[Indie Dev Diary #3] May 2024 - Crowdsourcing Localization and Shoutout from The Verge

May was an exciting month for my app business, filled with several exciting developments.

Setapp Mobile Beta Launch and Mention by The Verge

On May 14, the Setapp Mobile Beta was launched, and Itemlist was among the first apps featured. This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for Itemlist. The Verge covered the launch, highlighting Itemlist along with other apps available in Setapp Mobile. They also included a do-follow link to Itemlist, a great gift for Itemlist's website SEO 😍

Localization: Crowdsourcing Translations with Crowdin

Until May, Itemlist was only available in English. Recognizing the need for localization, I decided to translate the app into multiple languages by crowdsourcing help from users and followers. Initially unsure which tool to use, I eventually chose Crowdin due to its comprehensive features for managing languages, strings, and translators, along with its superior user experience. I reached out via Twitter, LinkedIn, and email, offering a free subscription in exchange for translation help. Over 50 users responded, and Itemlist is now being translated into more than 10 languages.

Pinterest is Blowing Up

I began publishing on Pinterest shortly after launching the Itemlist Blog in September 2023. Initially, the effort seemed unpromising, and I neglected it. Then I discovered BlogToPin, an AI tool for automatic pin scheduling. Previously, I used the Tailwind scheduler, which was time-consuming and yielded low initial results. BlogToPin, however, is quicker to set up and affordable. After giving it a try, my older pins started gaining impressions and continue to grow. The most successful pins direct traffic to my most popular blog posts.

April to May: A Look at the Revenue

In May, revenue rose by 11% compared to April, from $383 to $425.

MMR Comparison

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) grew just a bit, from $182 in April to $186 in May.

Number of Active Subscribers

The number of active subscribers grew from 85 in April to 85 in May, only a 7,1% increase.

One More Thing

I took a few weeks off to recover my strength. It was the first time in years I managed to fully relax and disconnect from work during my vacation. I highly recommend everyone take their vacations seriously and avoid any unnecessary work 😊