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30 million+.
Linktree had this many users as of March 2022, with nearly 40,000 signups per day.
But that’s just scratching the surface.
The freemium link-in-bio app has a $1.3 billion valuation and received numerous industry recognition. It was named one of Fast Company’s top ten most innovative companies of 2020 and featured on CNBC’s 2019 “Upstart 100” list of brightest young startups.
Linktree’s growth from zero to 30 million+ users in just six years is impressive, especially considering they had no funding and were temporarily banned from Instagram for “breaking community standards” two years after its initial launch. Right now, the same Instagram generates more than 60% of Linktree’s organic social media traffic.
If you’re wondering about the strategy Linktree used to achieve such rapid growth, this breakdown is for you. I dive deep into the product-led marketing and growth approach that led to a billion-dollar valuation in six years, with more than 30 million global users.
Let’s cut to the chase and dive in.
6 Ways Linktree Used Product-led Marketing To Grow From 0 to 30M+ Users
Linktree’s explosive growth is the result of a well-executed product-led marketing strategy.
Product-led marketing focuses on creating a product that users will love to use and making it the driving force behind marketing and growth.
Its ultimate goal is to create a self-sustaining growth loop. Instead of relying on traditional tactics like search ads or cold calling, you make the product so good that it becomes a marketing tool that attracts and retains users.
Product-led companies are twice as likely to achieve 100% year-over-year revenue growth than sales-led companies. Once users try your product and love it, they naturally share it with those in their network, and as new users love the product, they also share it with others, creating a snowball effect of sustained and scalable growth.
That’s what happened with the link-in-bio app.
Linktree used these six product-led marketing strategies to drive adoption and growth:
- Created a product that “accidentally” solved a major pain point
- Improved the product with user feedback and analytics data
- Relied on a freemium pricing strategy to attract more users
- Inspired word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty
- Leveraged viral growth loops and network effects
- Provided educational resources and templates for a better user experience
Let’s explore each in detail.
1. Created a product that “accidentally” solved a major pain point
What do you do when a solution you built for private use suddenly becomes a public hit?
Do a victory dance till the ovation fades? Or ride on the wave to create more success?
Linktree founders did the latter. They turned their unplanned success into a billion-dollar global product that solved a major pain point for a lot of people. A problem they didn’t realize many people desperately wanted to solve.
Let’s walk you down Linktree’s memory lane, shall we?
Two brothers, Alex and Anthony Zaccaria, and their friend, Nick Humphreys, ran a digital agency, Bolster, where they managed Instagram accounts for many bands and festivals.
The trio would post about tours, new tracks, and merch, but were often frustrated because they had to always change the link in the Instagram bio for each new post. This process was time-consuming and affected clickthroughs. They desperately needed a way to give followers a more complete picture of their clients’ current projects and make more sales.
So, one night in 2016, Alex came up with an idea he thought would solve the problem—Linktree. After mapping the solution on paper, the trio gave it to their technical team who spent six hours developing its first version. And so Linktree was born—the first product of its kind to turn a single bio link into a whole branch of links.
Once the trio started using Linktree and sharing it with friends and colleagues in the industry, it grew organically through word-of-mouth, much like Slack did.
Then, Alicia Keys signed up, and the app’s growth really took off.
What started as a simple idea quickly grew into 1.2 billion people worldwide visiting over 30 million Linktrees each month. Who would have thought an “accident” would become a viral product worth $1.3 billion? We should have more billion-dollar accidents like this 😅.
Key takeaway:
When creating a new product category, joining an existing one, or launching new features, you should prioritize delivering real value to users. That means creating something that directly solves their major pain point, so they can do their jobs better.
If your product fails to meet the needs of your users, they will quickly abandon it and move on to a competitor’s product. Or they’ll wait until someone else creates something better if you have no competitors at the moment.
Linktree founders didn’t set out to create something big. They just wanted a simple solution that would let them share multiple links on Instagram from a single profile link. And they ended up attracting people with similar pain points, who used the product in many different ways or on other channels, including TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), and QR codes which they could easily generate with a QR code generator.
