Build viral loops where responders naturally become creators
The most powerful viral products are those where using the product requires involving others, and those others then have a natural path to creating their own instance. For polls/surveys, this means responders see the value and want to create their own polls. For collaboration tools, viewers become editors. For design tools, people receiving designs want to make their own. The key is making the creation path obvious and frictionless—every time someone responds/views/receives, they should clearly see how to create their own. Track conversion rate from responder to creator as your core viral metric. Even 10-15% conversion creates compounding growth loops without paid acquisition.
When to use
When building products with inherent social or collaborative components. When your product is useless without sending to others. When deciding what viral mechanics to build into core product. When you want organic growth without paid ads. When each new user can potentially bring more users through their usage.
Don't do this
Building single-player products hoping users will share them. Requiring explicit 'invite' or 'share' actions instead of baking virality into core use. Not tracking responder-to-creator conversion rates. Making creation path unclear for recipients. Optimizing for views/engagement instead of conversion to active creators.
1 Founder Who Did This
Polly is inherently social—polls are useless if you don't send them to anyone. Creator sends poll to 5 people. Historically, 12% of responders eventually become creators. Those new creators send to larger groups, 12% of those become creators, and the cycle continues.