Articles for category: Product-Led Growth (PLG), Conversion Rate Optimization, Customer Acquisition & Growth, Founders & Funding, Funnel Optimization, Go-to-Market Strategy, In-App Messaging & Product Tours, Lifecycle & Retention Marketing, Marketing Operations, Product & Market Strategy, Revenue Expansion, SaaS Metrics & KPIs, SaaS Strategy, Scaling Marketing Teams, Team & Ops, Usage-Based Pricing Models

Matthew Johnson

Product-Led Growth (PLG)Conversion Rate OptimizationCustomer Acquisition & GrowthFounders & FundingFunnel OptimizationGo-to-Market StrategyIn-App Messaging & Product ToursLifecycle & Retention MarketingMarketing OperationsProduct & Market StrategyRevenue ExpansionSaaS Metrics & KPIsSaaS StrategyScaling Marketing TeamsTeam & OpsUsage-Based Pricing Models
SaaS Founder Structuring COGS Without Killing Product-Led Growth

Freemium at Scale: How to Balance COGS Without Killing Product-Led Growth

In the early days, freemium feels like a growth cheat code. You lower the barrier to entry. You get product usage. You build word of mouth.And with the right feature gates and upgrade nudges, free users turn into paying customers. PLG magic. But then the growth starts to cost you. Free users flood your system—but ...

Matthew Johnson

Funnel OptimizationBehavioural TargetingConversion Rate OptimizationCustomer Acquisition & GrowthFounder-Led MarketingGo-to-Market StrategyLifecycle & Retention MarketingMarketing AnalyticsMarketing Qualified Leads (MQL)Product MarketingSaaS Metrics & KPIsSales EnablementScaling Marketing TeamsTeam & Ops

The Quiet Shift from Lead Volume to Deal Velocity—and Why It Matters More Post–$5M ARR

More leads meant more demos. More demos meant more chances to close. Growth was a numbers game—and you played it fast and lean. But once you cross $5M ARR, something shifts. Your product evolves. Your ICP sharpens. Your sales motion matures. And suddenly, more leads don’t mean more revenue. They mean more noise. Deals start ...