TL;DR: UpScrolled Opens Doors for Strategic Startup Marketing
UpScrolled, a rising social platform emphasizing no censorship and community-driven values, is drawing young, politically aware users. Startups can tap into this fresh audience for growth by:
• Crafting meaningful narratives tied to causes
• Leveraging creative content like interactive polls
• Collaborating with micro-influencers for grassroots engagement
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How Startups Can Leverage UpScrolled for Strategic Marketing
The digital shift among TikTok users, especially after the platform was acquired by Larry Ellison, has thrown open the doors to a newly emerging social media app: UpScrolled. As a bootstrapped entrepreneur with multiple ventures in tech, I, Violetta Bonenkamp, have seen seismic shifts like this before. With its Palestinian founder, promise of no censorship, and acknowledgment to ban billionaires from steering its helm, UpScrolled represents a fresh ecosystem that startups cannot ignore.
Yesterday, the platform stormed into the list of the top 15 most-downloaded apps, somewhat stunning, given its relatively low-key debut. Here’s the thing: platforms like this aren’t just random fads. When users migrate en masse, it signals opportunity. And if you’re a startup founder seeking traction, UpScrolled could be your gateway. Let’s break this down step by step.
Why Should Startups Care About UpScrolled?
If TikTok’s acquisition raised eyebrows, UpScrolled offers answers. This platform takes a different stance, which is exactly what makes it ideal for startups operating in an oversaturated market. Three headlines stand out:
- User Exodus from Major Platforms: Younger audiences are moving away from conventional apps, making UpScrolled a breeding ground for early adopters.
- Freedom of Expression: No censorship means users, and startups, can authentically build their narratives without algorithmic interference.
- Community-Driven Model: The platform promises inclusivity, lending support to grassroots marketing strategies that startups excel at.
Now imagine tapping into an audience that’s eager for new stories, unfiltered engagement, and consumption grounded in trust. That’s the strategic carrot dangling in front of startup founders tuning in to platforms like UpScrolled.
How Startups Can Start Marketing on UpScrolled
As a serial entrepreneur, I know playing on emerging platforms requires good instincts. To win on UpScrolled, founders need to go beyond surface tactics. Instead, focus on opportunities tied to the platform’s ethos and user trends. Below is a framework:
- Understand the Audience: UpScrolled’s user base is young and politically aware. From climate activism to tech ethics, they will connect with meaningful stories, not gimmicks. Tying narratives into causes they care about could amplify connection.
- Distribute Content Creatively: Video reigns supreme, but on UpScrolled, experimentation with interactive formats (like polls or quizzes) could differentiate you from traditional brands.
- Be Early, but Agile: Start small with authentic interaction campaigns. Monitor engagement dynamically, and pivot rapidly around what works.
- Test Micro-Influencers: UpScrolled thrives on grassroots content. Search for creators developing niche communities instead of chasing mega-influencers.
- Leverage Contrarian Strategy: UpScrolled allows posts that challenge narratives popular on mainstream platforms, offering startups room to share bold content normally filtered elsewhere.
No polished media strategies. Just raw authenticity.
Three Common Mistakes Founders Make with New Platforms
- Chasing Virality: Founders often obsess over metrics like views or shares, ignoring ROI-driven engagement. Start small; viral posts rarely build a sustainable audience.
- Overproducing Content: Users on UpScrolled prefer realism over sleek production. Skip elaborate videos , grab your phone, record quickly, and post.
- Copycat Behavior: If your startup is mirroring strategies from TikTok or Instagram, you’ll miss the inherent uniqueness this new app offers.
How I’d Build Traction as a Bootstrapping Founder
Every startup is stretched thin at launch, navigating how to optimize limited resources effectively. I’d personally find momentum by deploying these strategies:
- Low-budget Challenges: With the platform’s focus on authenticity, I’d start public challenges tied to my product. For instance, “Build X in 7 Days” for Fe/male Switch would engage education-hungry users.
- User Collaboration: It’s rare, but highly powerful, to involve users in product brainstorming directly on the app.
- Lean Marketing: Every startup product nurtures its early PR; small campaigns like sending trial products in exchange for user experiences could explode through the platform’s network effect.
These approaches ensure engagement grows without exhausting budgets or human bandwidth.
Tracking Success with UpScrolled Marketing
Startups must prioritize metrics. Tracking sentiment along these lines helps:
- Engagement rate per post rather than raw follower growth.
- Unique user contributions in comment threads.
- Mentions in non-branded searches ahead of direct inquiries.
These can loop into the broader growth funnel, ensuring founders continuously optimize efforts as traction builds.
Conclusion: Take the Risk, Get the Reward
UpScrolled is breathing new life into social media by flipping the script, unfiltered engagement and authenticity take precedence. Founders who recognize this shift early can capitalize not only by riding the wave but by becoming integral storytellers. For startups, every move matters, but this platform rewards creativity over complication.
