How chasing likes almost killed my marketing — and how I fixed it with automation

A few months ago, I was doing what most solo founders do:

Posting regularly, hoping something would “hit”.

I had one post that went semi-viral: 5000+ likes, lots of comments, even some shares.

I was hyped.

But when I checked my analytics, here’s what I saw:

👉 0 new users

👉 0 new subscribers

👉 No meaningful spike in traffic

The post looked great from the outside, but it did nothing for my business.

🎯 That’s when I realized something:

Engagement ≠ Impact.

So I started tracking different things:

• Click-throughs

• Profile visits

• Signups

• Email replies

• Direct messages

And I stopped optimizing for “likes”.

Instead, I optimized for usefulness.

🔁 But there was a new problem:

Creating content with real value — the kind that educates, inspires or helps — takes time. Way too much time for a solo builder juggling product, support, and growth.

So I built a system to help myself:

➡️ I called it Linkeme

⚙️ What Linkeme does:

• Generates posts automatically from my site, blog or product updates

• Repurposes content into multiple formats (LinkedIn, Twitter, even instagram)

• Schedules everything so I stay consistent without burning out

It’s not another “AI post writer.”

It’s a full workflow to stay visible without sacrificing your time or sanity.

I built it because I needed it.

And I still use it every day — for my own project, and for a few early users.

💡 Key takeaways if you’re doing content marketing:

1. Chase connection, not attention.

   A good comment is more valuable than 50 likes.

2. Measure impact, not vanity.

   What moves your business forward? That’s what matters.

3. Automate the 80% so you can focus on the 20% that needs your voice.

   That’s what Linkeme helps with.

Curious to hear from the Indie Hackers crew:

• What are you tracking when you post content?

• Any automation tips that changed your workflow?

Let’s learn from each other.

—

Julien