#UnethicalGrowthHacks #StartupSpells #BigTechSecrets
Hey there, are you curious about the shady tactics big companies used in their early days to achieve rapid growth? 🕵️♂️ Let’s dive into the dark side of startup growth strategies. Here are a few examples of companies that didn’t play by the rules:
– Uber exploited loopholes and developed a Greyball System to deceive authorities.
– Reddit created fake accounts to boost engagement.
– Airbnb used bots to reply to Craigslist users with their listings.
– YouTube and VK hosted pirated content to attract users.
– Stripe broke regulations before getting caught by regulators.
– Facebook spammed users to join their platform.
– LinkedIn abused contact databases for growth.
But wait, here’s the catch – these tactics often come back to haunt companies in the form of fines or scandals. So, what’s the solution to growing ethically and sustainably?
Here’s a possible solution 🌟:
– Focus on building a strong brand reputation based on honesty and transparency.
– Prioritize user trust and satisfaction over quick wins.
– Implement ethical marketing practices that align with your values.
– Stay updated on industry regulations to avoid any legal issues.
What do you think? Have you witnessed any other unethical growth hacks in the tech industry? Share your thoughts below! Let’s learn from each other and strive for ethical growth strategies that benefit everyone. And if you want more insights on growth hacking, don’t forget to check out my newsletter at startupspells.com 📈💡
Remember, honesty is the best policy in the long run! Let’s build a sustainable future for startups based on integrity and innovation. #EthicalGrowth #StartupEthics #TechIndustryInsights
Crazy! look into amazon, salesforce, jack ma’s company for more unethical stuff
You used the word many, but i would rather use the word most. Most companies started up unethically.
As a founder, I focus on ethical growth—sleep better at night!
I thought we could not send links promoting our business? I have no complaints though, wonderful post and that newsletter seems pretty cool too!
A growth hack that my startup used was try to create as many viral videos as possible to gain attention. One of the software tools we launched was an Agent that could book shifts for people. These people who didn’t have our tool started talking poorly of the product saying “this is unfair, it’s faster than a human” and while this caught smoke, it gave us free publicity. As a result, people who saw the value in our product came to us and asked us for the web automation agent. Free marketing!
Fire post.
I worked for a venture-backed startup, and we invested quite heavily in a content moderation team, but in reality it was content creation. If people came back to the app, and it was dead, they wouldn’t come back.
I think in reality, you have to understand that no one wants to eat at empty restaurants, sometimes you have to perform some vaporware to mystify early-adopters into staying.
Sucks, but true!!!
Now do the entire PPC industry, because these FUCKING BOTS MAN…