There was an undeniable excitement mixed with a bit of nervousness. Putting Soutle in the hands of real user was the moment we had been waiting for, but also the moment when we’d finally start to see how our work really held up under real-world conditions, which can be a bit intimidating if we’re being honest.
After you’ve spent so much time pouring your energy into building something, you have to let others take it for a spin, hoping they’ll spot the things you missed. It’s like letting someone else read your diary. You know they’re going to find stuff, but you just hope it’s the kind of feedback that’ll help you get it right.
When it came to finding testers for Soutle, we didn’t have to look far. We already had a waitlist of over 200 people who had shown interest in our app during the initial development phase.
While our primary goal was to get feedback from individuals who weren’t familiar with us (which is why we were beta testing in the first place), we also had a strong network of friends and colleagues within the industry. Their insights were invaluable, ensuring we had a well-rounded perspective. So, when it came time to start testing, we were pretty much ready to go from the jump.
We sent out beta-testing invites to everyone on our waitlist, and about 15 people signed up to test the app. Now, 15 might seem like a small number to some, but for us, it was actually more than we had expected. It was one of those moments when you take a step back and think, ‘Wow, people are genuinely interested in this.’ Sure, we had confidence in what we’d built, but seeing that kind of response—especially considering that Soutle was still relatively unknown—was a solid boost.
It was a real confirmation that Soutle was the kind of product people actually wanted to use. We had a good feeling about the app, but seeing others excited enough to give it a try made it feel real. Those 15 testers were a big win for us—it showed that our hard work was not just an idea, but something that resonated with real people.
The beauty of beta testing is that, no matter how thorough your initial development and internal testing are, you can never predict everything. There’s always more to uncover once people start using it in ways you didn’t think of.
We thought everything was running smoothly and that things looked good on our end. But, thanks to the insights we got from monitoring our testers’ activity on the app, and trusted colleagues, we quickly discovered that the video editing flow wasn’t as smooth as we had expected it to be. It wasn’t a very huge issue, but it was enough to send us back to the drawing board.
We had to figure out how to streamline the process and make it as seamless as possible for users. That feedback opened our eyes to areas we hadn’t considered, and it was a crucial moment that pushed us to improve the user experience even further. It was a reminder that even when you think things are on track, the real-world feedback can uncover details you might have missed.
The beta testing phase wasn’t just a chance to test the app’s functionalities—it also allowed us to warm up our customer support desk. As users began exploring Soutle, we started receiving inquiries about how to get set up.
A few testers had trouble logging in, and others had questions about features they were still getting familiar with. These were the types of things we expected, but it was still important to see how we would handle it in real-time.
Customer satisfaction has always been a top priority for us, so this was a good test for our support team. We wanted to make sure we were quick, clear, and helpful. It was reassuring to see that we could address these minor issues efficiently and keep testers happy.
As we look back on this beta testing phase, it’s clear how crucial it is in this journey. It’s not just about uncovering the problems we missed or fixing bugs—it’s about every single piece of feedback and insight we got.
Each comment, suggestion, or concern from our testers was a chance to make Soutle even better, more intuitive, and more user-friendly as we prepare for the full launch. This phase has been invaluable, and it’s been a great reminder of just how much there is to learn from real-world use.
But this isn’t the end of the testing process—especially now that we’re working on making the video editing flow more seamless. In fact, it’s just the beginning. We’re currently planning to adopt a timeline-based video editing interface, which will make the entire process smoother and more intuitive.
Along with that, we’re also working on adding even more exciting features that we can’t wait to roll out. As we continue refining and improving Soutle, we’re more excited than ever about what’s to come. The journey is far from over, and we’ve got some amazing updates lined up. Trust us, you’ll want to stay tuned for what’s next!
To all of our testers—thank you. Your feedback, your time, and your patience mean the world to us. You’re helping us build something that we’re incredibly proud of, and we couldn’t do it without you.
We’re so grateful for your support, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.
Until next time!
Ciao!