User Testing Campaign For Aware.ai
User Research, Social Media Ad Design & Campaign
Task
Create a user testing survey for the Aware.ai Pregnancy App and gather 30-50 responses before launch.
Goals
Identify users' attitudes towards the app
Identify users' behaviors and usability of the app
My Role & Timeline
Survey writer, ad designer, ad manager
~3 weeks from writing the survey to collecting responses
The Challenge: When Your Research Platform Fails
The initial plan was to use Amazon mTurk (a crowdsourcing marketplace that makes it easier for individuals and businesses to outsource their processes and jobs) to recruit women aged 18-44 for user testing, offering $10 per participant to test the app and provide feedback on usability and features.
The Problem: Amazon mTurk experienced technical issues that made survey distribution impossible. Despite multiple attempts and AWS support requests, I received no response and couldn't access our target demographic. With a product launch approaching, we needed user insights quickly—and our entire research strategy had just collapsed.
The initial plan was to use Amazon mTurk (a crowdsourcing marketplace that makes it easier for individuals and businesses to outsource their processes and jobs) to recruit women aged 18-44 for user testing, offering $10 per participant to test the app and provide feedback on usability and features.
The Problem: Amazon mTurk experienced technical issues that made survey distribution impossible. Despite multiple attempts and AWS support requests, I received no response and couldn't access our target demographic. With a product launch approaching, we needed user insights quickly—and our entire research strategy had just collapsed.
Strategic Pivot: Turning Social Media Into a Research Platform
Instead of waiting for mTurk to resolve, I proposed an alternative approach to the CEO: leverage Instagram advertising to reach our target demographic directly through a platform they already used daily.
Ad Design
With these elements, the viewer knows who this ad is for, what they need to do, and what they can get:
Clear call-to-action directing to survey
Image of the app to emphasize the CTA to test the app
Bold, benefit-focused headline: "Claim up to $15 gift card rewards"
Image of a pregnant woman for instant demographic connection
With these elements, the viewer knows who this ad is for, what they need to do, and what they can get:
Clear call-to-action directing to survey
Image of the app to emphasize the CTA to test the app
Bold, benefit-focused headline: "Claim up to $15 gift card rewards"
Image of a pregnant woman for instant demographic connection
Survey Design
In the survey, I gave instructions to download TestFlight to test the app, upload a video of them using the app, and answer questions to get data on the following:
Tester Demographics
First impression feedback
Hands-on app testing and usability insights
Likes, dislikes, and improvement suggestions
MBS Ad Setup to Target a Relevant Audience
After setting up the ad creative and the survey, I launched the campaign in Meta Business Suite, specifically targeting users who are most likely to be pregnant and can test Aware.ai's mobile app.
Qualitative Benefits Beyond the Numbers
Beyond the cost and time savings, choosing Instagram and MBS over mTurk resulted in higher-quality responses due to the performance-based incentive structure. It allowed me to screen responses before issuing payment and eliminate the unhelpful responses (trolls, men, or AI-generated responses). These responses served as helpful testimonials for Aware.ai's website.
Results: Exceeding Goals While Cutting Cost
Key Findings From the Survey: The Double-Edged Sword of Communities
The testing results validated Aware.ai's value proposition that pregnant women seek communities of moms similar to them to seek support and advice. When asked what they liked the most about the app, many testers cited the communities and DM feature.
However, that same feature served as the app's biggest weakness. When asked what they liked the least about the app, many testers wished there were more people on the app—a network effect challenge. This insight revealed a critical need for user acquisition and engagement on the platform, as with all social media apps.
Key Learnings from the Campaign: Instagram Ads Work
Running this Instagram ad campaign gave me 3 key insights:
