Ask HN: Built API monitor with root cause analysis – unable to find first users

Re:Ask HN: Built API monitor with root cause analysis – unab... by CoolAssPuppy on Friday March 13, 2026 @05:33AM (#47362265)

The first rule of finding distribution if you're an indie developer or a startup is to be helpful. After all, you're building a product that purports to help someone solve a problem they have.

So with that frame in mind, where do people go to ask questions or vent or get information to solve the kind of problem your product claims to solve? Don't go to those forums to just pitch yourself. First, be helpful. Offer insight and advice, or ask clarifying questions, anything to demonstrate that you are listening and can add value.

Later on, after you've provided some help, you can pitch your product. But the first thing is to be helpful. Offer some kind of wisdom or insight that is currently lacking.

I write about this in my blog post about helping indie developers get their first users: https://www.strategicnerds.com/blog/the-indie-developers-gui...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Built API monitor with root cause analysis – unab... by acrtic on Friday March 13, 2026 @06:31AM (#47362609)

Amazing blog, helped me understand what I need to do better. One issue I do have though is reddit. Initially my post was doing well over 540 views and couple of users even helped me identify core issues but after a day or so the post just got filtered for no reason and I havent been able to get reach there ever since.

[ Parent | on HN ]