Let’s talk about social loops (and a bit about product usage loops too)
We’re still on distribution loops, but today I want to talk about social loops, a very interesting form of distribution. And then there’s another type I’ve found fascinating too, which is product usage loops.
But first, let’s start with social loops.
Social loops are what happen when people start sharing what you post, what you create, or what they do with your product, and that sharing brings in more people.
It’s similar to a viral loop, but slightly different. Viral loops are usually more deliberate referral programs, “invite your friends,” that kind of thing. But social loops are more organic. They’re powered by people talking about what you do in public.
You see it a lot on TikTok and Instagram. People share videos that attract others to the platform. That’s one of the ways TikTok grew people would see a short video somewhere else, and it’d have that tiny “TikTok” watermark. You’d see enough of those and eventually go, “Okay, let me just download this app.” That’s a perfect social loop in action.
Another form of social loop happens when people share what they did with your product. Like that platform, I can’t remember the name right now that created an AI tool to do a “Year in Review” for your LinkedIn. You’d generate your own review, post it on social media, and it’d say something like “Made with [platform name].” Then everyone who saw it wanted to make theirs too. That’s a brilliant loop.
I’ve seen other people do this as well. When I worked in a fintech, one of the things we used to do was create content that people could easily share after performing an action, such as saving money or achieving a financial goal. It’d say something like “I just saved ₦20,000 using [app name]” and they could share that on Twitter or Instagram. Those posts naturally drew in new people.
Even newsletters do this!
Sometimes, you’ll see people screenshot a quote or a section they love and post it online. I’ve seen it with Lade’s newsletter, “Marketing for Geeks”, people often share snippets or phrases from it. And that kind of sharing becomes a loop on its own.
So yeah, that’s the social loop, the loop powered by people talking publicly about what they did with your product. It’s built on visibility and participation.
Now, the second kind I wanted to touch on is the product usage loop.
This one’s slightly different; it’s when the use of your product naturally brings in new users. Think Canva badges, or Typeform’s “Create your own form” button at the end of a survey.
You use the product, and part of that usage exposes it to new people.
Even at Selar, we see this happen. When someone creates a product and sells it through Selar, the buyer sees that it was sold via Selar. And when that buyer later wants to sell their own product, they already know the tool that made it possible.
Same with events.
When someone creates an event using Tickets by Selar, everyone who buys tickets sees that branding. Then, when they’re ready to host their own event, they think, “Oh, I know this tool, I bought a ticket through them.” That’s a product usage loop.
It’s one of the most underrated forms of organic growth because it’s powered by interaction. Your users become your distribution channel just by doing what they came to do.
There are many other examples of this; these are the ones that come to mind right now.
Anyway, that’s where I’ll leave it today. It’s been really good reflecting on these loops.
And I’m just excited for tomorrow, it’s the weekend.
See you tomorrow.