What's New: Cash in on the TikTok "battle" trend

(from the latest issue of the Indie Hackers newsletter)

Cash in on the TikTok "battle" trend through livestreaming:

• TikTok livestreamers are making real money, and you can cash in. Build interactive games, a leads list, ideas directory, or video overlays.
• Frustrated with your cofounder? Work together to redefine responsibilities, bring on more help, and keep communication open.
• $15K in monthly revenue with a habit tracking app. Sebastian Röhl grew by building in public and optimizing for the App Store.

Want your product seen by over 100,000 founders and businesses? Sponsor an issue of the Indie Hackers newsletter. Choose between 3 affordable tiers that can fit almost any budget.

Cash in on the TikTok "Battle" Trend 🥊

from the Trendy Software Ideas newsletter by Darko

TikTok Live is a feature where you can livestream to your viewers. Livestreamers make money by getting their audience to donate "coins." 1K TikTok coins cost about $10, and users can send them to their favorite streamers.

As a streamer, you can start a "battle" with other streamers. Here's an example of a battle:

See the bar at the top of the screen? The red bar shows how many coins the streamers on the left have received. The blue bar shows how many coins the streamers on the right have received. The timer in the middle shows how much time is left before the "battle" ends (this one has 14 seconds left).

I've taken a screenshot of one of the bigger battles on TikTok so you can see how much money people spend on these things. The streamers on the left have received $7,830. TikTok takes ~50% of the earnings, so those streamers made about $3,950 from this single battle alone.

People come up with different themes or topics for a battle, in order to get people to donate more.

As a live viewer, you're in control

You can influence the battle outcome around a topic you care about. TikTok battles are basically pay-to-vote. You get to feel important, other viewers will think more highly of you, and you can also trigger visual effects like this one:

It's an incredible dopamine hit that has hooked many people:

• One person spent their inheritance money on livestreamers.

• One woman went to jail for stealing $1.2M from her employer to spend on TikTok coins.

The key takeaway is that these livestreamers are making real money, which means:

• They're looking for ways to make even more money using their livestreams.

• Competitors are trying to replicate their success.

• People are searching for fresh angles to make money using TikTok livestreams.

Things you can build for TikTok livestreamers

1. Interactive games based on gifts: Check out this screenshot from a TikTok livestream:

This is a game where you can comment a "keyword," and boost your country's points in a battle. Gifts also contribute to the final result.

There are already a few companies online that sell these games. They are pretty simple, and integrate with the (unofficial) TikTok API to capture comments and gifts. There are a few popular libraries on GitHub that can help you with this.

Come up with unique angles, and create a game like this. Sell it to people looking to make money on TikTok livestreams without showing their faces. The angles that have worked so far are based on countries or trending contests. For example, if two popular celebrities break up, you could create a game that humorously pits them against each other, then sell it to streamers.

2\. Sell a leads list:

When I donated to a particular livestreamer, a few creators followed me shortly thereafter. I'm not sure if this was a coincidence, but it gave me an idea.

What if you could scrape a list of people who donated on a particular livestream, and sell it to related creators? This is a valuable list; it's made up of people who have money to spend, so livestreamers might want to get on their radar.

You can use existing Github libraries to get the gifters from a particular livestream in real time, then store them in your database.

3\. Accounts, views, and other metrics:

Warning: This one might go against TikTok's terms of service.

Not everyone wants to start from scratch. Many people sell TikTok accounts with established activity, TikTok livestream views, etc. It's a gray area, but in order to get started on a new platform, you almost always need some sort of small, artificial push.

4\. Video overlays:

I've seen a lot of items on Etsy that sell graphic "overlays" to frame your livestream beautifully. There are also overlays you can show at the start and end of the stream, or while you're pausing.

5\. A directory of battle ideas, based on recent news:

We live in a dynamic world, and there are always new ideas around which streamers can start battles.

Which celebrities are doing what? How about political opponents in different countries? Rival countries? Rival bands? The list goes on!

Discuss this story, or subscribe to Trendy Software Ideas for more.

In the News 📰

from the Trendy Software Ideas newsletter

🔎 Google introduces YouTube creator-based audience targeting.

💪 Level up on the five most underrated growth PM skills.

💲 Link to your product here. Our most affordable ad.

📱 Telegram's CEO charged in a French criminal investigation.

📝 Keeping your business strategy simple.

💸 The US has an accounting problem: We're running out of them.

Check out Trendy Software Ideas to discover more software ideas inspired by recent news.

Unreasonable Cofounder Expectations? 🤔

by Dan Marzullo

Each week, the Indie Hackers editorial team tackles a reader's question about the challenges of entrepreneurship. Here's this week's!

