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Ask HN: Non guru / scam marketing strategy and resources

2 points by d33lio ↗ HN
I've been growing a few small side projects during quarantine and unfortunately have realized that the main limiting factor to their success (one is a physical niche DTC the other is software) is marketing / engagement. I've been mildly successful with growing a following on instagram, but it takes too much of my time and the few ads I've bought have all but fallen flat.

Looking for information or guides that delve deeper than surface level information, guru BS (scam "courses") or air-headed medium posts has been difficult. I would pay someone to do this, but I can't justify a spend of more than $2-3k per project. Interestingly, Indie Hackers is one of the worst offenders. I basically don't see Indie Hackers as worth my time anymore as a resource for early startup info.

Anyone else encounter this problem of failing to use marketing affectively with their side project / early startup?

3 comments

[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 17.1 ms ] thread
aminozuur
Indie Hackers is a forum where creators spam their newly built service. The spamming is often disguised by asking a question.

I think the good way to get your first users is to go to the very specific niche communities where they usually talk, hang out, and somehow incentivize them to try your thing out. Then ask them what they think, why they stopped using it, what they liked about it, etc.

Guerilla marketing methods can be very effective as well, but requires some creativity and sometimes luck.

d33lio
As an early Indie Hackers user I don't see it as a "place to spam [a] newly built service". It used to be a place where you could get rich and deep info on how people approached turning a small side project into something that made $5-n moneys each month. Now, it's a hell hole of click bait and bait and switch email lists.

I'm not really looking for a "trick" I'm looking for proven or supported strategies I can hire someone to execute for meager growth at best. For now, I'm okay spending money in order to save my time since limiting my use of time spent on marketing work is what I'm after. There just seems to be very little information available on the subject without encountering a very high noise threshold.

aminozuur
If you are willing to pay, there are thousands of marketing agencies and freelancers who might be able to help you out.

Alternatively, you're welcome to DM me (@aminozuur) and I can take a quick look and possibly share some ideas, free of charge. But marketing is not what I usually do.