Before you build
What can Reddit posts tell you about an idea?
Published . Updated
This article is for you if you are looking into an idea before building it.
What you can learn
Posts can show how people describe a problem and what they have tried. They may help you find questions to ask possible customers.
They cannot tell you, on their own, whether people will buy your product.
Look at the problem being described
Note who has the problem, when it happens and why it matters. Look for what the person already does about it.
A founder asking for feedback on an idea is not the same as a customer asking for help with a problem. A founder asking “Would you pay this price?” has asked a question. It does not mean anyone has agreed to pay.
Work out what you still need to know
| Question | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Who has this problem? | Recent examples from the people you want to help |
| What do they already use? | What works, what does not and why |
| Can you reach the person who buys? | A way to speak with someone who needs it and can approve the purchase |
| Will they try your approach? | A small test that asks them to do something relevant |
| Will they pay? | A clear offer and their response, followed by an actual purchase where appropriate |
Choose a next step
If the problem is unclear, ask possible customers about recent examples. If you understand the problem but not the solution, try a simple model or do part of the work by hand.
If you need to learn whether people will pay, explain exactly what you are offering before asking them to buy. Make the price and terms clear.
Decide what result would change your mind. No fixed number of posts or interviews proves that an idea is ready to become a business.
Keep the limits in mind
Someone who complains online may not be reachable or willing to buy. A person who tries something once may not use it again. A paid product in the market does not show that people will switch to yours.
These are separate questions to investigate.
About the source material
The original source material for this article concerned founders who were struggling to test their ideas. Those reports do not show that the writers wanted to pay someone for that help.
- Related article: Why people sign up but do not use a product
- How I use research
Sources
These are the public posts and pages behind the original research. A source link may show the writer's name even though this page does not.
Posts by founders
“how do I validate demand if I haven't sold a single offer yet?”
A founder asks how to test demand before selling anything.
“I don't know how to actually get them and validate my idea”
A founder starting from scratch asks how to find first users.
“Would you pay $9.99/month for this?”
A founder asks possible users about a price. This is a question. It does not show that anyone paid.
“I have lost my initial steam with finding potential customers to help validate my idea”
A founder describes how hard it is to find people to talk to.
Other products mentioned in the original research
ValidatorAI home page
An AI tool that comments on startup ideas.
DimeADozen pricing page
An AI tool that sells written reports on ideas.