As we say in Fe/male Switch, “Play boldly, experiment constantly, but keep grounded in feedback.” This is what UpScrolled allows us all to do, and why startups shouldn’t wait to claim their space.
Next Step: Craft Your First Campaign
- Define your authenticity strategy.
- Tap small creators to amplify your story organically.
- Launch experiments weekly and measure bite-size wins.
- Collaborate with your audience directly through innovative calls-to-action.
People Also Ask:
What is UpScrolled?
UpScrolled is a social media platform designed for users to freely express themselves, share moments, and connect without censorship or algorithmic suppression. It aims to be an alternative to mainstream platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Is UpScrolled a good platform?
Users have found UpScrolled to be a promising platform with fair policies on free expression. Some early reviews mention challenges in finding a community, but developers seem responsive to feedback for improvement.
Who created UpScrolled?
UpScrolled was founded by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist with decades of experience at companies like IBM, Oracle, and Hitachi. His goal was to create a space where information and meaningful stories could thrive without being suppressed.
What does UpScrolled focus on?
The platform emphasizes free expression and fair visibility, especially for activist content, by avoiding shadowbans or algorithmic suppression. It supports posts on various topics, including social justice and inclusivity.
Can I use UpScrolled on Android and iOS?
Yes, UpScrolled is available on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad users. It has yet to launch on other app platforms such as Google Play for Android devices.
How does UpScrolled differ from Instagram?
Unlike Instagram, UpScrolled avoids using algorithms that prioritize content based on factors like engagement rates. It instead uses a chronological feed to ensure organic visibility for all users.
Is UpScrolled safe?
UpScrolled values user privacy by prioritizing data transparency and independence, though it currently uses large-scale cloud providers with data stored in Ireland. The platform focuses on minimizing censorship.
Does UpScrolled support activists?
Yes, the platform provides a space for activists to share uncensored content on topics like climate change, political issues, and social justice, emphasizing free and open discussions.
What can users share on UpScrolled?
Users can share photos, videos, and text posts. The platform is built around fostering genuine connections with chronological feeds that prioritize meaningful interactions.
How has UpScrolled been received so far?
The app has received positive reviews, with a high rating on the Apple App Store. Early users appreciate its approach to content fairness, although some expressed challenges in community building.
FAQ: Strategic Marketing on UpScrolled for Startups
What makes UpScrolled unique compared to traditional social platforms?
UpScrolled’s commitment to no censorship and banning billionaire control creates an authentic space for user engagement. Startups can test raw, unfiltered narratives here while connecting directly with ideologically-driven audiences. Explore the benefits of grassroots platforms.
Can startups measure success effectively on UpScrolled?
Tracking engagement rate per post, user comments, and brand mentions in non-branded searches ensures realistic ROI metrics. These insights reflect audience involvement and content resonance on UpScrolled. Check out Google Analytics strategies tailored for startups.
What types of content perform best on UpScrolled?
Interactive formats, such as quizzes and polls, outperform conventional videos due to UpScrolled’s experimental user base. Grassroots content and light production resonate strongly here. Discover cost-efficient content tools for startups.
Should startups focus on influencer partnerships on UpScrolled?
Collaborating with micro-influencers cultivating niche communities will be far more impactful than seeking celebrity endorsements. Users trust authentic creators over traditional influencer marketing. Learn more about influencer marketing trends for startups.
How can startups leverage UpScrolled’s community-driven model for marketing?
Focus on authentic narratives tied to common causes such as sustainability or tech ethics. Utilize the platform’s inclusivity to build organic campaigns around genuine conversations. Discover ways to drive marketing with shared values.
Is it possible to use contrarian strategies effectively on UpScrolled?
Yes, startups can challenge mainstream narratives without the risk of algorithm suppression. Bold, polarizing content attracts engagement, making contrarian approaches very fitting for this platform. Dive into contrarian marketing practices.
How important is timing for UpScrolled campaigns?
Being an early adopter ensures higher exposure at lower competition. Focus on quick experimentation followed by rapid pivots based on audience response. Use SEO validation methods to time campaigns effectively.
How do startups address limited budgets while building traction on UpScrolled?
Host low-cost challenges or involve users in product brainstorming for free PR and engagement. Grassroots models thrive on active audience interaction. Explore bootstrapping strategies for resource-limited startups.
Are polished campaigns less effective on UpScrolled?
Yes, overproduced content can feel disconnected and inauthentic. Startups need raw, relatable campaigns that align with UpScrolled's ethos of realism and simplicity. Learn about vibe-driven coding.
Is UpScrolled viable for long-term growth strategies?
Absolutely. Beyond virality, its no-censorship policy creates a space for building genuine, loyal customer bases while fostering sustainable engagement metrics. Unlock persona-driven startup strategies.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.