Creating a product that solves one problem well often results in other use cases because it establishes a foundation of trust and confidence between the user and your product.
When you focus on creating value for one ideal user at a time, they will experience the benefits of your product and are more likely to trust the product to solve other related problems or use cases. You also attract others with similar challenges and many more related problems, which will drive you to improve your product to solve more use cases.
2. Improved the product with user feedback and analytics data
Linktree was created with the user in mind.
From the beginning, the team prioritized feedback from their users to ensure that the product met their needs, allowing the team to quickly make changes users cared about.
For example, the team had a dedicated Slack channel where they gathered user feedback, and they used Productboard to understand and rank feature requests to identify which were consistent across the board.
The more times a feature was requested, the more priority it had. But instead of just jumping into iterating right away, the team would compare the request to current market trends to ensure it was relevant enough before building, testing, and launching the feature.
They also collect feedback in-app from users, making it easy for them to share their frustrations without having to leave the app.
Linktree also continuously analyzes product data to see how it is performing and makes necessary changes before testing and iterating again. Basically, they learn from users and take user insights from previous iterations to improve the next one.
Key Takeaway
Gathering user feedback and studying analytics data to understand their behavior teaches you about their preferences.
When you make updates based on user feedback or behavior, you create a better product, increase user satisfaction, stay ahead of competitors, and save time and money on product redesigns.
Linktree has a dedicated team that speaks directly to users, making it easier to learn what different users want, so they can segment and meet each group’s needs. The team also uses surveys to gather unbiased user data, asking questions to understand:
- What would make them pay for pro.
- What features they’re looking for.
- Who and where they were referred from.
- What drew them to Linktree.
The answers help the team understand their most effective channels and users’ preferences, plus identify any changes in user behavior trends and areas of improvement. I’m pretty sure user feedback drove Linktree to rebrand its product and website in 2019, with a clearer value proposition.
Also, users who benefit from a product that solves one problem often provide feedback about other related issues they are experiencing. This feedback helps your team identify new use cases your product can solve.
You can gather customer feedback and user behavior data, similar to Linktree’s strategy. Use surveys, web, product, and behavior analytics tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar, feedback forms, social media, and even social listening tools.
Remember, it’s important to regularly gather user feedback and behavior data to spot any changes in behavior or unmet needs, improve your product, and provide the best experience for your customers. That’s how Linktree created a simple, intuitive user experience.
3. Relied on a freemium pricing strategy to attract more users
A freemium model is a pricing strategy where a company offers a basic version of its product for free while charging for premium features.
In its early days, Linktree offered a free version of its product, which allows users to create a basic landing page with multiple clickable links. Slack, Calendly, Loom, and many others took the same approach.
Potential users could try Linktree for free without any restrictions.
Free access meant the barrier to entry for users was low, so Linktree could gather meaningful user feedback and track product analytics data to learn more about user behavior and preferences. As a result, they made changes users care about, which sustained Linktree’s growth, even with zero funding until its first round in 2020.
The freemium pricing strategy also drove product adoption. Linktree rolled out its pro version one year after launch, and hundreds of users upgraded within a few weeks.
Here’s the catch: more people are likely to upgrade to a paid version to access more features if the initial version is so useful that they need more functionality. That’s what happened with Linktree. Linktree’s pricing has expanded to four plans for specific use cases.
(Did we mention 45,000 people visit this page every month? 👀👀👀)
What stands out on its pricing page is how well-detailed each plan’s features are—it outlines the features and benefits of each plan.
Clear and well-detailed pricing tiers promote transparency.
When you provide detailed pricing tiers, customers can clearly see what they are paying for, and there are no hidden costs. Plus they understand why it’s worth paying more for a premium version of your product. This transparency builds trust and makes customers feel more confident in their decision to purchase your product.
Also, transparent pricing tiers help with upselling and cross-selling.
For example, if a customer uses a basic version of your product, you can suggest an upgrade to a higher-priced tier offering additional features and benefits. You can also segment your customer base and cater to different needs and budgets to attract a wider range of customers, offer personalized services, and grow your revenue.
