I built a Chrome extension that transcribes video — here's what I learned about distribution

I spent the last few months building a Chrome extension that transcribes video content into text, generates subtitles, and helps with content repurposing. Figured I'd share a few honest observations from the process.

1. Building was the easy part.
   The extension itself took about 3 weeks. The hard part was distribution. Launched on Chrome Web Store and got maybe 50 downloads the first week. Pretty humbling.

2. Product Hunt gives a spike, not traction.
   Great day of traffic, back to single-digit installs the next day. PH is not a distribution strategy.

3. Reddit is tough but rewarding.
   Found good subreddits (r/podcasting, r/accessibility, r/VideoEditing). You can't just drop a link — you have to genuinely help people first. Best posts were answering questions about transcription workflows with zero promotion. Some turned into users weeks later.

4. What's actually working:

• Niche content on specific use cases (accessibility, podcast show notes)
• Being helpful in communities without linking
• SEO for specific queries

5. Pricing lesson:
   Started at $9/mo — nobody bought. Freemium with limited free tier — now ~3% conversion. Low but growing.

Would love to hear what distribution channels surprised you when you launched.

If you want to check it out: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/transcribe-video-to-text/mgblgaahjeahphiahfakjiabnheanbhj