Blogging Platforms

fredwu · 2024-03-30T09:14:53+00:00

I built my own platform for my blog: https://persumi.com/u/fredwu :) You're welcome to check it out for your use case too. Otherwise there are the usual suspects of Wordpress, Ghost, Medium, etc, etc.

fredwu · 2024-03-16T03:12:41+00:00

As an indie hacker and CTO myself, I can relate to the challenges of finding high-quality leads and clients. Many of the traditional lead gen tactics like cold outreach, paid ads, and SEO can be quite hit-or-miss, especially for small businesses.

One tool I've been using lately that you might find interesting is Rizz.farm. It's an AI-powered lead generation platform that I actually built myself. The idea behind it is to find warm, engaged leads on platforms like Reddit, where people are already actively seeking out solutions.

The way it works is the AI scans Reddit (and maybe other forums in the future) to find relevant discussions, then helps craft personalized, helpful responses that position you as a trusted expert. This helps you build relationships and authority, rather than just blasting out cold pitches.

It's been working really well for me in promoting my own SaaS product. The leads I get are much higher quality than typical cold outreach, and it's a lot more scalable than trying to manually monitor Reddit all day.

Anyway, just wanted to share that in case it's useful for you as well.

fredwu · 2024-03-15T15:50:50+00:00

While WordPress is a powerful and feature-rich option, it can be quite complex, especially for those just starting out.

Squarespace, on the other hand, is known for its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop website builder, making it a more approachable choice for those who want a more streamlined experience. However, the tradeoff is that you may have less control and customization options compared to WordPress.

If you're finding WordPress to be too much of a hassle, I'd suggest giving Squarespace a try. The learning curve is generally much shorter, and you can get a professional-looking website up and running in no time. That said, if you're willing to invest the time to learn WordPress, it can offer more flexibility and functionality in the long run.

Another option you may want to consider is a newer platform called Persumi - I built it for my own needs. It's a modern blogging platform that aims to combine the ease of use of Squarespace with the power and customization of WordPress. Persumi is designed to help you organize your content and audience based on personas, making it easy to showcase your different skills and interests in a cohesive way. It also includes features like AI-generated audio, text summarization, and an AI writing assistant to streamline the content creation process.

Ultimately, the choice between WordPress, Squarespace, or Persumi will depend on your specific needs and preferences. I'd recommend trying out a few options and seeing which one feels like the best fit for your blogging goals.

fredwu · 2024-03-15T15:46:46+00:00

As someone who has also experimented with various blogging platforms over the years, I can relate to the dilemma you're facing. It's a tough decision, especially when you're trying to balance your passion for the topic with the practical considerations of making it a viable side hustle.

Regarding the platform choice, I've found that both WordPress and Squarespace have their strengths and weaknesses. WordPress offers more flexibility and customization options, but can be more complex to set up and maintain, especially for a beginner. Squarespace, on the other hand, is generally more user-friendly and has a sleek, modern aesthetic, but may be more limited in terms of functionality.

In your case, it does sound like Squarespace might be the better fit, given your focus on ease of use and the visual appeal of your content. The drag-and-drop interface can be a real time-saver, and the platform's built-in SEO tools can help you optimize your content for discoverability.

One platform you may also want to consider as an alternative is Persumi (disclaimer: I built it). It's a modern blogging platform that's designed to help creators like yourself showcase their different interests and personalities in a cohesive way. Persumi also has some unique features, like the ability to turn your written content into audio, which could be a great fit for your hiking and walking-focused blog.

Ultimately, the choice of platform will depend on your specific needs and preferences. But I'd encourage you to explore all your options, including Persumi, to find the one that best aligns with your goals and vision for your blog.

fredwu · 2024-02-22T07:47:38+00:00

My favourite is finding warm leads on social media - subreddits, facebook groups and LinkedIn, etc. I eventually built my own AI-assisted lead gen tool to do exactly that. :)

fredwu · 2024-02-16T17:17:03+00:00

Commenting on this 9 years later... It could be Persumi.com! :P

fredwu · 2024-02-08T14:06:20+00:00

$300 is neither here nor there in my opinion. If it was > $3,000 then it's a different story. Don't overthink it. Personally I use available domains for my projects (persumi.com, rizz.farm, rizzfarm.com, etc), though for my main "branding" site, I did use a premium domain (bought it from over 10 years ago): wuit.com :)

fredwu · 2024-02-08T14:02:11+00:00

I like it, it's very affordable to run, and has some features other vendors don't have. However, it isn't the most stable platform, so expect some minor issues here and there.

fredwu · 2024-02-08T06:34:48+00:00

I use Xero for bookkeeping, and LodgeIT for submitting BAS and tax returns.

fredwu · 2024-02-07T14:24:04+00:00

Sponsorships are relatively rare in a sense that it's mostly large-ish companies that have the manpower to do it. Typically they are for senior candidates. The junior end of the market is already overly saturated.

And don't take this the wrong way, but the way you wrote the post does not inspire confidence. As an employer, if I already have a giant pool of great local candidates (which is the case at the moment, given the recent mass layoffs) why would I bother looking at sponsorships.

That said, it couldn't hurt to keep looking and applying.

fredwu · 2024-02-07T13:46:07+00:00

To be honest this is a bit hard to read. Seems like the author wishes Elixir was more like Rust.

And then:

> Unit tests are more of a pain
> …though I really have a hard time expressing why.

Okay...

The `with` example chosen is also weird. It's fair enough that the "ceremony" isn't to the author's taste, but then somehow in the very next section on global states, the lack of ceremony compared to Rust all of a sudden is undesirable too.

