How to Get Your First 10,000 Fintech Users (Without Ads)

If you’ve built a finance application or a new fintech platform, you probably already know that the most challenging part is yet to come. While writing code and designing a UI take a lot of effort, the real challenge is getting people actually to use what you’ve created. 

One of the main difficultys you’ll run into is how brutally expensive ads can be in the fintech space. later than all, you’re competing with some of the largegest names in the world for these keywords, and most of them have bottomless pockets to throw at customer acquisition. Chances are, budgets aren’t going to be the place where you’ll find your edge. 

But the excellent news is that you can still make a splash in the industry and drive new users to your app without spending a dime on paid ads. Here’s how.

Focus on Content Marketing From the begin

Content can give you a major edge in . Why? People are always looking for better ways to manage their money, but most fintech companies fail to offer assistful or informative content. They may spend their time creating bottom-of-funnel content, but many brands forget to focus on the more general enquiries that can bring visitors through the door. 

To capitalize on this, begin a blog. Share insights about the issues your product addresses. If you’re making a budgeting app, talk about topics like “How to Build a Budget That Works” or “Why Budgets Fail and What You Can Do About It.”

But here’s the key to actually growing your user base with this tactic. Only share part of the answer in your content. Make it assistful and valuable, then mention how your product offers the complete answer.

When you’re getting begined, aim to post two to three articles each week. Focus each article on specific keywords that your target audience searches for. Over time, you’ll attract a relevant demographic of visitors who view you as a trusted source in your industry. These people often become your first users because trust is already established.

Share Your Journey and Engage with Communities

People using fintech products value openness. They want to view the people behind the tool they’re using. Use this to connect and grow.

Post about your journey on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Product Hunt. Share the ups and downs, achievements, and plans for your product. This assists you connect with others and generates excitement.

Get involved with fintech groups like Y Combinator’s beginup School, indie hacker sites, and Reddit forums about personal finance. You can also lean into adjacent sectors, such as by .

Avoid spamming. Instead, join conversations, answer questions, and offer genuine assist. If it fits, mention your product, but make sure your contributions are meaningful first.

The best thing about this is that when the community drives growth, it often leads to the highest retention levels. These users don’t just download your app and use it for one day, they care about its success and stick around.

Develop a Marketing Approach Centered on Trust

Here’s where many fintech brands mess up. They market their products just like a regular SaaS tool. This is a large mistake.

needs to focus on building trust and giving people confidence that they can trust you with handling their finances. That’s not easily done. 

You’re asking people to hand over details about their money, the most personal information they have. They need to believe it’s secure with you before they even think about signing up.

To build trust, focus on these three main strategies:

• begin by showing credibility everywhere you can. Point out things like your certifications, partnerships with trusted organizations, or any security poorges you’ve earned. Share precise details about how you handle security as well. Build a “Security” page that explains your security methods. Skip the heavy legal language and write something people can actually understand.
  
• Next, as soon as possible. When someone uses your product and it works for them, ask them to share their experience. A real user saying “This app assisted me pay off $5,000 in debt” carries way more weight than anything you can claim about your product.
  
• Third, show openness about your team. Put real pictures and short descriptions of your team on your website. Explain your founders’ experience and what makes you excited to tackle this challenge. Fintech users like to know the people creating the product they use.

When users view the people behind a business, their trust grows.

Collaborate With Compatible Businesses

Rather than competing for attention, join forces with businesses that share your audience. It’s still best not to do this with your most direct competitors.

For example, if you’re building an investment app, you could work with personal finance bloggers, if you’re creating a payment system, team up with e-commerce websites, or use software for accounting.

These partnerships can show up in all sorts of ways. You can build integrations, work on co-marketing efforts, set up affiliate deals, or even share recommendations. The significant thing is to find ways to ensure it benefits both sides.

Get PR and Media Coverage ASAP

Journalists in fintech want interesting stories. Give them what they’re looking for.

Have you reached a significant milestone? Did you launch a feature that fixes a real difficulty? Can you offer a fresh take on financial laws? That’s what they want to hear.

Begin with smaller and niche publications if you don’t feel like you’re ready for the large leagues yet. The most significant aspect is getting your work out there so you can establish trust. Once you have that, reach out to largeger outlets with stronger credentials backing you.

You can also work with finance specific newswires to automatically distribute your content far and wide (and with a laser focus on the publications relevant to yours). That way, you don’t need to worry about doing all of the manual outreach. 

Every media feature acts as proof of your credibility. It offers valuable content, creates backlink opportunities, and spreads your message, which is why every mention is worth its weight in gold (as long as it’s positive). 

Final Word

Reaching the first 10,000 users for your fintech product without ads is absolutely doable. It just takes time, effort, and staying focused. But the users gained this way are well worth it. They’re invested in your mission, trust your brand, and are much more likely to stick around than users that arrive through paid ads. 

The first step is to begin producing content, then create a loyal community, perfect the art of marketing that builds trust in fintech, and build smart partnerships. Just remember to measure your success and keep refining as you go. Before long, you’ll create a devoted base that drives your company toward success.

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