Strava Growth Strategy | Product Trade-off Interview

Table of contents

Is it better for Strava to focus on expanding to new sports or deepening features for existing popular activities?

Strategic Thinking Data Analysis Product Prioritization Fitness Technology Social Networking Health & Wellness

Product Strategy User Engagement Feature Prioritization Fitness Tech Growth

Introduction

The trade-off question at hand is whether Strava should focus on expanding to new sports or deepening features for existing popular activities. This scenario involves balancing growth through diversification versus enhancing core offerings. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining Strava's current position, potential impacts, and strategic considerations.

Analysis Approach

I'd like to outline my approach to ensure we're aligned on the analysis structure and key areas I'll be covering.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

Context: I'm assuming Strava is looking to grow its user base and engagement. Could you confirm if this is a primary goal, and if there are any specific growth targets we're aiming for?

Why it matters: Helps align the strategy with overarching business objectives. Expected answer: Yes, with a target of X% user growth and Y% engagement increase. Impact on approach: Would influence whether to prioritize new user acquisition or existing user retention.

Business Context: Based on Strava's freemium model, I'm thinking revenue is tied to premium subscriptions. What's the current conversion rate from free to paid users, and how does it vary across different sports?

Why it matters: Informs which strategy might have a higher potential for monetization. Expected answer: Overall 10% conversion, higher in cycling and running. Impact on approach: Could suggest focusing on sports with higher conversion potential.

User Impact: I'm assuming most users currently focus on one or two primary sports. Do we have data on multi-sport engagement and its correlation with user retention?

Why it matters: Helps determine if expanding to new sports could increase overall engagement. Expected answer: 30% of users engage in multiple sports, with higher retention rates. Impact on approach: Might support expansion if it leads to increased multi-sport usage.

Technical: Considering Strava's current architecture, how challenging would it be to add new sports versus deepening features for existing ones?

Why it matters: Assesses feasibility and resource requirements for each option. Expected answer: New sports require significant backend changes, while deepening features is more straightforward. Impact on approach: Could favor deepening features if expansion is technically complex.

Resource: What's our current team capacity and budget allocation for product development? Are there any constraints we should be aware of?

Why it matters: Determines the scope of what's possible within current resources. Expected answer: Limited capacity, with budget prioritizing core sports improvements. Impact on approach: Might lean towards deepening features if resources are constrained.

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