ELI5 — AI App Case Study
Idea → MVP in 24 Hours
We built and launched an AI explainer in a day — then sparked usage with creator‑style content on Instagram & TikTok. Zero paid media.
Traction in 24 Hours — Without Paid Media
Clear ICP, tight build, and UGC distribution delivered fast learnings and real usage.
Traffic spanned multiple countries; the UK and US were primary audiences.
The Challenge
Ideate and ship a genuinely useful AI app — and get 100+ real people to try it — all within 24 hours and with no ad budget.
- Make it instantly understandable and fun to share.
- Ship a polished v1 fast (no vendor lock-in, clean stack).
- Design a distribution loop that doesn’t rely on paid media.
From Sketch to Live App — Then Sparked with UGC
Three tight moves: scope the smallest lovable product, ship it cleanly, seed creator‑style content.
Ideate & Wireframe (~3–4h)
Pen‑and‑paper flows to lock the core loop: ask anything → playful ELI5 answer you can share.
Build in Next.js (~8h)
Clean UI, fast API calls, simple analytics. Ship a lovable v1 — not a perfect v2.
UGC Distribution (~8–10h)
Short vertical clips of real queries → Stories/TikTok. Reposts spark curiosity and shares.
Why It Worked
- Clear Customer Profile: parents/teachers + novelty crowd → instant relevance.
- Shareable output: screenshots of answers double as content.
- Creator distribution: leaned into Stories/TikTok over static posts.
- Zero-budget mindset: attention > spend; usefulness > polish.
Stack & Ops
- Next.js front end, lightweight server actions.
- Simple metrics: users, searches, shares → fast feedback.
- Versioned iterations: ship small, measure, improve.
Usage
101 users and 694 search events in the first 24 hours; average 6.9 per user.
Distribution
Reposting real app searches as UGC on Instagram Stories & TikTok drove organic reach without budget.
Outcome
Validated the concept quickly, identified core audiences (UK/US), and created a repeatable MVP launch play.
“Clever from a work perspective. I'm not echy but have been in tech for 6 years and some concepts take me a while to understand. But, when somebody break it down with analogies or like a baby it's easier to grasp, so I though it was brilliant!”
What We’d Do For Your Idea in 7 Days
A focused sprint that mirrors the ELI5 play — scoped for traction, not perfection.
Days 0–1 • Scope
Clarify the smallest lovable product (SLP), ICP, and success metrics. Wireframe flows.
Days 2–4 • Build
Next.js build, analytics, and a shareable output format. First working demo by Day 3.
Days 5–7 • Seed & Learn
Creator‑style content, UGC prompts, and light onboarding tweaks based on usage.
Who This Is For
- Founders with a clear idea who need a live demo fast.
- Teams with budget discipline who want usage before ads.
- Marketers who need a hook that naturally creates content.
What You’ll Get
- Launchable v1 (web) built on Next.js with basic analytics.
- UGC‑ready output format + a simple distribution playbook.
- Post‑launch iteration plan mapped to your goals.
Common Questions
How fast will I see a first draft?
We typically show a working demo within 2–3 days; full v1 inside a week depending on scope.
Can you work with my stack?
We prefer Next.js for speed, but we integrate with your APIs and services. Clean handoff guaranteed.
Do I keep the code?
Yes. You own the code and assets we produce.
What if I already have a product?
We can ship a campaign‑ready ‘explainable moment’ or UGC mechanic to kickstart usage.
Want a launch like this?
Book a 15‑minute call. We’ll map your fastest path to a lovable MVP and the first 100 users.
Book a call