I never enjoyed marketing. But I’d never earn $56,000/month without doing some kind of marketing. I…

Free tool marketing consists of launching free and viral mini-apps promoting your main startup. - You rank for new SEO keywords - It’s sharable so people spread the word on TikTok - You grow an audience by launching often - Your inner builder is motivated to work

Some guidelines for the best results: - The app must be free, that’s how you create a viral loop. - One feature is enough. It must be super simple. - The name should tell exactly what the app does. That’s how people remember and search on Google.

- The experience must start on the homepage. Visitors shouldn’t sign up or click links. - The app can be hosted on your main website, but it’s best to give it a dedicated domain.

To find ideas, take a standalone feature of your main startup and make a free version of it. Alternatively, think about what customers would need before using your product. "I can read 19 books a year with a 15-min daily habit? This habit tracker might help me"

To convert traffic to customers, promote your startup in a seamless way A simple ad placement gets up to 10% CTR. You can pump these numbers up when the free tool seamlessly embeds into your customer’s journey, so the promotion feels like an extension of your free tool.

The more noise you make, the higher the revenue. Launch everywhere. Hacker News, Reddit, 𝕏, Product Hunt. With free tools marketing, it’s common to get media coverage and go viral on TikTok thanks to the embedded virality.

Once you’ve launched, move on to the next free tool. Each launch will make more noise, increase your daily traffic, and grow your startup — while keeping your inner builder satisfied.

I share everything I learn as a solopreneur every Saturday morning: How to find startup ideas, launch fast, and get profitable ↓ marclou.beehiiv.com