Key takeaway:
The main benefit of the freemium SaaS pricing strategy is that it allows potential users to try and experience the product’s value firsthand before deciding to commit.
Users who try a product and see its value are more likely to share it with their colleagues and friends. This lets you reduce the barrier to entry for potential users, gather valuable user feedback and analytics data to iterate your product, create a better user experience, and drive consistent growth and user retention.
4. Inspired word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty
Product-led growth (PLG) and word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) often go hand in hand. That’s because both rely on the product to spread through user adoption.
PLG ensures your product is so useful and valuable that customers can’t help but tell others about it, which ultimately leads to word-of-mouth marketing, where satisfied customers share their positive experiences with their friends, family, and colleagues.
Linktree’s growth shows how PLG and WOMM work together.
Alex and his team created something that solved a major pain point for many users. As a result, instead of spending a lot of money on ads, they reaped the benefits when users recommended it to their friends or posted about it on social media.
Also, someone uploaded Linktree to Product Hunt in 2016, without the knowledge of its founders.
The result?
Over 3,000 people signed up overnight and more subscribed in the following weeks.
WOMM helped Linktree acquire new customers and grow quickly, even without running any ads and with zero funding. Until 2019, Linktree never spent a dime on marketing. Instead, they focused on developing product features and making UI updates to delight users, based on their feedback, which has led to impressive organic growth.
Also, do you remember the Instagram ban I mentioned earlier?
Turns out Linktree users joined forces to log over 41,000 complaints that caused Instagram to restore access and issue a public apology.
Talk about customer loyalty!
Key takeaway:
A freemium product paired with “good ol’ word-of-mouth marketing” and continuous updates to improve the user experience is the perfect recipe for sustained user growth and loyalty. Linktree pulled these off beautifully and has seen sustained results since then.
To get more users to recommend your product and inspire loyalty, you should:
- Create a product users find valuable.
- Implement referral programs that incentivize users to refer friends and family to try your product.
- Provide guides and tutorials that show users how to make the most of your product’s features
- Use analytics data to suggest new features or content based on user behavior.
- Make it easy for users to provide feedback and suggestions.
- Provide excellent customer support through multiple emails, chat, or phone channels.
- Build a community around your product.
- Share user-generated content, customer success stories, and testimonials, so people see the value of your product and are inspired to try it, plus encourage others to do the same.
- Offer a free trial.
These will help you build a loyal customer base that is invested in your product and brand, and is more likely to spread the word about it.
5. Leveraged viral growth loops and network effects
Viral loops and network effects are two important concepts in product-led marketing that drive rapid growth and increased customer engagement.
A viral growth loop is a process by which a product or service acquires new users or customers through word-of-mouth referrals or social sharing. It mimics how a virus spreads, starting with a small group of people exposed to the product, then spreading to others in a self-reinforcing manner.
The key to a viral growth loop is that each new user or customer brings in more new users or customers, creating a cycle of exponential growth.
Linktree allows users to create a single link that directs followers to a landing page with multiple links.
When a user creates a Linktree account and shares their link on social media platforms, their followers can access all of their other social media profiles and websites from a single location. This creates a viral loop, as each new follower who clicks on the Linktree link may become a new user themselves, and then share their own Linktree link with their followers. The cycle continues, with each new user bringing in multiple new users.
Also, when users create a Linktree page, they are encouraged to share it on their social media profiles, attracting new users to the platform.
Linktree also includes social media sharing buttons on its landing pages, which allows users to share their Linktree links with followers and contacts.
Additionally, Linktree encourages user engagement by providing analytics that allowusers to track clicks and views on their links to optimize their social media strategy.
On the other hand, network effects happen when your product’s value increases as more people use it. Linktree’s value proposition is closely tied to the network effect.
For example, Selena Gomez has a Linktree account where she shares her music and other links. Her 400M+ followers can click on the Linktree link to access all of her content. If some find the Linktree link useful, they may create their own Linktree and share theirs or Selena Gomez’ with their own followers, who may also become new Linktree users and share their own Linktree links.
