Ross Simmonds on where to look for beta testers

Ross Simmonds nailed it with this tweet: great marketing starts where your audience already hangs out. Instead of begging for attention, meet your people where they love to talk.

Why it works

• It’s audience-first, not product-first
• You get real feedback fast
• These users often become your loudest promoters
• Builds credibility inside communities
• Turns “cold outreach” into “warm introductions”

Real-world examples

• Notion grew early through Product Hunt and Reddit
• Figma seeded its beta through design Slack groups
• Indie Hackers used its forum to test community features
• Loom shared beta links on LinkedIn, getting viral growth
• Discord found gaming subreddits and scaled from there

Find your people, talk to them, and build with them.