Hello everyone, I'm currently operating a video hosting platform (similar to DoodStream) and am in the cold-start phase, facing bottlenecks in user growth and traffic acquisition. I'd like to ask experienced peers in this field: How can such a platform effectively attract users and traffic in its early stages? Methods I've tried so far: SEO Optimization: Basic keyword optimization is underway, but competition is fierce, and results are slow. Social Media: Posted promotional content on social channels, but conversion rates are very low. Forum Promotion: Introduced the service on relevant webmaster forums, but the impact has been minimal. Outreach to Webmasters: Contacted video site owners via Gmail, but hardly received any responses. Main challenges I'm facing: Backlink Building: Email outreach to webmasters rarely gets replies. Initial Content Source: Without sufficient content, it's hard to attract users, but without users, no one uploads content—a classic chicken-and-egg problem. Differentiation: Compared to established platforms like DoodStream, how can a new platform stand out? Specific questions I'd love insights on: Which promotion channels are most suitable for such platforms in the early stages? How can I quickly connect with webmasters to establish partnerships? What are some effective user incentives to encourage adoption? In terms of features or services, what kind of differentiation would best attract early adopters? I sincerely seek advice—if anyone has experience operating similar platforms, I'd greatly appreciate any practical insights. All suggestions are welcome! (This post is purely for seeking help, not promotional in any way.)
The chicken-and-egg problem is brutal. Solve it backwards - focus on content creators first with better payouts than competitors. Even 10-20 active uploaders can generate enough content to start attracting viewers. Partnership beats cold outreach. Find smaller webmasters who actually respond and offer concrete revenue sharing. What's your current upload-to-view ratio? That usually shows if you're solving the right problem.