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Your idea of getting viral alerts from social media accounts falls into a crowded space where many similar tools exist, which we call a 'Swamp'. The fact that we found 9 similar products suggests significant competition. Engagement with these existing products is low, with an average of only 2 comments, so it is very unlikely that people are paying for these. Without positive use or buy signals, it's tough to gauge if there's real demand or if these solutions haven't quite hit the mark. The core issue is whether your approach offers a genuine improvement or addresses unmet needs compared to current offerings, or you will just be adding more noise to an already saturated market. Unless you can radically differentiate, it might be difficult to gain traction.

Recommendations

1. First, deeply investigate why the existing solutions in the "Swamp" category haven’t become indispensable. What are their shortcomings? Do they lack accuracy, speed, or customization options? Understanding their failures is critical before investing further.
2. Identify a very specific niche or user group that current tools are not serving well. For example, focus on a particular industry, social media platform, or type of content. This targeted approach will help you create a more tailored and valuable solution, rather than a generic tool that tries to be everything to everyone.
3. Rather than building a standalone product, explore the potential of creating tools or integrations for existing social media management platforms. This could be a less risky approach, leveraging established user bases and workflows, and could also generate revenue faster.
4. Consider if there's a more promising problem adjacent to viral alerts. For example, instead of just alerting users to viral content, could you help them understand why it went viral and how they can replicate that success? This moves beyond simple notifications and provides actionable insights.
5. Based on the ViralSort criticism, ensure your app's core functionality and purpose are crystal clear to new users. Implement a simple, intuitive user interface and provide clear onboarding instructions. Use tooltips, examples, and guided tours to illustrate how the app works and the value it offers. Consider adding short explainers, maybe as short videos.
6. Given the users confusion around ViralSort, proactively solicit feedback on the clarity of your product's description and value proposition. Conduct user interviews and usability tests to identify areas of confusion and improve the user experience. Pay close attention to first impressions and tailor your messaging to address common misunderstandings.
7. Carefully consider how your viral alert system will adapt to new trends, algorithms, and platform updates. Develop a flexible architecture that allows for easy integration of new features and support for emerging platforms. This proactive approach will help your product stay relevant and competitive in the ever-changing social media landscape. You should provide support for X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Bluesky as those were the most requested expansions.

Questions

1. What unique data sources or algorithms will you use to identify viral content before it becomes widely known? How can you provide a true early-mover advantage?
2. Given the low engagement with similar products, how will you incentivize users to not only sign up but also actively use and integrate your alerts into their daily workflow? What specific problem will you solve?
3. How can you leverage AI to predict content virality, not just report on it? Can you provide insights into the emotional drivers and content elements that contribute to a post's success, enabling users to create their own viral content?