How to know if you've made a product or a project?
I recently built https://sudokurace.io and had this great vision that it became the next wordle and that everyone would want to play it and that I'd get some amazing opportunity to sell the project.
But then I started to realize that it doesn't feel like there's anything that I can do to make this an actual product that I sell or make any regular revenue off of.
Am I maybe overthinking this? Could I make this a product? Or should I just accept that I really just made a project and should move on to doing something else?
There are surely ways to monetize it and you should really try.
I don't know the game's traction or community but you could for example go for ads, "patronage" or even a paid mobile app.
There's really not much traction or community. It's a new website that I built so that my wife and I could play. I've been trying to decide if I do more with it or just let it go.
Normally I'm kind of against ads but it's definitely one way that I could potentially at least try to make back some of my what I've put into hosting and building the site.
Affiliate marketing is an additional option.
Nevertheless, I believe that marketing a project is a mandatory criteria for success (and a bit of luck).
Seems cool.
IMO - Every app should start out as a project that solves a problem FOR YOU.
Share it and see if other people use it. Don't worry about making a 'product' first. Just generate interest and see if anyone actually wants to use it.
Side note on the app: please add hotkeys to change the number.
Simple, can you get paying clients? If so, it might be a business... In the WBE Space we have an accelerator and one of the biggest issues of the participants is that they did not speak with their potential clients before end. If you are trying to build a project then you don't have to worried to much about it, but if you want a business is important to speak with your costumers...
I think you'd need to spread the word first and see if people start playing - talk to people on Twitter or whatever other communities you're a part of. Given how many people I see playing Sudoku and the fact that your app makes it a more social experience with a competitive aspect... I think there's potential there!