Desktop app funnel optimization
The Metrics implementation introduced last month is providing the first insights. Of the people who download fman, only 50% actually install and start it. That sounds low, but seems to be in line with other desktop apps. Of the remaining 50%, only one fifth (10%) use fman more than once in the first week after download.
That makes it clear where work is needed: fman's onboarding needs to improve so more first-time users stick around.
Interestingly, this is not the conclusion you'd reach if you just listened to feedback from users. People ask for features, report bugs etc. But the vast majority of people never take the time to give feedback. They simply don't keep using fman.
That isn't to say that feedback from users isn't relevant. It is and has shaped fman as it is today tremendously. It's just that fman needs to get the basics right for sustained growth. Plus, improvements for first-time users benefit existing users as well.
Creating a novel product is a little like playing a computer game with various stages. fman has completed the MVP, traction, and initial sales levels. Now it's about growth. A good funnel is vital for this, and (I believe) more important than additional marketing right now. That will come at a later stage, in a level probably best called "scale".
If you are interested in fman's journey, follow me on Twitter. You may also want to check out fman, especially if you are a developer. It's a dual-pane file manager that lets you work with files much more efficiently than Finder on Mac or Explorer on Windows.
Michael started fman in 2016, convinced that we deserve a better file manager. fman's launch in 2017 was a huge success. But despite full-time work, it only makes $500 per month. The goal is to fix this.
Subscribe