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Everything I read about minimum viable products applies to web apps and things that have some level of "functionality" that can solve an existing problem. But is there a quick way I can test a content-based product; something that doesn't exactly have a "need" associated with it (yet?)

A bit of background... I've been working on a content site and accompanying email newsletter that I would intend to sell ads on (similar to a Daily Candy or Thrillist.) I've put a lot of thought into my niche and potential market (it's something I'm passionate about, and there really isn't anyone comparable in the space already) but I'm strongly inclined to measure interest before I throw a ton of time behind the idea.

I'm floating the idea of building a detailed landing page with an email signup form and running some paid search campaigns to see if I can get any pre-launch subscribers, but I'm not sure if this is the best way to gauge interest for something like this. Does anyone know of similar, content-based businesses who have tested their idea in the past? I've read that Daily Candy launched with an MVP, but can't find much information on that particular case.

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Agreed that the Minimum Viable Product ("MVP") term tends to be applied to the web domain.

It's applicable to a broader class of business, and that certainly includes your concept - content site/email newsletter.

The key assumptions behind MVP thinking include

  1. Simple, limited feature-set propositions being meaningful to prospective customers
  2. Reliable means of measuring response (e.g. sign-ups)
  3. Ability to change the proposition at (relatively) low time and cost
  4. A ready means of accessing prospective customers

Where these are true, it's typically viable to substitute direct market investigation (create a proposition and offer it to a market) for traditional market research - learning from consumer response in the market and direct data, rather than learning from consumer response in an artificial situation and theorising from sampled data.

Most products and services that can be both offered and subscribed on the web can use MVP thinking and methods. And I would argue that (with adapted methods) this also goes for products that naturally use traditional collateral to offer and invite consumers.

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