firstthousandusers
  1. Idea and validation
  2. Waitlist
  3. Private beta
  4. Launch
  5. First 100 users
  6. First 1,000 users
Content and SEO

Check search demand for the problem

Use free keyword tools to see whether people search for the problem and which words they use to describe it.

What's requiredOne to two hours.
Accounts
A Google account. Optionally a Google Ads account for Keyword Planner.
Assets
A list of 10–20 phrases people might use to describe the problem, and a spreadsheet.
Time
One to two hours.
Cost
Free.
Prerequisites
A problem you want to test. Best done alongside problem interviews.

What to do

  1. Write 10–20 phrases a frustrated user would type, not what you would call the product. People search for the problem and the task: “split invoice between two currencies”, “how to track freelance hours”, “[competitor] too expensive”. Take phrases from interviews, reviews and forum posts where you can.
  2. Type each phrase into Google slowly and record the autocomplete suggestions. Autocomplete reflects what people actually search. Add letters after your phrase (“invoice for freelancers a”, “… b”) to pull out more variations. Use a private window so your own history does not skew it.
  3. Open “People also ask” and the related searches at the bottom of the results. Click a few questions; each click loads more. These show the exact questions people have, and they become blog post titles and FAQ entries later.
  4. Check rough volume in a free keyword tool. Put your best 20–30 phrases into one or two of these and note the ranges:
    • Google Keyword Planner (inside a Google Ads account; you do not need to run ads, but it may show only broad ranges without spend).
    • Ahrefs’ free keyword generator, which shows a handful of related keywords with rough volume.
    • Google Trends, to see whether interest is growing, flat or seasonal. Compare your phrase with a known term to get a sense of scale.
  5. Search “[competitor] alternative” and “[competitor] vs”. If people search for alternatives to the tools in your space, they are unhappy with what exists and ready to switch. Autocomplete often lists the competitors people compare, which helps you map the market.
  6. Search Reddit and forums through Google. Try site:reddit.com [problem phrase] and site:reddit.com "is there a tool" [task]. Look at how many threads there are, how recent they are, and how many comments they get. A steady stream of threads is demand even when keyword tools show low volume.
  7. Look at who ranks on page one. Open the top results for your two or three best phrases. If they are big brands with polished pages, the phrase is hard to win. If you see forum threads, old posts and thin pages, there is room for a small site.
  8. Score each phrase and pick three to five. In your sheet, mark volume (none/low/medium/high), trend, intent (“how to” vs “best tool for”), and competition. Keep the phrases with clear intent and weak results. Use them in your waitlist page headline and your first SEO pages.

Reading the numbers

  • Zero or “0–10” volume does not mean no demand. Tools undercount niche and new phrases. Check autocomplete and Reddit before you give up.
  • A few hundred searches a month for a specific, buyer-like phrase can be enough for a niche B2B product. Tens of thousands for a vague phrase is often worth less.
  • “Alternative to X” searches with any volume are a strong signal. They tend to be low volume but high intent.
  • If nothing shows up anywhere, including Reddit, people may not think of this as a problem, or they call it something else. Go back to interviews and listen for their words.

Why it works

Searches are what people do when nobody is watching and they want a solution. They show whether the problem is common, which words people use for it, and which competitors they already consider. It takes an hour and costs nothing, so it is a cheap check before you spend weeks building.

How it gets users

Not right away. This step gets you no users by itself. It gives you the phrases for your landing page, your first blog posts and your “alternative to” pages. Organic traffic from those usually takes three to six months to arrive, and for a new site it often starts at a trickle of visits a day. Its main value now is telling you whether to keep going and what to call things.

Common mistakes

  • Searching for your product name or category jargon that no user would type.
  • Trusting one tool’s volume number as exact.
  • Giving up because volume is low without checking Reddit and forums.
  • Ignoring intent: lots of people searching “what is X” are not looking to buy.
  • Doing the research and then not using the words in your copy.

Next steps

This guide is connected to these guides on the map. Numbered ones come next.

01 Idea02 Waitlist03 Beta04 Launch05 First 10006 First 1kSet up a waitlist landing page1SEO for early-stage products2Write honest comparison pages3This guide
  1. 102 Waitlist · Content and SEOSet up a waitlist landing pageOne page that states the problem and who it is for, and collects an email address, so you have people to contact when there is something to try.
  2. 206 First 1,000 users · Content and SEOSEO for early-stage productsWrite a small number of pages that answer specific problem searches your users make, instead of competing for broad terms.
  3. 306 First 1,000 users · Content and SEOWrite honest comparison pagesPublish "alternative to" and comparison pages for tools your users already consider, with accurate tables and clear trade-offs.