Week 1 reality check: social media, articles, and the gap between advice and results
It's been 9 days since I launched SharpDay, and honestly? It's been a rollercoaster.
Going in, I had two big fears: First, is my whole approach to productivity even valid, or am I building something nobody wants? Second, where the hell do I find my first users?
The numbers right now: 15 trial users, and 2 already converted to paid plans. Those 2 are actively bombarding me with feature requests and feedback, which feels like putting their real trust in what I'm building.
Not huge numbers, but they're real. And getting here wasn't easy.
I prepped before starting. Watched tons of videos with advice about what works and what doesn't. But in the end, most of it didn't work for me. Maybe my use-case is too different, or my personality doesn't fit the mold, I'm not sure.
The advice is good as a starting direction, but you still need to run the same experiments yourself. Figure out what works for you, how to market your thing, and where your people actually are. There's no overnight success in marketing either. And honestly? Those advice-givers probably didn't have quick success either.
Here's what happened when I threw everything at the wall to see what stuck.
30K+ Views Across 5 Platforms. What Does That Actually Mean?
It sounds really great because I got my product in front of a lot of people. But in reality, not everyone really looked or cared. Let's narrow it down a bit more.
The people actually interested in what I had to offer? Between 1,500 - 2,000. These people showed real interest, clicked through, looked at the landing page, checked out what SharpDay actually does.
And in the end, only 15 decided to give it a chance. Which is not bad for my first week, honestly. But it did teach me a lot.
Let's unpack what I learned.
Here's What I Learned Posting on TikTok, YouTube, IndieHackers, Reddit, and Instagram
TikTok & YouTube: The Tale of Two Videos
Videos are really great for quickly getting your product in front of a lot of people. Especially if you use TikTok's promote feature, which I did. Otherwise, I couldn't reach my target countries - TikTok was really focused on showing my content only in my own location.
I posted two totally different videos so far.
Video 1: The "Perfect" One
Perfectly delivered, perfectly edited. There was a hook, a buildup, and finally I showed my product. This was advice I followed: be confident and all-knowing, copy how successful creators do it, copy their delivery, and you'll be fine.
Well, I was not really fine. 😅
This type of content did not do well on TikTok. People didn't even wait for me to show the product.
YouTube, on the other hand, was more interested. Around 46% of people got to the part where I showed the product... but then swiped away.
So here's what I learned: TikTok wants more entertaining, raw, and honest videos. YouTube liked the perfectly edited video, but the moment it became too sales-y, people didn't care anymore.
Video 2: The "Raw" One
I changed the strategy. In the next video, I wasn't even talking or showing myself. No screen recording. Just recorded my laptop screen with my phone and quickly showed people around while music played. Shorter, quicker video.
Guess what? TikTok really liked it. Views were the same as the last video, but the interest was 4x more, and some people actually looked at my landing page.
YouTube, on the other hand, was disappointed. This video did not perform well at all.
Lesson learned: I need to make two different types of videos for each platform. But at least the "not being sales-y" part worked better in both cases.
The takeaway on video platforms: They're great for reach, but it takes time to convert viewers into users. It's a good long-term investment though, so I'm definitely sticking with this one.
I'm not going to go into Instagram numbers because that platform performed extremely badly. I couldn't reach anyone, so I dropped it entirely.
IndieHackers & Reddit: Written Posts Brought More Users
Here's what surprised me: writing posts on platforms like IndieHackers and Reddit actually brought in more users than videos did.
Written posts are really great for bringing users quickly, which was strange to me at first. People are usually visual, right? When they see how a product looks, they decide if they like it or not and check it out.
But turns out, visual representation isn't everything. How you write about your product and deliver it to people performs much better than any video, even with a much smaller number of views.
IndieHackers: The Unexpected Winner
IndieHackers was really a surprise because most of my current users are from here. Around 9 people subscribed from here alone to check out the product and give feedback, which I'm really grateful for. I have a chance to improve quickly and make necessary changes so people like my product better.
Being honest and authentic does work better than any sales speech. That's what clicked here.
Reddit: Good Feedback, Mixed Reception
I made one post on Reddit which got a lot of views and 3 people subscribed from there. But the overall impression of my product wasn't really good, and that taught me a lot.
Here's what I learned: I'm still missing some features that would be essential for people who want long-term benefits from the product. Currently, it's more for immediate problem-solving.
I'm working on adding more features, and the feedback I got from Reddit just sped up getting these features into the app as soon as possible. At least I got real feedback there, which is really great. I know where to improve, what I should do.
Probably my low conversion rate is coming from this problem alone, the app isn't complete enough yet for everyone.
But it's also true I haven't found my exact audience yet. Still looking.
What's Next for Me
I'm planning on establishing more presence on video platforms and preparing for long-form videos on YouTube. I'll also write more posts, including on platforms I haven't tried yet.
I'm adding new features and polishing up the app before I launch on Product Hunt as well. Definitely not giving up.
I really enjoyed this week, although I'm tired as hell. 😅
Your Turn
If you've read this far, thank you.
