Scaling User Acquisition Means Rebuilding the Playbook Every Time

The pursuit of expanding user acquisition (UA) efforts into new product categories often proves to be more complex than initially assumed. While it may seem logical to apply a successful UA strategy from one vertical to another, the reality is that each category demands a unique approach. Over the years, the writer has experienced this firsthand, working on UA strategies for entertainment, photo and video editing, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, and utility products.

Each vertical attracts users for different reasons, maintains them for distinct reasons, and responds to varied creative language. This has led the writer to view UA not merely as a channel function but as an organizational capability that requires rebuilding whenever the product changes. Early experiences include helping establish a Google and web acquisition direction at a wellness technology company, where the product, engineering, and operational components had not yet been developed.

This experience highlighted the importance of having the necessary internal capabilities in place before launching a UA strategy. As Reface grew and its product portfolio expanded into Health & Fitness, Mental Health, photo and video editing, AI tools, and utility, the writer shifted their perspective on UA. They no longer treated it as a channel function but as a foundational organizational component that needs to be rebuilt for each new category.

The key difference between successful expansion and failure lies in the research phase, where understanding user behavior, installation triggers, problem-solving approaches, messaging credibility, and retention mechanisms in the new category is critical. Once this understanding is established, execution can begin. The writer has observed that teams that succeed in scaling into new categories focus on building the systems behind the tactics rather than merely reusing existing tactics.

The execution must be rebuilt each time, emphasizing the need for organizational adaptability. In the writer's current role as Head of User Acquisition, the focus has shifted from optimizing individual campaigns to building an organization capable of managing multiple products. This shift requires communication, shared processes, and organizational design to be as valuable as creative ideas.

Automation has played a significant role in managing the organization, particularly in handling account-level changes efficiently. However, the goal is not to standardize every product's UA process but to ensure adaptability. The writer concludes that UA teams scale by knowing what should remain constant and what must change when entering a new category, emphasizing the importance of building adaptable systems rather than rigid playbooks.