HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Post a Demo, Then Drop Your Link After 10 Upvotes

Post a Demo, Then Drop Your Link After 10 Upvotes is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: Rather than posting your product link directly, you post a demo video with a relevant title, wait until it gathers about 10 upvotes, then add the backstory plus link as a comment.

It's a strong fit for Consumer / mobile apps and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for consumer, AI, and dev tools with a demoable UI. As a reddit & forums play, plan for medium effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Reddit & forumsMedium effortFast

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Redditors downvote and ignore raw promo links; leading with a demo earns goodwill first and slips the link in once the post has momentum, sidestepping the anti-self-promo reflex.

The exact steps (4)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
Consumer / mobile appsDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Post a Demo, Then Drop Your Link After 10 Upvotes" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Consumer / mobile apps and Dev tools / technical — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Post a Demo, Then Drop Your Link After 10 Upvotes" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is medium effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

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