I recently launched an AI-based SaaS and finally saw real traffic coming in.
Roughly ~160 users showed up after an early outreach push.
At first, I felt relieved.
Traffic meant validation… right?
Not exactly.
The problem wasn’t traffic
Most users didn’t activate in any meaningful way.
They signed up.
They looked around.
They left.
My first assumptions were predictable:
Maybe the traffic quality was poor
Maybe they weren’t my ideal users
Maybe they didn’t need the product yet
But after stepping back and watching behavior, the real issue was uncomfortable — and obvious.
I optimized for features, not understanding
From my perspective, the product was powerful.
It could:
generate SEO content
create AEO-style FAQs
support local / GEO use cases
But from a new user’s perspective, it was too much, too fast.
They had to think before they could act.
And if a user has to think in the first 30 seconds, they usually don’t.
The mistake I made post-launch
I assumed users would explore.
I assumed they would connect the dots.
I assumed “AI-powered” was self-explanatory.
None of that was true.
What I failed to provide was:
a clear first action
a quick, visible win
a reason to continue
What I’m changing now
Instead of adding features, I’m refocusing on:
one primary use case
one onboarding path
one “aha” moment
The goal is simple:
make the value obvious before the user has to decide.
If they win once, they explore more.
A question for other founders
If you’ve launched a SaaS already:
What single change improved activation the most for you — onboarding, copy, or narrowing the use case?
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