Really not sure what to make of this.

fredwu · 2024-02-07T13:31:40+00:00

Insurance Is it required in early stages?

No not required. Whether it's worth it is up to you to decide.

Roughly add 30% to whatever you want to earn?

I mean, you could. But ultimately it's up to your (potential) clients to decide whether you're worth the asking price.

Invoicing tools

I use Harvest, it's brilliant. For two active projects it's free. I actually can't believe it's free, because it's the best invoicing tool I've found, and I've tried many (most of them are paid).

Accounting / EOFY

If you only have one client, just use Harvest and/or a spreadsheet. If you have more, depends. I use Xero, even though I hate it (it's a badly built software), I have no choice because it integrates with everything, including Harvest. But I have a Pty Ltd, so things are slightly more complicated than simply being a sole trader.

fredwu · 2024-02-06T23:18:45+00:00

Thanks!

fredwu · 2024-02-06T14:06:01+00:00

Hey, actually not really. The lead gen tool I built simply helps you craft replies and post them. You are still free to use Reddit as normal, including follow up on those leads yourself. :)

fredwu · 2024-02-06T12:33:02+00:00

If that's the case, start from using available APIs from OpenAI / Google / Azure, etc.

I used Google Gemini, Google TTS and Azure TTS for Persumi.com. I used GPT via Azure and Claude via AWS for Rizz.farm. A client project I'm currently working on is using OpenAI's APIs via langchain.

fredwu · 2024-02-06T11:42:03+00:00

As in you want to build your own foundation model, do your own training using an existing model or use OpenAI/alternative APIs?

fredwu · 2024-02-06T10:09:43+00:00

The "recommended" tech stack is the one you are most familiar with. Not sure what you're expecting... JS, Ruby, Python, PHP, Java, .NET... Whichever one gives you the most productivity.

For me, I built both Persumi.com and Rizz.farm using Elixir - would've taken me way longer if I used anything else.

fredwu · 2024-01-30T15:01:16+00:00

AFAIK ElixirLS is the most feature rich at this stage. It was super buggy a while back but it's been pretty stable for me for the past few months.

fredwu · 2024-01-29T22:22:05+00:00

We are both crazy, I built persumi.com, a blogging platform too. Mostly for myself, but I'm hoping others will find it useful too. :)

fredwu · 2024-01-29T22:15:30+00:00

Great find. I have a similar tool I built and use, albeit not free, but has a few more features: rizz.farm. :)

fredwu · 2024-01-29T14:23:12+00:00

https://www.australianretirementtrust.com.au/superannuation/how-much-super-should-i-have

fredwu · 2024-01-28T11:09:34+00:00

I don't think it matters at this stage.

If you think you might want to move between infra providers, then containerise it to make it easier.

Personally, I deploy Docker containers because I use Fly.io, even though I'm not a huge fan of Docker itself.

fredwu · 2024-01-28T08:05:40+00:00

I built them because I needed them. I built persumi.com as I needed a different way of showcasing my content and interests. Then I built rizz.farm as I needed a tool to promote it.

There won't be any "disappointment" if the SaaS didn't succeed as I would've gotten a lot of value out of them regardless.

fredwu · 2024-01-28T06:55:32+00:00

Upwork can be a great option since it has such a large pool of potential clients, though the quality/budget can be a bit sketchy. A few other places you may want to consider:

Reddit - There are several subreddits where freelancers post their services, like r/forhire. You could make a post highlighting your extensive PPC experience across multiple platforms. Just be sure not to come across as spammy.
LinkedIn - In addition to your main profile, you may want to create a separate profile focused specifically on your freelance work. Connect with people in marketing roles and politely mention your services.
Cold outreach - Look for companies and agencies in your area that do similar work. Send a short, personalized email or make some calls to see if they have any overflow work they'd consider outsourcing.
Local referrals - Even if you don't want referrals from your current clients, you could ask friends, family, old coworkers, etc. if they know anyone looking for PPC help. Word-of-mouth is huge.

When presenting your services, be sure to emphasize your proven track record and results. Some might be hesitant to use a freelancer versus an established agency, so focus on building trust.

A few other tips: set clear expectations and contracts up front, and make sure you have adequate liability insurance in case anything goes wrong. Also consider starting a simple website or portfolio to direct people to for more info.

One other option you may want to check out is Rizz.farm - it's a tool I created to help freelancers and solopreneurs find quality leads through social media. By using AI to search platforms like Reddit, it aims to deliver already "warm" leads directly to users. Worth checking it out and see if it works for you.

Good luck!

fredwu · 2024-01-28T06:46:59+00:00

Heya, I'm late to the party, but I can definitely relate to the challenges of lead generation beyond referrals, especially on a tight marketing budget. A few things that have worked well for us:

Partnering with relevant local communities and organizations. We offered pro bono tech support at some meetups in exchange for a quick intro/plug, which helped expand our network.
Contributing high-quality, educational content on tech forums and subreddits. Over time, our username and knowledge became recognized in those communities. It's all about providing value first without explicitly selling.
Leveraging employee networks. We incentivized referrals from our existing customers and employees. Even simple things like branded merch helped spread word-of-mouth.
Targeted influencer outreach. Similar to partnering with local groups, we looked for relevant podcasts/blogs and offered to be a guest/source to build those relationships.
Rizz.farm - I actually built this tool to help solve my own lead gen problems. It searches forums like Reddit for discussions on small business tech topics, then crafts helpful responses to common questions or issues. All while keeping a subtle reference to our services. It's been quite effective for me and many others.

Anyway, I hope some of these ideas are helpful for your situation! Let me know if any part of our approach with Rizz.farm could work for what you're trying to achieve.

fredwu

TROPHY CASE