Let me ask you now: What would you have done differently than me? Do you have any tips and tricks with any of these platforms? Is there a better platform for marketing I should try?
Let's help each other figure this out.
Also, if you're interested in what's coming to SharpDay, you can find my roadmap here: https://www.mysharpday.com/roadmap. I'm open to any feedback.
Thanks for reading 🙏
It’s rare to see someone actually share real numbers and what they learned instead of pretending everything skyrocketed overnight. There’s so much advice out there that treats “content” like a one-size-fits-all thing, when in reality, it’s the tone and authenticity that build traction.
I also love how you framed feedback not as criticism but as direction. Most early builders freeze up when they realize their app isn’t “complete” yet, but you’re clearly using that feedback loop exactly the way it’s meant to work: test, learn, refine, repeat.
If anything, I’d say keep doubling down on IndieHackers and expand that written storytelling style into your product updates and emails too.
Thanks so much! that feedback on Reddit did sting at first, but that's why it's important to have a growth mindset, and I realized this is exactly what I needed to make the product better.
Love the idea about bringing the storytelling into product updates and emails. hadn't thought of that but it makes total sense. Appreciate the suggestion!
This was such a refreshing read, Krisztina! 👏 I love how you shared the real numbers and lessons instead of sugarcoating the launch week. Totally agree every platform has its own “language,” and being authentic always wins over polished sales talk. The IndieHackers results make so much sense — genuine storytelling connects best here. Keep going, you’re clearly on the right track!
Thanks so much! Writing it all out actually helped me connect the dots I was missing during the chaos of doing it. Really appreciate you reading!
That’s awesome to hear! 🙌 It’s cool how reflection turns chaos into clarity — you’re clearly learning fast and building with heart. Can’t wait to see how SharpDay evolves from here.
Really appreciated this breakdown — it’s rare to see someone share both the numbers and the lessons so transparently. The platform-specific insights are super helpful, especially around adapting tone and format for each audience. The 2 paid conversions this early are a great sign of real validation. I’m also in the early stages of growing my own product, and your reflections on testing, iterating, and staying authentic really hit home. Keep pushing — this is the kind of progress that compounds fast. 🚀
I'm glad you found it valuable. Good luck with your own product!
Week 1 reality check — it’s wild how different things look once you actually start. All the social media “hacks” and article advice sound great in theory, but putting them into action shows a big gap between what’s said and what really works. It’s a reminder that consistency and testing your own approach matter way more than just following trends.
Exactly. We all know deep down there's no overnight success, but it's so easy to fall into that trap when we see others making it look quick and easy with their products.
The advice and success stories are great for mindset and building a general strategy, but you still have to make the journey yourself and learn what actually works for you. There's no shortcut for that part.
I really get what you’re saying. I went through something similar when launching my app and it’s wild how different reality is from all the advice online. Huge respect for being open about what worked and what didn’t.
I’ve also found that simple, honest posts on Indie Hackers or Reddit bring better users than any fancy ad or video. The people who take time to read usually give the most thoughtful feedback.
And yeah, those polished videos never perform as well as the quick, human ones. People want to connect, not be sold to.
What’s your plan next - keep building your audience here or focus more on YouTube long form? I’m in the same stage and still figuring out that balance.
I'm glad this resonates with you too!
I plan on posting more here about my experiences and lessons learned. Writing everything out actually helps me see things more clearly. it's like processing out loud.
For videos, I'm taking a quick break. Since writing this post, I had another realization about my app that needs my full focus right now. So I'll post occasional short videos that don't take too much time away from development, and prep for longer-form content, but I'll only double down on that once I'm done with this really important update I'm working on.
I'm gonna post about this realization and how it turns out, so hopefully I can keep bringing value to this platform.
Great insights! I really appreciate how you highlight the gap between what “advice” promises and the actual results people get. It’s refreshing to see someone address the real behavior behind social media metrics. I’m working on a project in the gaming niche, and this makes me rethink how I’ll measure community engagement.
I'm glad I could be of help. definitely try out more approaches before you go all in :)
This post hits so close to reality — especially the part about the gap between advice and results. Everyone tells you what should work, but until you run the experiments yourself, it’s just theory. I really respect how you treated every platform as a lab, not a lottery
Congrats on the conversions, 2 paying users in week 1 is huge because it’s signal, not vanity metrics. Keep sharing these reflections; they’re 10× more valuable than any “growth hack” thread.
It sounds like a wonderful product! Something like this is definitely something I could use at work. I've never really thought about using a tool like this for my own tasks, but as a founder just starting out, it might actually help me stay more productive. Great share!
Very inspirational, thank you!
Reality check like this is refreshing. Most advice sounds good, but execution always rewrites the script.
yeah, all the time. :)
This sounds like an awesome product! I could definitely see myself using something like this for work. I’ve never really considered applying a tool like this to my personal tasks before, but it might actually help me stay more productive as a founder just starting out. Great share!
I'm glad you like the concept. If you do try using it for your personal tasks, please let me know if you miss anything, or if there was something frustrating you, so I can improve. thanks for reading my post, appreciate!
