Marketing Across Tech Adoption
I recently heard Jeff Berman speak at Venture Café Cambridge about how your messaging should evolve depending on where your audience sits along the tech adoption curve. It got me thinking - not just what to say, but where to say it.
As a founder launching your first product, choosing the right marketing channels can feel like throwing darts in the dark. But the tech adoption curve gives us a framework to work with.
Before you launch any campaign, ask yourself two questions:
Where is your product in its lifecycle?
Where is the category as a whole in the adoption curve?
The answers will shape how much you should spend, where you show up, and what your audience is ready to hear.
Innovators
These are the curious tinkerers. The builders. The folks who love being first.
Channel strategy: Skip paid media. At this stage, it's all about community, credibility, and conversations.
Attend events
Publish thought pieces
Get active in niche communities
Launch a waitlist
You’re not selling yet - you’re testing the waters. These users will help you break the product, spot the bugs, and sharpen your pitch.
Tip: Word of mouth and organic traction matter more than attribution here.
Early Adopters
Now you’re solving a real problem for a motivated user. These people want your product to work. They’ll overlook a few flaws if it meets a pressing need.
What to prioritize:
Clear, benefit-driven messaging
Channels that allow targeting by interest or intent
Honest conversations with your earliest champions
Channels to consider:
Google Search / Apple Search Ads: capture high-intent users
Reddit Ad: target niche communities; text-heavy creatives perform well on this channel giving you space to talk about product details
Quora Ads: target specific problems through keyword and topic targeting
Just know: attribution will be messy. Reddit users especially won’t click - they’ll search your brand later. Track overall lift in organic traffic.
Tip: Use these users to spot friction. They help you edge closer to product-market fit.
The Chasm
This is where many products die. You’ve got some traction, but scaling feels uncertain.
This is your moment to pause.
What did you learn from early adopters?
Where are the bugs?
Do you need to extend the product or pivot the messaging?
Tip: Before ramping up spend, make sure your unit economics and cash flow can handle the next wave.
Early Majority
This audience doesn’t care how your product works—they just want it to solve a problem, easily.
They’ll ask:
Who else is using this? Will it work for me? Can I trust it?
Creative strategy shifts here:
UGC and testimonial content
Educational video
Founder explainers
Clear value props without technical jargon
Channel suggestions:
At this point, you can experiment with broader reach and mid-funnel campaigns.
Meta (Facebook/Instagram/Threads)
TikTok
X (formerly Twitter)
Snapchat or LinkedIn depending on the target user
DSPs
Tip: Optimize for feeling and familiarity, not just features.
Late Majority
Skeptical. Conservative. Risk-averse. These users assume bugs still exist - and will churn fast if they're right.
You need:
Social proof
Guarantees
Mass visibility
Recommended channels:
Spotify
CTV/TV
OOH
PR & Influencer Partnerships
You’re no longer marketing to a niche. You’re competing for trust at scale.
Laggards
Honestly? They’re the last to adopt anything - and may never convert.
Don't spend big here. But if you must engage them, lean on:
Testimonials from trusted figures
Simple onboarding
Dead-easy UX
It’s not about doing everything - it’s about doing the right things in the right order.” The right message, in the right channel, to the right audience, at the right time - that’s the game. And the tech adoption curve helps you play it strategically.
Before you launch your next campaign, ask: Am I speaking to innovators—or laggards? And am I using the right tools to reach them?
