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My app failed: lessons learned

rithm.app

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Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#2
So early 2020, I launched Rithm, an app that helps you build habits, reach your goals and stay motivated.

The 1st version was a chatbot app, think of it like an accountability coach that you text with to track habits and stay accountable.

Rithm landed as the #4 product of the day on ProductHunt, had some good initial traction which proceeded to fall off a cliff.

Here are the 8 lessons for a failed version 1, see video and blog post.

Hope this helps some makers out there!

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#3
Thanks for the openhearted blogpost.

It is very important to also see some of these failures, where the stars did not suddenly align and sparkling rainbows started raining money.

I think I learned more from your post than from 10 success posts, honestly.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#4
Nice writeup! I see that the app is available only in English. In my experience with indie apps (admittedly not recent), localisation in at least Spanish and Portuguese can help drive a lot of sales. It can also be easier to rank higher with localised keywords, and it's easier to get featured in country-specific App Stores in non-English languages as well.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#8
post #7
post #5

How was this product marketed/advertised?

This is the only question that needs to be asked nowadays. You need user acquisition money. Sad fact is that otherwise it is almost impossible to do anything.

Exactly, I would recommend spending a few thousand on a good PPC marketing agency and let them set up your marketing. You might be amazed at what this would accomplish since your product seems fine.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#9
From my experience, if an app takes more than a few months to build and launch, the risk is no longer worth it. Large companies also do this (years building before launching and i have yet to hear of a success)
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