Love this reflection — especially the part about the gap between advice and results. I’m building calm, ethical AI tools for solopreneurs, and that tension between noise and real progress is something I think about a lot. Thanks for keeping it honest.
I feel you, sometimes it's hard to skim through all the noise and find value in something. thanks for reading the whole post. good luck on your own journey!
Really appreciate the honesty here — especially the difference you highlighted between views and actual users. I had a similar moment early on: tons of reach on one platform, but the real users came from a completely different one. It taught me that polishing content matters less than sharing the real journey and learnings.
Your Week-1 experiments already put you ahead of most founders — keep sharing the messy parts, that’s what attracts the right people. 🚀
thank you! Good to know I'm not the only one who went through that.
The messy parts being what connects is still wild to me. I keep wanting to polish things up, I can be obsessed with everything being perfect and presentable, but raw and honest keeps winning. Learning to lean into that.
What I like most is how it saves time. You can switch between analytics and visual post creation without leaving the dashboard. It’s great for traders who want both data and style in one place. brattgeneratocom
Really appreciate the honest breakdown of what actually worked vs. the typical advice! It's refreshing to see real numbers and authentic experiences rather than just generic tips. Your approach to experimenting across platforms and learning from each one is spot on. Keep going - you're clearly on the right track!
Thank you! Being transparent about the messy reality feels way better than pretending I have it all figured out. Really appreciate the encouragement! :)
well done mate, as someone in development at the moment and sharing the fear 'am i totally misunderstanding this entire problem???', converting 2 users to paid is inspiring stuff. the first of many i hope!
question - did you create a waitlist page w/ signup, and do you have a twitter where you were sharing BTS and 'build in open' style threads?
hey, thanks, I also hope I can convert more users soon :)
as for your question, I did not create a waitlist page this time. I tried twice with previous two ideas I had, but none of them took off in the end, because i couldn't get people to sign up to the waitlist. I spent more time chasing people than building the product, and then I got discouraged and just let it go. The thing is, most people already want to use something when they come to the landing page (at least that's how I saw it), and if there is nothing, they leave and forget. so now I just built an MVP with the core features and differentiators to start with and just launched that without letting anyone know beforehand, and it seems to be the better approach in my case.
as for twitter, I don't have an account, never had, and did not have the patience for it tbh :D maybe later on, but that's probably a different story.
"Krisztina, thank you for sharing such an honest and detailed breakdown! 🙏
As someone who just launched RamenZen around the same time, I deeply relate to the gap between what advice says and what actually happens. Your analysis of different platforms is incredibly valuable.
What resonates most:
IndieHackers being the most effective (9 signups!) - I'm finding the same genuine engagement here
The "raw vs polished" insight on TikTok vs YouTube - authenticity truly matters
Reddit's harsh but useful feedback - those long-term feature gaps are gold
My experience mirrors yours: I tried Product Hunt but ran into technical issues with their review system (React errors). Like you pivoted from Instagram, I'm now focusing on Hacker News and this community instead.
On your question "Would you have done things differently?" Actually, no - your approach of testing multiple platforms simultaneously was smart. You discovered Instagram wasn't working FAST rather than investing months. And 2 paid users in 9 days is solid validation!
The complementary nature of our products is interesting: RamenZen gets people to take mindful breaks, SharpDay helps them track what they do with their time. I just tried your Halloween theme - love the attention to seasonal details! 🎃
Looking forward to following your journey. Let's keep sharing learnings!"
I'm glad you found value in my experiences, that was one of my goals with this post, and thanks for trying out the new theme. :)
I'm also aiming for Product Hunt once SharpDay has more to offer. I hope your technical issues have been solved, I would love to hear your experience on that platform.
Happy to share my Product Hunt experience! Here's what happened:
Launch Stats:
What Worked:
✅ Pre-built relationships paid off - supporters like David (AirJump founder, 1.8K followers) and Chris (ProductLab.so) upvoted early
✅ Cross-posting to Twitter/LinkedIn drove additional traffic
✅ Genuine comments from people who actually tried RamenZen
What Didn't Work:
❌ Technical issues - React error #418 when trying to post founder review (tried 3 times, 40+ min each)
❌ One supporter's 5-star review never showed up on the page
❌ Starting at #202 makes it nearly impossible to reach top 10
Key Learnings:
For SharpDay, I'd suggest:
The Halloween theme is a nice touch btw! 🎃 Do seasonal features drive more engagement for you?
hey, thank you for this awesome breakdown. I'll definitely check out BetaList and Haro as well, thanks for the tips. I'm not sure yet what actually drives engagement, but I'm planning to find out, so I will share some insight on that later on as well.
Great post — the difference between what people say on social media and what actually works is so real. I’ve personally experienced that in my indie journey too: creating content for mobile gaming (especially cricket-themed guides) takes way more consistency than the “just post and go viral” advice suggests.
One thing that helped me: batching my content and writing mini-guides for specific game niches like Cricket League.
Do you use any LinkedIn automation tool for marketing?
no, I'm not marketing on LinkedIn at the moment.