Years ago, I worked for a small e-commerce website selling brewing equipment. You know, kettles, hops, pipes… all the stuff for people dreaming of making their own beer at home.
One Friday afternoon, the boss asked me: “Can we push something for the weekend? Like, now?”
I had no time, no designer, no budget. So I made a quick landing page. Really quick. One single image (a bit blurry), some big red text, a yellow button. Honestly, it looked more like a 2006 scam than a professional offer.
But guess what?
It worked.
Better than anything we launched that month.
People clicked. People bought. The boss smiled.
And that’s when I learned a big lesson: Sometimes, ugly but fast beats beautiful but slow.
What is Lo-fi Growth
Lo-fi growth means doing marketing that is quick, unpolished and real. It’s the opposite of those big-budget campaigns with drones, actors, perfect lighting and a team of 15 people adjusting a coffee cup on the table.
Lo-fi could be:
- a selfie video
- a Notion page
- a text-only LinkedIn post
- a badly cropped meme
- a “hey, I just made this in 5 minutes” type of message.
It looks a bit messy sometimes. It’s not made for Cannes Lions or glossy slides. But it connects.
Why?
Because people trust what feels human
Let’s be honest: we all scroll past perfect ads. They look nice, yes, but they also feel fake.
When we see someone talking to their phone with bad lighting but a good story, we stop.
We listen. Because it feels real.
It feels like a person, not a company.
Because Lo-fi = speed
Speed is power in growth marketing. With Lo-fi content, you can test 5 messages in a day. With high-production content, you need 2 weeks and 3 approvals just to publish one video.
So what’s better? Spending a week polishing something that may not work?
Or shipping fast, learning fast, and improving only what actually works?
Because platforms love Lo-fi
Look at TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels or even LinkedIn. These platforms boost content that looks like native content. Not ads. Not polished brand stuff.
Lo-fi fits in. It feels made by users, not marketers.
And bonus: it’s cheaper. No agency. No designer.
Just your idea, your face and a bit of courage.
4 real-world examples
Let’s look at real stuff now. Not theory. These are Lo-fi Growth tactics I’ve seen (or used) that cost almost nothing—but brought big results:
1. The “ugly” video that went viral
A startup founder I know made a product video. Not the usual type.
It was just him, holding his phone in selfie mode, walking in the street, explaining why he created his product.
No logo, edited in seconds to add music, no cuts.
Just passion. And honesty.
It felt like: “Hey friend, here’s what I built and why I believe in it.”
He posted it on LinkedIn and TikTok.
It got views, comments and shares. Way more than their official promo video made with a professional agency.
Why? Because people saw a human, not a brand. And humans connect better than logos.
2. The job ad made in MS Paint that everyone shared
Some companies spend weeks writing the perfect job ad. Not this one.
They needed a graphic designer.
So what did they do?
They opened Microsoft Paint, scribbled “WE ARE LOOKING FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER” in a horrible font, and put it on a giant digital billboard:
No logo. No design. No sense of layout.
Just chaos—but funny chaos. Human chaos. The kind people love.
And the result?
Viral. The image was shared all over the internet.
Thousands laughed. Many applied. Some probably cried (especially graphic designers).
But it worked.
Why? Because it was unexpected, cheap, and so bad it was brilliant.
This is Lo-fi Growth in action: when you don’t try to be perfect, you become memorable.
3. The raw linkedIn post that drove 100 demos
A B2B marketer wrote a long LinkedIn post about failure.
No image. No link. Just a story.
He said: “We tried something. It flopped. Here’s why.”
People loved it. It got thousands of reactions and started real conversations in the comments.
In the post, he just said: “If you’re facing the same issue, happy to show what we’re testing now—just DM me.”
100+ demos booked that week.
No ad spend. No design. Just truth.
4. The free notion page that got 10,000 views
A guy made a Notion page with a list of AI tools.
Nothing crazy—just names, links, short descriptions.
He shared it on Reddit and X. People loved it.
It got 10,000+ views, 300+ shares, and brought traffic to his main website.
Simple value. No fancy website. Just a free page.
Sometimes that’s enough to get attention, trust, and leads.
3. When to use Lo-fi instead of Hi-fi
Now maybe you’re thinking: “Okay Seb, this is funny and all, but should I really post ugly videos and MS Paint drawings for my serious business?”
Fair question.
Lo-fi doesn’t mean you should stop caring.
It just means you should know when fast and honest works better than perfect and slow.
Let’s break it down.
You’re in early stage? Go Lo-fi.
When you launch something new — product, feature, startup — you don’t need a polished campaign.
You need feedback. Fast. Lo-fi helps you test things quickly, with no budget, and see what people react to. No pressure. No delays.
You need speed? Go Lo-fi.
If you wait 3 weeks for your design team, your idea is already old.
Platforms move fast. News moves fast. Trends die in 2 days.
Sometimes, it’s better to ride the wave now with a lo-fi post than miss the wave waiting for the “perfect visual.”
You sell something personal? Lo-fi builds trust.
If you sell food, coaching, handmade products, or anything where people buy the story, not just the product — then Lo-fi content is gold.
People don’t want ads. They want you. Your face. Your voice. Your story.
You’re on social platforms? Lo-fi wins.
TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, even YouTube Shorts…
They all reward content that feels natural.
Hi-fi content often feels like a commercial. Lo-fi feels like a friend talking.
And let’s be honest: nobody wants more ads in their feed.
In a world full of shiny ads and perfect pixels, sometimes the thing that wins is the ugly video, the quick sketch or the honest post you wrote in 10 minutes.
Lo-fi Growth is not about being lazy. It’s about being real, fast and human.
So next time you hesitate because your content doesn’t look “professional enough” remember: Done and true beats perfect and late.
Now go open MS Paint and build your empire (I’m only half joking.)
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