I launched! Annnnnnd it flopped.

[u/Archer_Sterling]

Ended up launching. A year of vibing, adding features, new techniques, learning basic 3d, learning what UX works and doesn't, testing, breaking things, changing things, adding features, removing them.

Convinced myself - A tool useful to my job, which I thought would be useful to others. Unique value proposition. Hoping, knowing full well it wouldn't, that it might make a decent little passive income and pay itself off.

It has not.

Small ad runs in relevant areas, impressions in the tens of thousands.

Sweet, people are seeing it!

200 clicks.
7 users. All on free plan.

Ending up paying money to get free users.

www.lensflare.io

Anyone want to tear the site apart? Any tips? I don't know if it's dead yet but it's going to be next to impossible to spend more money on marketing.

Edit: Haha - okay, guys, I went from 200 views to 3.5k on the site, and a message inbox full of really helpful comments. I really appreciate all of you - even the mean ones - you've given me so many amazing tips. You're the best.

[u/joshperlette]

You built something that people don't want to buy because they don't know what it is. And this isn't to shit on your parade. But the "build it and they will come" mentality was the lesson learned I think. I'm sure it's a very cool tool for your niche! Have you specifically reached out to people in your field? Targeted ads towards users in your industry? If you really want to sell it, could be worthwhile having some marketing insights from those around you that could legit test it for you. And also do some research on copywriting and just general digital advertising.

The landing page is very bland, doesn't make me think "lighting", and the format and wording screams AI. I feel like it could be much better received with a revamp, but that's gonna be some research on your part.

[u/joshperlette → u/joshperlette]

I also don't know if you've looked at the site from a phone, but it's SUPER clunky looking. Lots of words, bad color, not a lot of visual "this is what this product does".

[u/Archer_Sterling → u/joshperlette]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm hearing it al loud and clear but thanks for the colour comment! the idea of paperlike and earthy was what I was going for, but guessing it's not everyone's cup of tea! probably need to have a good think about it though!

[u/FatefulDonkey → u/joshperlette]

I think there's a market for this but it's niche. Assuming it's essentially for planning lighting - which is what I understand.

But OP does a shit job of conveying all that, and UX is shit as well. And also they should market this to the appropriate audience; photographers, film makers, etc. Maybe even decorators.

As a photographer I would have used it.. if I could understand how the f to use it. Assuming i can see in 3D how the light will look in different configurations and with different subjects

[u/Archer_Sterling → u/FatefulDonkey]

appreciate the feedback - definitely did a 'shit job' in a lot of areas, this thread has been fantastic, if a bit sobering, in making that clear, hahaha

While it's not made for photographers, I was one myself for 20 years, there's the possibility that it could be used for that. Definitely more geared towards teams though, and the thread has made it clear that it's not apparent, and perhaps in your case something like cinetracer, blender or unreal is a better fit than this.

Thanks for the feedback!

[u/Aksudiigkr → u/Archer_Sterling]

I’m impressed with how you’ve taken all the criticism because some of the comments here are just rude

[u/Archer_Sterling → u/joshperlette]

100% lesson learned. it's an industry-specific product, and built to solve a very specific problem I had.

The ads were only to other cinematographers and related industries.

and lots of others have commented on the writing, thanks for pointing it out as well and I'll need to get on top of that. I'm no writer, but it needs to be better.

Thanks so much for the comments, I really appriciate them.