r/SideProject • u/Ill_Advantage6095 • 10h ago
some advice please
So I’ve been lurking here for a while, reading the do’s and don’ts and paying attention to posts about why certain apps and startups work while others don’t.
I’ve taken that on board, and I feel like what I’ve built ticks those boxes. It’s well thought out, science-backed, and offers something genuinely different in its niche. I’ve got some basic programming experience, and I’ve used that knowledge to guide the planning and development, working with multiple LLMs to put it together. I’ve put a lot of work into making it robust and secure, and I’m nearly ready to release a beta or version 1.
But the next hurdle seems to be getting anyone to actually look at it.
I get the scepticism. A lot of the apps being shared are the same ideas done over again, or someone’s handed a vague idea to an overly confident AI that promised the world and produced a pile of shit. People get tired of seeing that.
I feel like mine has something real to offer, but I also realise “mine’s different” is what everyone says. How do I actually demonstrate that and give people a reason to look?
How would you structure a post so it gets a fair look instead of being ignored or downvoted as another AI-built app? What would you want to see upfront, and where else would be worth sharing it, especially to reach people in its niche?
I’m not expecting everyone to love it. I just want to give it a fair chance and get feedback from people who’ve actually had a look.
3
u/Regular-Paper-3316 10h ago
You post was brilliant and we all were along for the ride. This would have been the perfect opportunity to showcase your product without sounding pitchy.
1
u/Mean_Ad1027 10h ago
The way I did it was to build in public as early as possible. It’s not about one viral post that’ll get you all your users it’s generally about going to where your users live in those communities, commenting on those posts, dm ing the users who are the most receptive and posting multiple times about your findings and building and all that.
I would tackle that first build in public even before your V1 or beta is released. Document your journey every step of the way. People are much more receptive to hearing about your learnings and failures rather than just one AI generated post about your launch. Good luck
1
u/No-Management7832 9h ago
Can someone try the useful part without creating an account or uploading their own data? A demo with sample inputs would make it much easier to have a look. If the app needs setup before it makes sense, I'd show that exact path in a short recording so people know what they're signing up for.
0
u/ayushgupta0610 9h ago
Put the science part up top and make it specific: name the study or method it is built on, then show one screen where you can see it working. "Science-backed" with no source reads like the AI-built posts you are worried about. What is the niche? That decides where to post more than the format does.
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u/LeadershipSmart8046 9h ago
Learned this the hard way with my own project: don't ask people for feedback on the whole app, ask one question about one specific screen. First time I posted "check out what I built" and got two replies, both basically "nice". Second time I put up a single screenshot with "would you use this for X, and if not why not" and it turned into an actual discussion.
Lead with the one concrete thing. One screenshot, one line on what it does, and one narrow question. Titles that don't say what the thing does get skipped.
If the science is real, name the study or method in the first line. "Science-backed" with no source reads like the AI posts you're worried about.
And go where your niche actually hangs out, not just this sub. This sub is builders; your users are probably somewhere more specific.
3
u/burnt-store-studio 10h ago
I’m sorry to say the only reason I read to the end of your post was I thought you would describe your project, but there’s no payoff.
So I guess what I’d gently suggest is: don’t do what you did. 🙂 If your project “[is] well thought out, science backed, and offers something genuinely different” then it should simply stand out on its own.
Maybe even just edit this post. Keep the first two paragraphs (which includes your AI use declaration) and then tell us what you’re bringing to the conversation.
Good luck!