(Blog) Post

Blogs and posts on various platforms (e.g. Medium, LinkedIn, Twitter) are a way to validate ideas with the right target market with minimal effort. Due to the two-way communication, it is an ideal platform to co-create with potential customers and gather feedback during the development process of the solution.

One of the easiest ways to get direct feedback from potential customers is to post about your solution online, either on a blog related to your offering or on a social media platform. This format is often used to invite one’s own network or a network for a specific topic to help develop a solution together. It also helps you become more visible as a creator or expert regarding your offering. While most of the feedback will be qualitative, you can also gauge general interest in your offering by analyzing the likes, comments, and other interactions with your post. Combined with a call to action, you can further use it as advertising and a way to collect information on potential future customers.

Helpful Tips

Choose the channel wisely: Before preparing your post, decide who you want to target and choose the language and content accordingly. Similarly, decide which platform will give you the best feedback, e.g. a topic-specific blog or platform, an informal social platform or a work-related platform.

Decide what to focus on: Posts can be used for various outcomes. Choose whether you want to get market validation for your idea or if you prefer co-creating and improving your offering. Targeting both generally leads to suboptimal results.

Take your time: This is not a fast track for validation but rather a way towards intimate exchange and in-depth knowledge about your customers, don’t expect quick results and plan accordingly.

Combine it with other formats: Posts can be used together with a lot of different test formats, including Explainer Videos, Landing Pages, Flyers, Online Advertising or Mockups.

Authors like Eric Ries (The Lean Startup) and E.L. James (Fifty Shades of Grey) have used blogs to verify the customer need and the attractiveness of their stories before signing any publishing deals.

How to Guide

Analyze the blog and platform landscape for your specific topic, develop a content strategy as well as specific goals and metrics, and evaluate the blog’s growth.