Growth Newsletter #111

To continue the trend of 3's...

Duolingo is famous for perfecting the art of gamifying something that’s good for you.

As the Duo team was figuring out how to gamify language learning, they looked to a logical source for inspiration: games.

Including Gardenscapes, a Candy Crush-esque mobile game the team was hooked on.

One thing Gardenscapes had that Duo didn’t was a “moves counter,” which showed users the dwindling number of moves they had left to complete a level.

After months of work, Duo launched their own moves counter—then “expectantly waited for an unmitigated success,” according to Duo’s former Chief Product Officer Jorge Mazal. 

But what actually happened?

Pretty much nothing. Retention and DAUs stayed the same. User feedback was…well, there was hardly any.

As you know, every experiment is a chance to learn. So here’s what Mazal learned from it:

“Now when looking to adopt a feature, I ask myself:

1. Why is this feature working in that product?
2. Why might this feature succeed or fail in our context, i.e. will it translate well?
3. What adaptations are necessary to make this feature succeed in our context?”

Asking those three questions led the Duo team toward gamification gold, with features like a FarmVille 2–esque leaderboard and irresistible streak rewards.

When you find a feature you love in another product, ask those questions before trying to implement it in your own product. They’ll lead you to what Mazal calls “the right balance of adopting and adapting.”

In April, I'm joining the final cohort of the Part-Time YouTuber Academy from Ali Abdaal (a YouTuber with nearly 4M subscribers clearing about $5M/year in revenue—nuts).

In preparation for that, I've gone through Ali's "YouTube for Beginners" course. 

Here are 3 things I've learned about content creation: 

1. Be an archaeologist, not an architect

There are two ways to approach creating content:

1. Be an architect. Have everything perfectly planned before breaking ground. For example, scrutinize your topic, audience, offer, and format before ever posting.
2. Be an archaeologist. Just start digging holes. When you find treasure, put all your focus there. For example, start making things that interest you, and when you find something that resonates, double down.

Most successful creators got there by just getting started and fumbling around. It took Ali one year and 50 videos to hit 1,000 subscribers. It took MrBeast years. They figured it out along the way. 

As Ali says: "The first 50 videos are for you. The next 50 are for your audience." 

2. Don't create for algorithms. Create for people.

Sure, we write about tactics every week. But what really makes a product or piece of content outpace others is by being exceptional.

So to grow your YouTube channel (or Instagram, or Twitter, or blog):

1. Create an enticing thumbnail and title so people will watch/read it.
2. Make the content interesting and engaging throughout.
3. Leave people satisfied so they click on your next post.

It's simple in theory, but incredibly hard to actually do. It takes a ton of practice, and so...

3. The reps are more important than anything

When you're getting started with a new skill, the quantity and frequency of practice are more important than the quality of each session. Whether that's creating videos, crafting Twitter threads, writing newsletters, or building a product—it's better to do it often and consistently.

Focus on developing the habit first. Then double down on getting good. 

As Ali puts it: "Get going → Get good → Get smart."

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Now, if you want to join me in the April cohort of the Part-Time YouTuber Academy to learn how to build a channel to 100k subscribers, make sure to sign up this week. Enrollment closes this Friday—and it's the last cohort they're ever doing.‍

(In full disclosure, I got to join because I promised to write about what I learned!) 

– Neal

In honor of the less hyped-up 3-leaf clover ☘️, here are 3 rules of 3 we recommend following. 

The rule of 3 in advertising:  

Never include more than three pieces of information in an ad. Example: This ad from Biddyco has: 1) a before & after, 2) product features, 3) a review. Brand awareness magic!

The rule of 3 in copywriting:  

Three is the minimum number that makes a pattern, and people are pattern seekers. Group items in threes to make them more memorable.

The 3 (science-backed) rules of good writing (via Ariyh):

1. Use short, common, concrete words.
2. And short, simple sentences with active voice.
3. To keep your readers’ attention, keep your tone excited, anxious, or hopeful. People are more likely to continue reading if their emotions are stirred up, versus language that’s less stimulating—or just sad.

Each of those rules is pretty straightforward, right? A nice reminder that simplicity packs a powerful punch.

(Btw, there are a LOT of threes in marketing. There’s also the 3% rule and the cult of three clicks! Are there other rules of 3 you use and love?)