Hometalk: how a bootstrapped startup grew organically to 13m monthly users

Photo credit: Charisma Jonesford

Note: An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated that Hometalk attracts 58 million monthly users. The correct figure is 13 million monthly users with 58 million monthly page views. The error is regretted.

In the mad scramble to get on investors’ radar and raise money, founders forget one important truism: even well-funded startups fail, and fail often. The process seems to be fool-proof; get cash to hire a team, invest in marketing, and scale the product to other markets where there’s a demonstrated consumer need. But it isn’t nearly that simple. Most venture capital bets are just that, bets. Initial traction indicates that consumers are willing to give your product a shot, but whether the experience is compelling enough to keep them coming back is the litmus test.

Of course, if you have a product that users love, and are able to monetize from an early stage onwards, there may never be a reason to seek VC funding. Positive revenue streams mean you’ll have enough runway to hire a smart and efficient team. And, if it resonates with users strongly enough, they’ll tell their friends and share posts on social media to spread the word organically. That solves the problem of having to invest in expensive digital media campaigns.

One such startup that may have successfully cracked the code is Hometalk. The startup is a DIY community for home and garden inspiration, ideas, and advice. Millions of people log on to the site to share experiences, learn from each other, and find cool home renovation projects.

The startup, which was founded in 2011, boasts over a million registered members who contribute to a combined 58 million pageviews every month. There are about 98,000 user-generated home improvement tutorials on the site, sorted in categories such as kitchen design, gardening, and bedroom ideas. 74.8 percent of its traffic is derived purely from social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+), which should give you an idea of its virality and scale.

Understanding problems

The idea behind Hometalk came after the founders of Networks, an advertising platform for contractors looking to connect with homeowners, identified the need for greater transparency in the home and garden space. “There are so many variables for home improvement that finding the right contractor for your unique situation is so much more difficult than a one-off recommendation,” adds Miriam Illions, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Hometalk.

Miriam Illions

Miriam says one of the portal’s compelling features is the vast scope of projects it encapsulates. Users can find dozens of diverse projects, ranging from small home improvement to full renovations. The inspiration that community members offer each other is one of the reasons it’s proved to be such a sticky product. “It’s about problem solving, thinking outside the box,” she adds.

While all the content on Hometalk is user-generated, the startup does ensure contributors meet a particular standard so that there’s enough value-addition for the entire community. For every new contributor, there’s an approval process before they’re allowed to post their DIY guides.

Furthermore, on the product side, when users search for projects, they’ll first see the most valuable content – ones which have the most positive feedback from the entire community. “We’re a community first and foremost, and we want to strengthen that,” explains Miriam.

On community building

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