OptaReach for Founders: How to Get Your First 100 Users Without Ads
Ads
Let’s be honest: as a founder, getting your first 100 users is often the hardest part.
You’re building. You’re debugging. You’re redesigning your landing page for the 12th time. And you probably don’t have a huge budget to throw at ads or outbound sales.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need a budget to grow, you need conversations.
At OptaReach, we built a platform specifically for founders who want to find their earliest users organically. This blog will show you how to get your first 100 users without spending a cent on ads, using AI-powered outreach across Reddit, X, GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Hacker News.
Why Ads Don’t Work at the Beginning
When you’re starting out, running ads can feel like burning cash in a dark room. Here’s why:
- You don’t know your audience well enough yet.
- You haven’t tested messaging that actually converts.
- You might not even have full product-market fit.
- You’ll pay to drive traffic to a site that still needs work.
In short: Ads amplify what’s already working. But in the early days, you’re still figuring out what works.
That’s why your best bet is to talk to potential users directly, learn from them, and earn their trust.
Step 1: Know Exactly Who You’re Targeting
Before you send a single message, ask yourself:
- Who is this product really for?
- What are they doing online right now?
- What problems are they already trying to solve?
Are you building a developer tool? Your users are likely on GitHub, Stack Overflow, or Reddit’s r/programming. A productivity tool for founders? Check r/startups, r/SaaS, and X. A community-driven AI app? They’re likely talking on Hacker News or Reddit’s AI forums.
Action: Define 3–5 personas and list where they hang out online and what problems they’re likely discussing.
Step 2: Set Up Tracked Searches in OptaReach
This is where the magic happens.
With OptaReach, you can track posts and conversations that match specific filters:
- Platforms: Reddit, X, GitHub, Stack Overflow, Hacker News
- Keywords: e.g. “looking for CRM”, “need a lightweight DB”, “how to automate outreach”
- Subreddits or tags
- Sentiment: to filter complaints, questions, or recommendations
Example for a B2B SaaS:
You’ve built a simple invoicing tool for freelancers. You set:
- Subreddits: r/freelance, r/startups, r/indiehackers
- Keywords: “invoice clients”, “alternatives to FreshBooks”
- Platform: Reddit and X
- Sentiment: Neutral or Questioning
Now, whenever someone writes a post or tweet that matches this, you get notified instantly.
No more searching. No more guessing. Just signals, delivered.
Step 3: Reach Out with Value, Not Spam
The key to turning a stranger into your first user?
Be helpful first. Pitch second.
When you get a match in OptaReach, you can:
- See the post, context, platform, and sentiment
- Use our built-in AI assistant to generate a friendly, helpful reply
- Customize it to your tone
- Reply as a comment or direct message, without leaving the dashboard
Example Message: “Hey, saw your post about FreshBooks being too bloated. We actually built a super simple invoicing app for freelancers with that exact frustration. Happy to share a link if you want to check it out!”
You’re not selling. You’re solving.
Step 4: Use the Unibox to Manage Replies
Getting a reply is just the beginning.
With OptaReach’s Unibox, you see all conversations from all platforms in one inbox. No jumping between tabs. No losing threads.
That means you can:
- Follow up consistently
- Book demo calls
- Share onboarding links
- Answer questions
- Build relationships
Treat every reply like gold, because early users aren’t just customers. They’re also your:
- Feedback loops
- Beta testers
- Case studies
- Advocates
Step 5: Measure and Optimize Outreach
OptaReach tracks:
- Sent messages
- Open rates
- Replies
- Positive engagements
So you can tweak your:
- Messaging
- Filters
- Platforms
- Time of day
…until you find your most responsive audience and scale what works.
And when it’s working, you’ll know, because suddenly you’re getting replies like:
“Wow, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.” “Just signed up — looks amazing.” “Can I bring this to my team?”
Bonus: 5 Battle-Tested Outreach Campaigns for Founders
1. “Tool Alternatives” Track posts asking for alternatives to competitors and introduce your lighter, faster version.
2. “Frustration-Based” Track negative sentiment toward tools like Notion, Airtable, or Webflow — and suggest yours as a fix.
3.“Open Questions” Reply to: “What’s the best way to [X]?” with a helpful suggestion + soft pitch.
4.“Open Source Angle” See GitHub users struggling with a repo or feature — offer your SaaS version with a smoother UX.
5.“Stack Advice” Target people building new stacks — offer your tool as a missing piece.
Founders, Your First 100 Users Are Already Talking
They're posting questions. They're tweeting frustrations. They're opening GitHub issues. They just haven’t heard of you yet.
OptaReach gives you the tools to:
- Find those users in real-time
- Engage them with authentic value
- Convert them without cold emails or ads
You don’t need a budget to grow. You just need the right timing, message, and mindset.
🔗 Start your 14-day free trial of OptaReach
Your first 100 users are out there. Let’s go reach them.