HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Stay Ad-Proof: Only Share Free + Useful, and Add an Image

Stay Ad-Proof: Only Share Free + Useful, and Add an Image is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: Avoid the spam/ban reflex by never selling anything, only posting things the community actually asked for, and attaching an image.

It's a strong fit for teams of almost any kind, and works especially well for free tools posting in strict, low-tolerance subs. As a reddit & forums play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Reddit & forumsLow effortFast

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Communities tolerate and even reward self-promotion when there's zero sale and obvious value.

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
Any / universal

Frequently asked

How is the "Stay Ad-Proof: Only Share Free + Useful, and Add an Image" 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 low 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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