Stagewise's Simple Twitter Hack for Waitlist Growth
Stagewise is a frontend coding agent for local codebases that runs directly in your browser. The team behind it was struggling to build great frontend experiences with existing tools like Cursor and Claude Code, and they were tired of constantly switching between browser and IDE.
Their solution? Bring the coding agent right into the browser where frontend developers already spend their time.
With the product in development, they needed to start building an audience of interested users who would be ready to try it at launch.
The Referral System That Worked
When it came to growing their waitlist, stagewise found their most successful tactic was leveraging Waitlister's referral system combined with ready-to-share content for X (Twitter).
Here's how it worked: Users could simply click "Share on X" on the waitlist page, and their X account would automatically populate with a well-crafted post about stagewise. No writing required, no thinking about what to say—just one click to share.
This frictionless approach mirrors successful strategies used by companies like Dropbox's viral referral program.
"Using the referral system and a ready-to-share referral tweet for X was awesome," the team explains. "Users only needed to click 'share on X' on our waitlist page, and their X account would already be populated with a well-crafted post."
Learning from Early Mistakes
The system wasn't perfect from the start. Stagewise made a mistake early on that other founders should avoid: not clearly explaining how the referral system worked.
"Not clearly articulating the referral system on the waitlist page!" was their biggest early misstep. Users were joining the waitlist but weren't aware they could benefit from referring others, which meant missed opportunities for organic growth.
The lesson here is clear: don't assume users will figure out your referral system on their own. Make the benefits and process explicit and prominent.
This is among the most common waitlist mistakes that can seriously impact your growth.
What Made Waitlister Valuable
Beyond the referral functionality, stagewise appreciated Waitlister's responsive support. "Loved the instant support via mail! And, ofc, the referral system!" they shared.
Having quick email support helped them resolve any issues immediately, keeping potential signups from dropping off due to technical problems or confusion.
Advice for Other Founders
Based on their experience, stagewise offers straightforward advice for others building waitlists.
"Make sure it's prominently displayed on your landing page, and then spread the word! Start sooner rather than later."
This echoes a common theme among successful startups: don't wait for the perfect moment to launch your waitlist. The sooner you start collecting interested users, the better positioned you'll be when you're ready to launch.
Key Takeaways
Stagewise's approach demonstrates several important principles for waitlist growth.
Remove sharing friction: The easier you make it for users to share, the more likely they are to do it. Pre-written social posts eliminate the mental effort required.
Clearly communicate benefits: Don't hide your referral system or assume users will discover it. Make it obvious what users get for referring others.
Start early: Launch your waitlist before you feel completely ready. The momentum and feedback are valuable.
Make it prominent: Don't bury your waitlist signup. Feature it prominently on your landing page where visitors can't miss it.
For developer tools specifically, leveraging platforms where your audience already spends time (like X) and making sharing feel natural rather than promotional can be particularly effective.
Build Your Own Waitlist
Ready to implement your own referral system? Waitlister provides the tools Stagewise used.
- Built-in referral systems with tracking
- Easy integration with your landing page
- Email automation
- API
- And more...