategy helped convert initial interest into sustained user retention and engagement.
What's the pricing strategy for Daze?π
Daze offers a free, AI-powered messaging app with creative tools, positioning itself as a playful alternative to text-driven platforms like iMessage.
What were the biggest lessons learned from building Daze?π
- Adapt and Pivot: Daze's transition from a social media calendar to a freestyle messaging app shows the importance of adapting based on user feedback and market demands. Being open to change can help refine your product to better fit user needs.
- Embrace Creativity: By focusing on creative features like drawing and collaging in messages, Daze taps into a unique user experience that sets it apart from traditional messaging apps. Encouraging creativity can make your product more engaging and memorable.
- Leverage Viral Marketing: Daze effectively utilized TikTok to generate buzz without heavy reliance on traditional advertising. Engaging content that showcases your product in action can drive organic interest and sign-ups.
- Focus on User Experience: Even with fun features, Daze ensured core functionality similar to established messengers. Maintaining essential features alongside innovative ones can attract users looking for both familiarity and novelty.
- Be Resilient and Persevere: Despite initial challenges and pivots, Daze persisted and evolved, highlighting the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship. Sticking with your vision while being flexible to change can lead to eventual success.
Discover Similar Business Ideas Like Dazeπ
Pallyy, a social media scheduling platform built for social media agencies and managers, achieved almost 100% growth in the last three months, from $1300 MRR to $2450 MRR, after founder Tim Bennetto shifted focus to a particular niche of users and built new features, although he admitted to naming and branding mistakes.
A 24-year-old entrepreneur from Botswana founded iBranch Recruiters, which has already recorded over 90,000 users and has helped 1,600 users get employed since launching in 2020, using technology and artificial intelligence to connect graduates across Africa to employers globally.
More about Daze:π
Who is the owner of Daze?π
Willem Simons is the founder of Daze.
When did Willem Simons start Daze?π
2022
What is Willem Simons's net worth?π
Willem Simons's business makes an average of $/month.
How much money has Willem Simons made from Daze?π
Willem Simons started the business in 2022, and currently makes an average of .
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