My Aesthetic Pomodoro Timer Got 1,000 Users in 2 Weeks – Real Numbers & Lessons

Hey devs! Just wanted to share a quick win and some lessons learned from shipping my little side project, studyfoc.us.

Last week, I launched a minimalist Pomodoro timer with a focus on aesthetics and no-nonsense UX. To my surprise, it picked up 1,000 active users in about 14 days. Here are some quick stats and a few takeaways if you’re thinking about launching your own indie product.

Some Quick Stats

• 1,000 active users in the 2 weeks
• 1 minute average engagement per session
• 90% of all traffic came from social media posts

What Actually Worked

1. Competition Means You’re on the Right Path

Seeing lots of Pomodoro timers out there was intimidating, but honestly, it just proves there’s real demand. Instead of worrying, I focused on making my app unique (in my case, better visuals and simple UX).

2. Post Updates Everywhere

I posted progress updates and launch notes on Reddit, Facebook, and a few Discord channels. One Reddit post got 70 upvotes, a Facebook update hit 150 likes. Most of my users came from these posts—organic reach is still alive if you actually show your work.

3. User Feedback Is Gold

Some of the best feature ideas came straight from user feedback. Don’t just look for compliments—look for the suggestions and the criticism. It helps.

4. Use AI for Coding and Content, But Not UX

AI is great for generating code snippets, boilerplate, or SEO blog posts. But for UI/UX, don’t expect a magic prompt to get it right. You have to iterate, test, and polish by hand.

5. AI SEO Content Actually Ranks

I let AI help me write a few SEO-focused blog posts and even some images for the website. When I Google “aesthetic pomodoro timer,” my articles are already ranking on page one. If you’re launching, take the time to write a couple SEO articles—it works.

6. Don’t Waste Money on Directories

Skip the $20 “lifetime” directory listings. For me, they brought almost zero traffic. Just share your link on dev.to, IndieHackers, Medium, etc. That’s where your real audience hangs out.

If you want a clean, focused Pomodoro timer, give studyfoc.us a try. And if you’re shipping something soon, post about it early and often. Your audience is out there—you just have to show up!

Happy building! 🚀