Bots = The New Web
It used to be that creating a web app was the cheapest way to launch and test an idea, but this isn’t the case any more. Bots are probably the best way to test a new product idea including the go-to-market strategy and user engagement model.
When we set out to create Pulse, we thought we would create a web app, wrap it with Cordova, and launch our MVP, which would take care of all 3 major platforms (web, iOS, and Android). But when we drew out a simple table (listed below) for key steps that would be critical for our success, it became obvious that bots were the way to go. This is likely not a revelation to the folks already well versed in the world of chatbots, but it truly has been a game-changer for us.
It’s been nine days since we launched our alpha. In that time, we’ve doubled our audience every 2 days, and now have nearly 150 CIOs and CTOs engaged on the product, exchanging data in our give-to-get model.
Bots are obviously not the perfect answer for everyone. They are still maturing and don’t offer anywhere close to the functionality and richness available with native apps or even web apps (a non-start for games and rich media products). But if you can launch a basic bot to test your MVP, it will save you and your investors a lot of time and money.
