Honestly, after two months of hustling to launch 8 overseas sites, only 2 of them are actually worth anything; the rest are just cannon fodder. I joined the sailing activity to push myself – I mean, I can’t keep talking about going global without actually taking the plunge. Plus, I wanted to see how others are doing it so I wouldn't be fumbling around in the dark.
Funny enough, out of those 8 sites, 2 were tool sites and 6 were game sites, but only 2 ended up getting traffic. Ironically, one breezed through Google AdSense, while the other was flagged for “low-value content” – at that moment, I nearly smashed my keyboard in frustration.
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to play the victim. In fact, I feel like I hit the jackpot – the lessons I learned from these failed sites are worth way more than what I could learn from 10 successful ones.
*When it comes to finding demand, don’t overthink it. *
Use the sailing manual’s method to comb through Google Trends. When you spot a new keyword, focus on related terms and pick the high-traffic, niche keywords to register your domain. Just throw up a simple landing page first, and once the traffic starts coming in, you can gradually add features. Forget about trying to create the "perfect product" right out of the gate.
*For development, AI is way more reliable than outsourcing. *
I usually browse GitHub Trending to gather open-source projects, and for game sites, I stock up on game resources in advance (just be mindful of copyright). If you can’t handle the front end, just hand it over to AI – seriously, I've found it to be way more reliable than any outsourcing I’ve tried.
*When it comes to promotion, automation is key.
*
Start by manually searching for places where you can post backlinks, jot them down, and then write a script to automate the posting. Don’t get caught up in manual labor that just drains you without results; automation is the real way to free up your time.
*Perfectionism is the number one killer of site launches. *
Don’t wait until “everything is perfect” to go live. Just put out an MVP and fix issues as they come. I wasted half a month obsessing over details, and by the time I was ready, others had already snatched up the traffic.
*An SOP is your “nuclear weapon.” *
Document the entire process for finding demand, development, and promotion. Next time, just follow it, and you can cut your launch time by at least half. Remember, an SOP isn’t a constraint; it’s your weapon for replicating success.
Building for the overseas market is a long game, and it’s easy to get complacent.
I usually handle small tasks like posting backlinks and finding games, so at least I’m making progress every day and not stressing myself out. When I feel overwhelmed, I just check in with friends who are crushing it, and it gives me a boost of motivation.
When it comes to going global, just dive in and stop overthinking it!
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