01

I believe many developers get stuck at the monetization stage. But from what I have observed, the main reason is not that the product is bad — it is that their understanding of monetization is too narrow.

They think monetization simply means "launch and collect money," and once launched, they move on. But after analyzing many successful indie developers' monetization paths, I realized that monetization is actually a chain. If any link in that chain is missing, the money simply does not come in.

The chain looks like this: Demand → Product → Content → Traffic → Sales → Revenue.

Today, I want to walk through each step of this chain together.

02

Step 1: Find a Real Existing Demand

You do not always have to look outside for demand — sometimes it is hiding right in your own experience.

After I finished my first AI-suggested SaaS product, I started thinking long-term. I plan to spend 5 to 10 years focused on this path.

If every time I start a new project I have to deal with payments from scratch all over again before I can focus on the product itself — that is exhausting. Anyone who has maintained multiple related projects knows it is an absolute nightmare.

Then I thought: what if I solve this once and for all? Like setting up a ready-made checkout system that I can reuse every time I start a new project. That is why I built Pay4SaaS.

This demand did not come from market research — it grew from my own real frustration. I am the target user, so the demand is naturally genuine.

Step 2: Build a Product That Is Just Enough

Not the one with the most features, but the one that solves the core problem most cleanly.

As a solo full-stack indie developer, your energy is limited. Rather than building ten features at 60% quality each, build two features at 90% quality. That is what "small but beautiful" means — anything more, and we simply cannot keep up.

The most important thing: users pay to have their problems solved, not for feature count.

Step 3: Consistently Publish Content in Public

This is the step most easily skipped, yet it is the most critical one.

Without content, none of the following steps can even begin.

This is the conclusion I reached a week ago after studying many successful indie developer creators. Look at Pieter Levels, Marc Lou — you will find that almost every developer who has built something lasting is consistently putting out content.

I know many programmers hate the idea of writing. But if we do not write, who knows what we are building?

Who knows what problems our product solves? Who will trust us?

Traffic does not fall from the sky, and monetization does not happen out of thin air.

It is like opening a shop on a busy street — even if the product is great, without a sign, without a window display, no one knows what we are selling. How would customers walk in? Staying quietly inside guarantees zero sales.

Content is our sign and our window display. It is how people see us, how trust is built, and how we trigger the "I want this" feeling in users.

Before buying, users need to get to know us as a person. Once they feel we are reliable, they will consider our product.

You do not have to mention your product in every post. Write about real indie dev experiences, the pitfalls you have encountered, your attitude, your stance, the things you have figured out — the product will naturally appear in the right places.

Step 4: Drive Traffic In

Content is the reservoir. Traffic is what naturally rises as the water level increases.

Topics need to be broad enough. I write about indie development, SaaS, monetization, pricing, payments — these are the terms indie developers search for every day. If topics are too narrow, even the best content will only reach a handful of people.

For example, at the beginning of this month, I noticed traffic dropped in late March. After analyzing the contributing factors one by one, I found the biggest reason was that my topics were too narrow. So this month, I specifically analyzed and adjusted my approach.

Step 5: Let Sales Happen Naturally

To be honest, I am still exploring this step.

But my current understanding is that sales is not about pushing hard — it is about letting users reach a moment where they feel "I need this" on their own.

No matter how good a product is, if users do not realize it can solve their problem, they will not buy. So the essence of sales is not persuasion — because no one likes being persuaded, right?

It is about letting users see their own problem, and then see that our product happens to be the answer.

As for how exactly to achieve this, I am still figuring it out. I will share more once I have it sorted.

Step 6: Address User Concerns Before Monetization

A user wants to buy, but still has unanswered questions in their mind — that is where they get stuck.

Is the documentation clear enough? Is integration complicated? Is the learning curve steep? How do I reach out if I have issues?

If these concerns are not addressed, conversion simply will not happen.

What I currently do is simple: first, I put together an FAQ on the product page, writing clear answers to the questions I think users would ask.

Second, some of my blog posts address these concerns as well.

It is far from perfect, but at least when users hesitate, they can find an answer.

I am still improving this step, but the direction is right — proactively digest user concerns, and the barrier to purchase may naturally lower.

03

After walking through these 6 steps, I believe monetization is not some mystical art — it is an executable path. Most successful developers have walked this exact path, so why can't we?

Finishing the product is just the starting point, not the finish line. Content, traffic, sales — every step deserves serious attention.

But do not feel overwhelmed. This chain does not need to be completed all at once. Take it step by step; every step is an accumulation. You will figure things out as you go — just like when I received this message from a developer the other day, the pieces gradually click into place.

In short, trust is the water, the product is the boat, and content makes the water rise — the boat will naturally float.

Let more people see us first. Everything that follows will go smoother than expected — every step forward brings its own joy.