100 Clicks, 5 Signups, and 2 Platform Bans: My First Week Marketing a SaaS

Melih — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 23:18:56 +0000

Hey everyone, I'm Melih.

I’m an indie developer, and like most of you, I’m much better at writing code than writing marketing copy. Last week, I finally launched my project, Admesio.com (a unified dashboard for AdSense and AdMob revenue).

I wanted to share exactly what happened in the first 4 days—the good numbers, the bans, and the "stuck" feeling I’m having right now.

The "Strategy" (If you can call it that)
I didn't have a big budget, so I went full "guerrilla mode":

Reddit: I sent DMs to people who were asking about monetization and posted in a few subreddits.

Twitter (X): I started a brand new account and replied to people talking about app revenue.

Email: I found 50 app developers on the App Store and sent them a short "research" email.

Product Sites: I listed the site on a bunch of "Product Hunt-like" directories.

The Good: The Numbers
Surprisingly, the conversion rate was actually great for a "v1" product:

100 total clicks to the site.

5 people signed up.

4 people actually added their products.

For me, that last part (4 out of 5 people using it) is the biggest win. It means I’m solving a real problem.

The Bad: The Bans
This is where it gets messy.

Reddit: I got banned pretty quickly. Sending DMs to strangers is a one-way ticket to "Ban-land." Lesson learned: Reddit hates "cold outreach."

Twitter: Since it’s a new account, replying with links triggered the spam filters. Now my replies don't even show up.

The "Stall": After the initial burst on Monday and Tuesday, the traffic just... stopped.

What now?
I’m currently at a crossroads. The data shows that developers want a unified dashboard. They sign up when they see it. But the "spammy" way of marketing is clearly not sustainable.

I’m moving away from "sending links" to "sharing value." I’m trying Quora, writing here on Dev.to, and focusing on Building in Public.

I have a question for the more experienced makers here:
When your initial "manual" traffic stops and you're flagged by the big platforms, how do you keep the momentum going without being a "spammer"?

I’d love to hear your thoughts (and your own "I got banned" stories).

Forem: Melih

100 Clicks, 5 Signups, and 2 Platform Bans: My First Week Marketing a SaaS