You're evaluating a product that appears to be growing through user sharing and invites. A founder says the product has a strong viral loop, and you want to test whether that claim reflects durable, self-sustaining growth or just a burst of acquisition.
How would you evaluate a founder's claim that their product has a strong viral loop?
Invite volume alone can look impressive without producing retained users.Referral growth can be confused with paid, founder-led, or campaign-driven acquisition.A loop can work for one segment or surface without being product-wide.The speed of the loop matters, not just the total output.