Solved: Finding Early Adopters for Software in Amsterdam

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out!

It’s exciting to hear you’re at the MVP stage. That transition from building in a vacuum to actually putting your baby out into the world is terrifying but also where the real fun starts. Amsterdam is a brilliant place for it too—the tech scene there is dense, English-speaking, and generally pretty open to innovation, but it’s also noisy. There are a lot of startups shouting for attention.

I’m happy to give you some initial thoughts on how to tackle this. Tbh, most founders mess this up by focusing on vanity metrics (like just getting email addresses) rather than finding the specific people who are annoyed enough by the problem to actually give you useful feedback. You don't need 10,000 users right now; you probably need 50 who actually care.

I've sketched out a pretty detailed roadmap below on how I'd approach this if I were in your shoes, covering the strategy, the platforms, and the messaging.

The "Early Adopter" Myth

First off, let's bust a myth. An "early adopter" isn't just someone who likes new tech. It's someone who has a problem that is currently so painful they are willing to put up with a slightly buggy, unfinished MVP just to get it solved.

If you target "tech enthusiasts" in Amsterdam, you'll get people who sign up, look around, say "cool UI", and never log in again. That’s useless for validation. You need to target the pain.

So, before you spend a penny on ads, you have to define the nightmare. Who in Amsterdam is losing sleep because they don't have your software? Is it the marketing manager at a scale-up who can't attribute leads? Is it the freelance developer who spends too much time on invoicing?

Once you know the nightmare, the targeting becomes much easier.

Strategy: Localising for Trust

Since you specifically mentioned the Amsterdam tech landscape, you have a massive advantage: Localisation. Even though digital products are global, people trust "local" more. It feels tangible.

For instance, we worked with a B2B software client where we generated 4,622 registrations at a cost of just $2.38 per registration using Meta Ads. High relevance was key to those results. In your case, if you were to test "The best accounting tool for SMEs" vs "The accounting tool for Amsterdam agencies", the second one would likely see a much higher CTR. Why? Because it feels relevant. It feels like "one of us".

You should do the same. Use images of recognizable Amsterdam landmarks (not just the touristy canals, maybe the Zuidas or creative hubs like NDSM) in your creatives. Call out the city in the headline.

Which Platforms? (And how to use them)

Given you are looking for software users in a tech landscape, you really have two main contenders here. I'd usually advise against spreading yourself too thin across five platforms. Pick one or two and nail them.

1. LinkedIn Ads (The Sniper Approach)

If your software is B2B, this is where you start. The targeting is unmatched. You can literally target "Software Engineers" or "Founders" or "Product Managers" specifically in the "Amsterdam Area".

The Strategy:

• Audience: Filter by Job Title + Industry (Technology, Information and Internet) + Location (Amsterdam).
• Ad Format: Single Image or Conversation Ads. Conversation ads can work well for "inviting" people to a beta program. It feels personal.
• The Hook: "Building something for Amsterdam's dev community. Want early access?"

The downside? It's expensive. You might pay €5-€10 per click. But if you need 50 high-quality CEOs to validate a product, spending €500 to get them is cheap compared to building the wrong feature.

2. Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)

Don't roll your eyes. Tech people use Instagram. They use it on the commute, on the toilet, and in bed. And because you can target by interest (e.g., "TechCrunch", "The Next Web", "JavaScript"), you can find them for a fraction of the cost of LinkedIn.

The Strategy:

• Audience: Interests related to your software's niche AND "Amsterdam" radius.
• Creative: UGC style videos. You, the founder, talking to the camera. "Hey Amsterdam, I'm building a tool to fix X..."
• The Hook: "Looking for 50 Beta Testers in 020."

I'd probably lean towards Meta if your budget is tight. You can get a lot more traffic and data faster.

The "Request a Demo" Trap

I mentioned this in some of my other advice, but it bares repeating here: Delete the "Request a Demo" button. It's arrogant. It assumes your MVP is so good that people want to book a meeting just to see it.

For an MVP launch, you want to reduce friction. Offer a "Free Beta Access" or "Early Adopter Account". Let them get in and play with it. If you gate it behind a sales call, you'll loose 90% of your traffic, especially in the Netherlands where people are quite direct and pragmatic. They want to see if it works, not hear a sales pitch.

Constructing the Campaign

Here is how I would structure the actual campaign inside the ad account. I've seen too many messy accounts where people just boost posts. Don't do that.

Campaign Objective: Leads (if you have a form) or Sales/Conversions (if they can sign up directly). Do not use "Traffic" or "Awareness". As I always say, that just pays Facebook to find people who click by mistake.

Ad Set 1: The "Broad" Local
Targeting: Amsterdam (+20km), Age 25-55.
Interests: Generic Tech terms (Technology, Startups, Entrepreneurship).
This casts a net to find tech-savvy people in the city.

Ad Set 2: The "Competitor" Angle
Targeting: Interests of your competitors (e.g., if you are building a CRM, target HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive).
This targets people who are already problem-aware because they use a solution.

Ad Set 3: Retargeting (Critical)
Targeting: Website visitors (last 30 days).
You must retarget. Most people wont sign up on the first click. Show them a testimonial or a "behind the scenes" video of the product in action.

Estimating Your Budget

This is the question everyone asks. "How much do I need to spend?" well, it depends on how many beta users you need.

Let's do some quick maths. In the Netherlands, CPMs (Cost per 1,000 impressions) on Meta for B2B audiences are usually around €10-€15. If you have a decent ad, you might get a 1% CTR. Your landing page might convert at 10% for a free beta signup.

I've built a little calculator below so you can play with the numbers yourself. Be realistic with the conversion rate—MVP landing pages are rarely perfect.

The Landing Page: Keep it Simple

Don't overcomplicate the page. You aren't Apple. You don't need parallax scrolling and fancy animations. You need clear copy.

Headline: State the value proposition + the "Amsterdam" hook.
"The first AI invoicing tool designed for Amsterdam's freelance creatives."

Subheadline: Agitate the pain.
"Stop fighting with Excel and Dutch tax rules. Automate it in 3 clicks."

CTA: Low friction.
"Join the Amsterdam Beta - Free Forever for first 50 users."

If you have any social proof (even just a quote from a friend who used the prototype), put it on there. Trust is your biggest barrier right now.

Getting the Feedback (The Actual Goal)

Remember, getting the signup is only half the battle. You need the feedback.

I'd set up an automated email sequence.

Day 0: Welcome + "Here is your login".
Day 1: "Did you manage to log in?" (Simple text email, looks personal).
Day 3: "I'm the founder. I'm building this for people like you in Amsterdam. Can I buy you a coffee (virtual or real) for 15 mins of your thoughts?"

People in the startup scene are usually happy to help if you ask nicely and respect their time. Offering a real coffee or a small Amazon voucher for a call can drastically increase your response rate.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Look, launching an MVP is messy. Your first ads might flop. Your landing page might convert at 2%. That's normal. The key is to keep iterating. Test new headlines, test new images. And keep your focus on finding those few people who truly need what you are building.

If you find yourself getting stuck with the ad setup or just want a second pair of eyes on your strategy before you push the "publish" button, feel free to reach out. We offer a free initial consultation where we can look at your ad account structure or landing page together. Sometimes just having an expert look over your shoulder can save you a fair bit of wasted budget.

Good luck with the launch in Amsterdam!

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh