Pre launch / Research
User research instagram tiktok
Asked existing and target users directly for their Instagram handles to study what influencers they followed and what content they consumed. Used Instagram and TikTok's 'suggest similar accounts' and hashtag features to build a curated list of influencer leads whose audiences matched the ideal user demographic.
→ Built a pipeline of vetted influencer leads with proven organic reach to target audience
Early Experimentation
Tiktok instagram reels influencer sponsorships
Reached out to niche influencers via both cold email AND DMs simultaneously, followed up multiple times, and structured early deals with performance-based payment splits (e.g., affiliate bonuses tied to coupon code redemptions or view thresholds) rather than flat upfront fees. Prioritized influencers with at least 1-2 videos hitting 1M+ views (ceiling) over those with consistent but low view floors.
→ First sponsored influencer posts live; early losses accepted as data/learning, hit rate improved over time
Content Testing Phase
Tiktok instagram reels ugc
Tested multiple variables simultaneously across content: different on-camera people, different hooks (text overlays in first 1 second), different editing styles (fast-paced vs. slow, homemade vs. cinematic), different accounts. Tracked results in a spreadsheet, cut underperforming content branches, and doubled down on what got traction.
→ Identified winning content formats and hooks; eliminated dead-end approaches
First Viral Breakthrough
Tiktok instagram reels viral series
Discovered the 'POV: you have a paper due' series format — a short skit of someone panicking about a deadline, then rushing to use Jenni AI. Posted the same video with minimal variations (different opening scenario: sleeping in, walking the dog, at a restaurant) 2x per week for approximately 6 months across TikTok and Instagram Reels.
→ Hundreds of millions of views; tens of thousands of paid users; estimated $500K+ in revenue from this series alone
Scaling via UGC Creators
Ugc branded accounts
Hired UGC creators in-house at ~$2,000–$3,000/month base + performance bonuses (per coupon redemption, per view milestone, or % of LTV). Creators posted 20–30 videos/month on branded accounts. Also converted existing influencers into recurring UGC creators at $3,000–$5,000/month, giving them a stable income in exchange for consistent daily content.
→ Consistent daily content output at scale without relying solely on one-off sponsorships
Multi Account Expansion
Tiktok instagram multi account strategy
Created multiple branded accounts (e.g., Jenni AI USA, Jenni AI Australia, Jenni AI Germany, a Mandarin-language account) and had charismatic UGC creators recreate the same winning viral video on each account. At peak, ran 5 Jenni AI accounts across platforms = 15 videos per day. Accounts with as few as 48 followers outperformed the main 55K-follower account on identical videos.
→ Reached different TikTok 'pockets' (engineering students, poli sci majors, literature majors); dramatically increased total addressable views from each viral video
Deal Structuring / Negotiation Optimization
Influencer partnerships negotiation
Negotiated bulk video bundles (e.g., 3–10 videos at a discounted per-video rate) and cross-platform posting deals (pay 30% more for the influencer to also post on TikTok in addition to Instagram Reels, drastically reducing cost-per-video). Started quotes high with extras (exclusivity, link-in-bio, usage rights) then stripped them away to reach the lowest viable price point.
→ Significantly reduced cost-per-video and cost-per-acquisition; built longer-term influencer relationships with recurring monthly orders
Viral Video Lifespan Extension
Meme pages aggregate accounts
When a viral series began to fade, paid meme pages and aggregate accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers to repost the content for $50–$100 per post, prolonging the video's lifespan and reaching new audiences at extremely low CPM.
→ Extended lifespan of proven viral content; new views at near-zero marginal cost
Growth / $10M ARR
Tiktok instagram reels full playbook
Combined all tactics — influencer sponsorships, UGC creators, multi-account posting, series formats, cross-platform reposting, and meme page amplification — into a systematic repeatable playbook. Tracked all content performance in spreadsheets, killed losing content, scaled winning series, then restarted the discovery loop when series played out.
→ $10M ARR, 5M users, profitable — majority achieved within 2 years
MRR $833k Users 5.0M users