I'm frustrated with my cofounder. Do I have unrealistic expectations that need to be reset, or do I need to find a new cofounder?

Understand the C-suite

First, it's important to recognize that being a cofounder is different from being a CTO, COO, or any other C-suite executive.

It's necessary to acknowledge that, as your company grows, its needs evolve. What got you through the early stages may not be enough to propel you forward now. It might be time to consider bringing in additional leadership, instead of pushing your cofounder into a role they may not be naturally suited for. You could also work with them to redefine their role.

Have a discussion

Have an open discussion with your cofounder about current and future roles in the company for both of you.

Be clear about your expectations, and listen to each other's perspectives. Nurture your relationship by maintaining open communication, and supporting each other through any transition you both decide upon.

Startups face growing pains

Give yourself some grace, and know that it's perfectly normal to face these kinds of issues as you grow. The key is to address them head-on with a clear plan, and a commitment to the long-term success of your company.

Got a question? Email me at [email protected].

Discuss this story.

SaaS Watch 👀

by James Fleischmann

SaaS Watch is a roundup of all the latest micro-SaaS acquisition opportunities. Here are the top three for this week!

1. Newsletter cross-promotion directory: 74 users, $30 ARR, $2K asking price.

2. Multi-model professional AI suite: Four users, $300 ARR, $3K asking price.

3. AI cybersecurity solutions for ethical hackers: 35 users, $1K MRR, $25K asking price.

Subscribe to SaaS Watch for more opportunities.

App Store Optimization Was a Game Changer 🍎

by Katie Hignett

After a false start, Sebastian Röhl found success with a simple, visually appealing habit tracking app called HabitKit.

In less than two years, he's bringing in $15K in monthly revenue.

Taking the leap

I stumbled upon the Indie Hackers Podcast while studying computer science at university, and it was a real eye-opener for me.

My degree laid the foundation for my technical skills in software development, and I'm basically self-taught when it comes to mobile app development. I worked as a software engineer for three years after graduating, mostly dealing with web and cloud software development.

In 2022, I quit my job to start indie hacking full-time. My products didn't grow fast enough to sustain my lifestyle, so I had to go back to my old job in April 2023.

But, later that year, my second app (HabitKit) grew so much that I was able to quit my job again. I've worked full-time on my own apps since February 2024.

Tracking habits

I launched HabitKit in November 2022. The idea came from a personal desire to improve my daily habits, and track my progress in a visually appealing way.

I wanted a habit tracker that could display my consistency in a grid format, similar to GitHub's contribution graph.

It was fairly basic when it launched, but as it gained traction, user feedback started pouring in. I accumulated a huge backlog of cool new features.

The app has a freemium model: Users can access basic features for free, then pay to unlock premium features. Users can subscribe monthly or annually to the Pro plan, or buy a lifetime license.

Marketing

Building in public has been by far the most successful way I've grown and marketed my apps.

I've built a community around my products by sharing development updates, screenshots, and insights from my indie hacking journey on X. Engaging with other indie hackers and responding to user feedback has increased visibility and driven downloads.

I also spent time optimizing my app listings on the App Store and the Play Store. By carefully researching and selecting relevant keywords for my apps, I've improved their discoverability. Nowadays, ~98% of my new users find my apps directly on the App Store or the Play Store.

But not all my marketing efforts have worked. I tried to market HabitKit on Instagram for a couple of months, but I lost motivation and dropped it.

It's super important that you find a marketing strategy that you can do long-term.

Advice for indie hackers

1. Keep it simple: I've intentionally kept my apps simple, and focused on solving very specific problems.

2. Prepare for uncertainty: When you're building a product on your own, there's always some doubt about whether it will gain traction or resonate with users. Be aware that those moments may come, and prepare for them as much as possible.

3. Start small and stay focused: Build an MVP that addresses a real need, then iterate based on user feedback. If it doesn't resonate with users, move on and create something new. Don't just jump on the latest trend! It might seem like a quick way to achieve success, but it can lead to a lack of focus and authenticity.

What's next

I'm particularly proud to have built something that sustains my lifestyle, and helps other people improve their own lives.

Christmas through New Year's Eve is a very important time for habit tracking apps, and I was excited to see HabitKit generate over $33K in a single month.

I have plans for a few new projects, but they're all in their "secret" phase right now!

Discuss this story.

The Tweetmaster's Pick 🐦

by Tweetmaster Flex

I post the tweets indie hackers share the most. Here's today's pick:

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Special thanks to Jay Avery for editing this issue, to Gabriella Federico for the illustrations, and to Darko, Dan Marzullo, James Fleischmann, and Katie Hignett for contributing posts. —Channing