The Indie Hacker Marketing Roadmap: 0 to 1,000 Users
✓ Fact-checked • Based on real Reddit marketing experience • Updated for 2026
Pro Tip: This guide includes actionable strategies and real-world examples. Bookmark it for future reference and implement one section at a time for best results.
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Key Takeaways
- •Phase 1: The First 100 Users (Weeks 1-4)
- •Phase 2: Finding Product-Market Fit (Weeks 5-8)
- •Phase 3: Growth Engine (Weeks 9-16)
- •Phase 4: Scaling (Weeks 17-24)
- •The Channels That Work for Solo Founders
Marketing advice assumes you have a team. 'Hire a content writer.' 'A/B test your ads.' 'Build a growth team.' What if it's just you?
I built MediaFast as a solo founder. Here's the realistic marketing roadmap—no team, no budget, no BS.
Phase 1: The First 100 Users (Weeks 1-4)
Focus: Build in public + direct outreach
- Week 1: Set up Twitter, start daily building-in-public updates
- Week 2: Find 50 potential users on Reddit/Twitter. DM each personally.
- Week 3: Post first Reddit content (journey post, not pitch)
- Week 4: Launch on smaller communities (r/SaaS, r/SideProject)
Target: 100 users by end of month 1
Phase 2: Finding Product-Market Fit (Weeks 5-8)
Focus: Feedback → iteration → retention
- Talk to every user. Literally. Send personal messages.
- Identify what feature keeps people using (or what's missing)
- Get 10 passionate users, not 1,000 lukewarm ones
- Start collecting testimonials and screenshots
Target: 10 users who would be upset if you shut down
Phase 3: Growth Engine (Weeks 9-16)
Focus: Systematic content + community presence
- Weekly Reddit content (batched on Sundays)
- SEO: Write 5 comprehensive guides on your core topics
- Product Hunt launch (aim for Thursday)
- Start referral program (simple: 'Get X free for referrals')
Target: 500 users, first paying customers
Phase 4: Scaling (Weeks 17-24)
Focus: Double down on what works
- Analyze: Which channel drove actual revenue?
- Cut: Drop channels that didn't perform
- Double: Put all effort into 1-2 winning channels
- Automate: Use tools for scheduling and monitoring
Target: 1,000 users, $1K MRR
The Channels That Work for Solo Founders
- Reddit: Best ROI for bootstrapped founders
- Twitter/Building in public: Brand building + accountability
- SEO: Slow but compounds forever
- Cold outreach: Uncomfortably effective when personalized
- Communities: Indie Hackers, Product Hunt, Hacker News
What to Ignore (For Now)
- Paid ads (save for post-revenue)
- Podcasts (time-intensive, low conversion)
- Webinars (nobody attends anymore)
- LinkedIn (unless B2B executive audience)
Start where your users are. For most indie hackers, that's Reddit. MediaFast makes it systematic. See how I got my first 100 users.
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