Release notes are conversion tools

Originally published on medium.com

Release notes are investor updates for customers.

They’re conversion tools, too.

As users, we read a changelog to get the latest product updates and figure out how much a team cares about its product by shipping new features and improvements.

Linear’s CEO Karri Saarinen wrote an insightful blog post on the topic.

Linear started writing changelogs to share the latest product changes with its early adopters and communicate how rapidly the team is adding new features and fixing bugs. And shipping fast, while valuing quality and craft, is appealing to many developers. As stated: “Actions speak louder than words."

writing notes that convert

My key takeaways from the read:

• Set up a schedule, like a weekly or bi-weekly cadence.
• Don’t include everything you do. Keep it simple and product-oriented.
• Feature 1–3 significant changes, and collect the little fixes in one section. Include screenshots or videos of the features if possible.

It helps keep the momentum, get new users, recruit, and build investor relationships. “All the things that help your company to be more successful,” Saarinen added.

So, write changelogs.

final thoughts

Beyond the Linear example, if you’re looking for great release notes for inspiration, below are two more examples from my swipe file:

• Raycast — product-oriented, including three categories (new, improvements, fixes) and one bullet point per item. It’s simple and straight to the point.

• Liveblocks — releases notes that live in the blog section and highlight contributors from the community.

Thanks for reading! Hope you find it helpful.

Do you see release notes as an instrument to acquire new users or is it a tool for better communication with existing users? What are your guidelines for writing great changelogs? What’s one changelog you enjoy reading?

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