A language app found a simple way to win attention: put Duolingo first.

Converly, Language Learning, promises users they can “Speak with your AI Tutors.” The app launched 10 months ago and is already in the Top 100 in Education across more than 30 countries.

Its biggest distribution win came from one TikTok account.

That account generated nearly 20 million views with one simple format: faceless slideshows that start by giving Duolingo a bad rating.

That is the cheat code.

The slideshows start by calling out the category leader. That instantly creates curiosity because viewers already know Duolingo, already have an opinion on it, and want to see what could possibly score higher.

The best example reached 12.2 million views and nearly half a million bookmarks in July 2025.

The first slide is almost absurdly simple: a vacation photo of a guy, a 3/10 score for Duolingo, and a British flag plus a phone emoji to suggest learning English. No long copy. No explanation. Just the score.

Then the slideshow moves through other language apps with average ratings like 6/10 and 6.5/10, until the final slide hits the payoff:

1000/10: Converly.

That is the entire format.

It works because it looks like a ranking, but it is really a setup. Duolingo is not there to be reviewed fairly. It is there to create tension. Once viewers see the category leader get dragged, they want to know what could possibly be better.

That gives the final slide all its power.

And because the format is faceless, low effort, and mostly static, it is very easy to repeat.

The team also found an even sharper version.

Instead of a full ranking slideshow, they cut it down to two slides: Duolingo at 1/10, then Converly at 1000/10. No travel photo this time. Just the Duolingo mascot on a black background, followed by Converly as the punchline.

That version still reached 1.8 million views and 43K saves in July 2025.

That is why it feels like a cheat code.

You borrow the biggest brand in the category for attention, then use a simple slideshow to position your product as the better option.