Innovation vs. Audience Needs: What’s More Crucial?

Question

When launching a new product, what do you think is more important: focusing on groundbreaking innovation or precisely tailoring the product to the needs of your target audience? Do you prioritize coming up with unique features or ensuring that your product directly addresses the specific pain points of your users? I’m curious about your thoughts and experiences!

James Chappel · Accepted Answer

I think audience needs are fundamental because they drive what kind of innovations will be successful in the market.

Noora Mccluskey · Answer

Audience needs should come first. You can innovate all you want, but if it’s not what your target users are looking for, it’s unlikely to succeed. I always start by deeply understanding user pain points.

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I lean towards innovation because it can create new market opportunities. However, I make sure to validate my ideas with potential users to ensure there’s demand for what I’m developing.

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I dont say audience needs are key because if you’re not solving a real problem, even the best innovation might not take off.

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Im on the way to launch my second product but from the first one i experienced that product-market fit is the main thing. If it doesn't bring value or reduce the pain point of your targeted customer, innovation doesnt matter. The customer always looks for the result he will get from the product and not the feature!!

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Balancing is both is key  Innovation can set your product apart, but if it doesn’t address user needs, it won’t gain traction. I focus on solving real problems while incorporating unique features.

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We definitely need to innovate, but if we don’t consider what the audience actually wants or needs, our efforts might miss the mark.

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I think balancing innovation and audience needs is key. It’s great to be innovative, but if it doesn’t  meet the audience's needs, it might not resonate.

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For me, understanding the audience’s needs comes first. Innovation is important, but if it doesn’t solve a real problem, it might not be as impactful.

Katerina Dedyulya · Answer

of cource PMF. At YC we were told that you gotta do first things , even by your hands (not website or whatever), to test market, to get to know all problems of your clients. then you scale

Natalia Demianenko · Answer

@katerina_mirrart Absolutely, starting with a hands-on approach to understand the market is invaluable. Scaling comes naturally after that

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Balancing both is crucial. You need innovation to stand out, but it has to be relevant to what the audience actually wants.

Natalia Demianenko · Answer

@umar_aziz_ You're spot on. Without solving a real problem, even the most innovative ideas might struggle to find traction

Natalia Demianenko · Answer

@azlan_tariq Agree, product-market fit is crucial. Without addressing the key pain points, innovation alone won't cut it. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Innovation vs. Audience Needs: What’s More Crucial?

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