As more influencers, content creators, and businesses join the platform and add more valuable links and content to the platform, the value of Linktree increases, making it even more appealing and helpful to new users. Around 50% of Linktree users were referred from existing Linktrees as of 2021. That’s super impressive.
The strong network effect has made Linktree the go-to tool for social media users who want to make it easier for their followers to access all links to important content in one place. No wonder the app grew from zero to more than 30 million users in just six years.
Key takeaway:
You can create viral growth loops through referral programs, or by making it easy for users to share the product or service on social media, or create a highly addictive product that naturally encourages users to invite their friends.
6. Provided educational resources and templates
Linktree uses educational resources in its product-led marketing strategy to provide users with tips, advice, and best practices for using the platform.
The Linktree blog receives 181,000 organic visitors per month. Here’s what the search scorecard looks like:
Rather than take a topic clusters approach, Linktree takes a more creative approach that’s ideal for its business model. Since many of its users come from Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms, Linktree focuses on sharing best practices for how to maximize each platform for different use cases.
For example, the blog post “How to Remove TikTok Filters in a Few Easy Steps” shares best practices for removing TikTok filters while editing, including tools you can use.
Linktree is obviously not a video editing tool, and you can’t create videos with it. So you might wonder why they would leave their use case and focus on something “unrelated.”
Well, there’s a popular saying, “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.” TikTok drives a lot of traffic for Linktree, perhaps close to the traffic Instagram pulls in. So, showing people how to carry out one of TikTok’s main use cases is such a great way to improve their relationship with the brand and its users.
It’s no wonder this page generates almost 19,000 monthly organic traffic, and ranks on the first page of Google for the keyword “remove TikTok filters.”
Linktree also creatively plugs in its tool at the end of the article:
Waiting till the end of an article to mention your tool is not an ideal approach to product-led marketing, especially since your product is your primary marketing tool. You want potential users to see its value throughout the piece, especially how it helps them solve a specific problem.
But Linktree’s approach works because of their blog strategy, which I mentioned already. Plus, the blog isn’t a primary customer acquisition channel. Search only contributes less than 5% of traffic, according to Similarweb.
Beyond blog posts, Linktree also has a template library.
Templates are a great value add to users for many reasons. First, they provide a consistent design and layout, which creates a sense of trust and credibility, as users are more likely to perceive a platform as professional and trustworthy if it has a consistent and polished appearance.
Linktree template library receives 37,000 organic traffic every month.
Linktree recognized that templates are highly valued, especially because they save time and effort for users, particularly those who don’t have design or technical skills. With a template, users can quickly and easily create a professional-looking design without having to start from scratch.
The most impressive part of this strategy is how Linktree groups its template library, showing a variety of use cases for multiple industries.
For example, a marketer can use any of the templates to create a page that looks good and functions well. They don’t need to worry about designing a layout from scratch; they can simply fill in with their content and hit publish.
Key Takeaway
Educational resources establish your brand authority, positioning you as the expert in your industry. They provide potential customers with valuable information to help them better understand how your product works and the benefits it provides.
Beyond blog posts, include case studies and customer success stories, as these help you build trust and credibility, stand out from competitors, and gain new users.
Use a Customer-Centric Product-led Marketing Approach
Linktree’s product-led marketing strategy focuses on delivering value to users.
From a simple and intuitive product to driving adoption and growth through viral loops and network effects, Linktree emphasizes continuous improvement and education to help its users get the most out of the product.
To build a successful product-led marketing strategy, you should focus on user experience. Ensure you create a product that is intuitive, easy to use, and valuable to users.
Offering a free trial or freemium model lets customers try out the product before committing, which ultimately increases adoption and conversion rates if they love your product. Also, implement features that encourage sharing and collaboration to create viral loops and network effects.
Most of all, prioritize continuous iteration based on user feedback and analytics data. Don’t forget to include educational resources—blog posts, customer success stories, and onboarding docs—to demonstrate the value of the product and build credibility with potential customers.
To learn more about strategies you can use to drive growth, you should read these:
