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How can I get people hooked on using my online tool???

by aceshigh
15 replies
I created a simple online tool. It's a basic system that simply saves the user a significant amount of time in completing a task that they do fairly regularly online.

I was talking with a friend and he mentioned how what often happens is you could have a great tool but the challenge is trying to figure out a way to get people into a habit of using it regularly.

So what are some ways to get people into a habit of using this kind of tool???

I am adding people to an autoresponder which will remind them of the free tool and it's uses.

Just wondering what might be some way to really get people into a routine of using it? Maybe ask them to set the site as their homepage?

Do you have any suggestions??? :rolleyes:
#hooked #online #people #tool
  • Profile picture of the author tz6119
    What is the online tool? It would help if we knew what it was. Who would use it? Not enough details to comment.
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    • Profile picture of the author aceshigh
      I'm just saying in general for any kind of online tool you might find. What could you do to increase the frequency of people using it?
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  • Profile picture of the author Bootfit
    A tool has to have a use - that's it's whole purpose of existence. If you're tool is genuinely useful, advertise and people will use it.

    If you have to convince people to use it then chances are that there are easier/better established ways of doing the job that people are already using.

    Find out what your tool's USP is and focus on selling that - but if there are already tools out there that do the job and do it better, it may be worth relooking at your tool and seeing if it really is that useful when compared to the competitors and be honest with yourself - you'll save yourself a lot of hard work when it could be put to better use.
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  • Profile picture of the author thedark
    Making it better. Having a better and responsive UI.
    Having a domain which is easy to remember.
    Encourage people to bookmark it. Show some bookmark buttons near it so they can access it faster next time.
    Encourage users to share the tool with their friends.

    If they forgot about the tools it means that either it is not saving that much time, and maybe it has a learning curve that prevents people to invest their time in using it. Or it is not that needed.

    If you want your tool to be accessible for more people:
    Build a chrome extension
    Build a firefox extension
    Build a wordpress plugin
    Build Android application
    Build iPhone application
    Build windows phone application
    Build facebook application
    Build a JS app that can be inserted on other html websites.
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    Automatically add affiliate links in your website content with Auto Affiliate Links

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    • Profile picture of the author aceshigh
      Originally Posted by thedark View Post

      Making it better. Having a better and responsive UI.
      Having a domain which is easy to remember.
      Encourage people to bookmark it. Show some bookmark buttons near it so they can access it faster next time.
      Encourage users to share the tool with their friends.

      If they forgot about the tools it means that either it is not saving that much time, and maybe it has a learning curve that prevents people to invest their time in using it. Or it is not that needed.

      If you want your tool to be accessible for more people:
      Build a chrome extension
      Build a firefox extension
      Build a wordpress plugin
      Build Android application
      Build iPhone application
      Build windows phone application
      Build facebook application
      Build a JS app that can be inserted on other html websites.
      wow thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author gohicks
      Originally Posted by thedark View Post

      Making it better. Having a better and responsive UI.
      Having a domain which is easy to remember.
      Encourage people to bookmark it. Show some bookmark buttons near it so they can access it faster next time.
      Encourage users to share the tool with their friends.

      If they forgot about the tools it means that either it is not saving that much time, and maybe it has a learning curve that prevents people to invest their time in using it. Or it is not that needed.

      If you want your tool to be accessible for more people:
      Build a chrome extension
      Build a firefox extension
      Build a wordpress plugin
      Build Android application
      Build iPhone application
      Build windows phone application
      Build facebook application
      Build a JS app that can be inserted on other html websites.
      Some great advice here - thanks!
      Signature

      Imagine a better way to organise your tasks. MeTask is a simple online project management tool.

      www.metask.com

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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Crosbie
      Originally Posted by thedark View Post

      Making it better. Having a better and responsive UI.
      Having a domain which is easy to remember.
      Encourage people to bookmark it. Show some bookmark buttons near it so they can access it faster next time.
      Encourage users to share the tool with their friends.

      If they forgot about the tools it means that either it is not saving that much time, and maybe it has a learning curve that prevents people to invest their time in using it. Or it is not that needed.

