The Story
Last month I built CodeAnswr - a tool that makes AI conversations searchable. Like Stack Overflow, but for the ChatGPT era.
I was excited to launch. I had everything ready:
- Working product ✅
- 6 months of dev ✅
- Great pitch ✅
Then I tried to share it...
Failed Attempt #1-9: Reddit
r/webdev: Post removed in 5 minutes
r/programming: Shadowbanned immediately
r/learnprogramming: Warning + ban
r/javascript: Filtered before anyone saw it
r/SideProject: 8 different attempts, 8 shadowbans
Even when I:
- Didn't include links
- Asked for feedback genuinely
- Contributed first with comments
- Used different wording
Still: 🚫 Shadowbanned
Failed Attempt #10-12: Hacker News
Attempt 1: New account = instant dead post
Attempt 2: Different IP = still dead
Attempt 3: Simple text, no marketing = dead again
Zero views. Zero comments. Just... dead.
What Actually Worked ✅
After 12 failures, I tried:
1. Product Hunt
- Posted on December 15
- Got 16 signups first week
- Real humans, real engagement
- No shadowbans!
2. Indie Hackers
- Shared the struggle story
- Asked for advice
- Got actual feedback
- Community was supportive
3. Dev Hunt
- Developer-focused platform
- Listed successfully
- Good visibility
4. Peerlist
- Professional dev community
- Clean project showcase
- No spam filters
Lessons I Learned
1. Don't Bet Everything on One Platform
I wasted 2 weeks trying to crack Reddit. Should've diversified day 1.
2. Spam Filters Are Semantic
They don't just look for keywords. They understand:
- Context
- Post history
- Account age
- Engagement patterns
Even helpful posts get flagged if your account is new.
3. New Accounts Are Cursed
Reddit, HN, Twitter - all need:
- History (3+ months)
- Karma/reputation
- Regular activity
You can't just create account → post → expect success.
4. Some Platforms Are Broken for Indies
Q&A tools getting filtered on Q&A platforms? Ironic.
Accept it. Move on.
What I Should've Done
3 months before launch:
- Build karma on Reddit (comment daily)
- Build HN reputation (thoughtful comments)
- Create Twitter presence (share progress)
Launch day:
- Start with friendly platforms (Product Hunt, Indie Hackers)
- Then leverage built-up accounts
- Focus on what works
The Tool (No Hard Sell)
Since you read this far: CodeAnswr makes ChatGPT conversations searchable.
The problem:
Everyone uses ChatGPT now. But those chats disappear. Same questions asked 1000x times.
The solution:
- Paste ChatGPT conversation
- We extract Q&A
- Scan for secrets (API keys, passwords)
- Publish as searchable post
- Google indexes it
Tech stack:
- Frontend: SvelteKit + TailwindCSS
- Backend: Cloudflare Workers + D1
- AI: Claude via Puter.js
- Cost: $0/month (free tiers)
Live at: https://codeanswr.com
Questions for You
- What worked for YOUR launches?
- How did you avoid shadowbans?
- Which platforms should I try next?
Drop a comment! 👇
PS: If you're building something and need advice on avoiding my mistakes, happy to help!
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