How to Validate Your Plugin Idea Before Developing
Coming up with a great idea for a VST plugin is exciting, but before investing time and money into bringing it to life, it's important to validate that others will actually want what you build. Here are some tips for surveying potential customers and testing demand before you get too far down the development road.
Research the Market
- The first step is understanding what's already out there. Search for existing plugins in the genre or category you're targeting and analyze the competition, pricing, feature sets, etc. This gives you a baseline for how to differentiate.
- Check forums and communities to see what producers are complaining about or wish existed. This can reveal opportunities for new plugins.
- Use tools like Google Trends to assess search volume and demand for keywords related to your idea. Higher interest indicates a potential market.
Survey Potential Customers
- Create simple explainer landing pages detailing your plugin concept and see how many signups or emails you capture. This tests basic demand.
- Run paid Facebook/Instagram ads driving to your landing page to survey broader audiences. Analyze clickthrough and conversion rates.
- Post polls and collect feedback in relevant communities. Ask specific questions to validate interest in features.
- Offer a free lite version to get startup data on downloads and engagement. This indicates market potential.
Define Your Market Positioning
- Outline who your target customers are and your minimum viable audience size to be viable. Get more precise than just "music producers".
- Determine how you'll differentiate from competitors. Articulate your unique value proposition.
- Set tentative pricing based on customer research and existing plugin price points.
Start Collecting Launch Signups
- Once you've validated demand, create a proper email signup form to collect leads. Offer discounts for signing up early.
- Slowly start building an audience interested in your idea even before launch. This provides feedback.
- Consider a closed beta for select engaged subscribers to test the plugin first.
Validating your idea upfront prevents wasted effort and ensures you build something producers truly want. For further reading, check out our guide on starting a custom VST business or get in touch to have our team help you turn your plugin dreams into reality!
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