      If you want your tool to be accessible for more people:
      Build a chrome extension
      Build a firefox extension
      Build a wordpress plugin
      Build Android application
      Build iPhone application
      Build windows phone application
      Build facebook application
      Build a JS app that can be inserted on other html websites.
      I disagree with some of what is said above, look at some at the most successful tools/apps/software out there.

      They did not become successful because they made sure people could access it via 10 different platforms.

      They became successful through a good marketing plan and lots of testing. When they were new, they had no idea how successful they'd be? That's why they didn't spend hundreds of thousands on developing across multiple platforms.

      My advice would be, choose a platform by taking into consideration, the highest number of potential users based on the ideal user found through conducting market research and the amount of competition for similar products.

      Once you have found what platform would be best to start on, develop, test, improve and launch the product. Use social media and clever marketing to get people using it.

      Launch a funny YouTube or anything that you can make your product become noticed through.

      If your product becomes mega successful and there's a demand for it; well it's time to consider developing for other platforms.

      Just my 2 cents of course

      Joe Crosbie!
      Signature
      I chose entrepreneurship over further education despite being laughed at by my friends and family..

      I recently hit the "RESTART" button on my life, read my personal blog to find out how I did it :)
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  • Profile picture of the author VivekThakur
    Every tool that save time consuming is beneficial to all people who work online and spend more time online. Just market your tool on internet and people automatically start to use it. For example if you give detail and access here to your tool, you will get user to your tool.
    Signature

    Enjoy Life.

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  • Profile picture of the author 1KClicks
    To be honest with you, I can't think of a single tool where I've ever had to be 'convinced' to use it. (And I'm a gadget/app freakazoid.)

    Nobody has to convince me to use certain plugins for my WordPress blogs. I use them because they serve my needs. Same thing with apps and software programs.

    I think the better question is, "Have I created a tool that people actually want to use?" If you have, you don't have to do any convincing. People will use it because it's actually helping them.
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    • Profile picture of the author gohicks
      Originally Posted by 1KClicks View Post

      To be honest with you, I can't think of a single tool where I've ever had to be 'convinced' to use it. (And I'm a gadget/app freakazoid.)

      Nobody has to convince me to use certain plugins for my WordPress blogs. I use them because they serve my needs. Same thing with apps and software programs.

      I think the better question is, "Have I created a tool that people actually want to use?" If you have, you don't have to do any convincing. People will use it because it's actually helping them.
      I agree with you but even if you have a great app that is useful for people, organic growth at the start can sometimes be a little slow and so it still needs a bit of a push and some marketing to get things moving.
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      Imagine a better way to organise your tasks. MeTask is a simple online project management tool.

      www.metask.com

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      • Profile picture of the author 1KClicks
        Originally Posted by gohicks View Post

        I agree with you but even if you have a great app that is useful for people, organic growth at the start can sometimes be a little slow and so it still needs a bit of a push and some marketing to get things moving.
        You're absolutely right. You can have the most useful tool in the world, but you still need marketing muscle behind it.

        I would say nothing speaks louder than good reviews. In the app/tool/software world that's one of the key factors for success.

        OP asked how he could convince people to use it. To me that implies users have it, but they're not using it frequently. I would be worried if I had to remind people to continue using my product once they have it - especially if it helps with a task they do regularly.
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  • Profile picture of the author mrgoe
    Get a jv going.. Just to start things ..
    Signature
    Worked as a senior editor on ThePricer.org, experienced in financial topics
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  • Profile picture of the author AlphaWarrior
    Originally Posted by aceshigh View Post

    I created a simple online tool. It's a basic system that simply saves the user a significant amount of time in completing a task that they do fairly regularly online.

    I was talking with a friend and he mentioned how what often happens is you could have a great tool but the challenge is trying to figure out a way to get people into a habit of using it regularly.

    So what are some ways to get people into a habit of using this kind of tool???

    I am adding people to an autoresponder which will remind them of the free tool and it's uses.

    Just wondering what might be some way to really get people into a routine of using it? Maybe ask them to set the site as their homepage?

    Do you have any suggestions??? :rolleyes:
    First, you have to tell people what your tool does, how it will benefit them, and what it cost.

    If I find a tool that is useful, I use it. I do not need to be convinced to use the tool and I do not have to be reminded to use the tool. If someone has to convince me to use the tool or remind me to use the tool, the tool is really no good.
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