u/Competitive_Neck_968

[removed]

Hi everyone,

For indie iOS developers here, I’m curious how you usually find your first group of core users for a new app.

I don’t mean general downloads or paid ads. I mean the small group of users who actually understand the problem, use the app seriously, give feedback, and help you figure out whether the product is going in the right direction.

A few things I’m wondering about:

- Do you usually start from Reddit, X/Twitter, Discord, friends, existing communities, or App Store search?
- How do you avoid sounding too promotional when asking for feedback?
- Do you share the App Store link directly, or first describe the problem and ask if people are interested?
- How do you know whether feedback is coming from real potential users or just other developers being polite?
- For small utility apps, what has worked best for you?

I’m asking because I’m trying to learn how to validate a small iOS app properly, instead of just launching it and hoping people randomly find it.

Would love to hear what worked or didn’t work for you.

Thanks!