How to stand out when anyone can build an app
With tools like Lovable, Bolt and Base44, a working app takes a weekend. That's great, and it's also the problem: everyone else can build one too. When building is cheap, what's scarce is attention. Here's how to earn it.
1. Be the obvious choice for someone specific
"An AI note-taking app" competes with hundreds. "Meeting notes for therapists, written to HIPAA-friendly templates" competes with almost nobody. Paul Graham's advice applies directly: build "something a small number of people want a large amount" (Paul Graham). Narrow is how new products win.
2. Say it in one sentence
If a stranger can't repeat what your app does after reading your headline, they won't. Write the sentence before you write anything else: who it's for, what it does, why it's better than what they do today.
3. Show, don't describe
People would rather watch than read: in Wyzowl's 2026 survey, 63% said they'd most like to learn about a product from a short video, versus 12% for a text article (Wyzowl). Keep it short, since videos under a minute average a 52% engagement rate in Wistia's data (Wistia). A product that looks considered gets considered.
4. Look like you meant it
Default templates, placeholder copy and stock gradients tell visitors you shipped in a hurry. A clear name, a real domain, consistent colours and one strong visual go a long way.
5. Be where your users are, repeatedly
Standing out isn't one launch; it's showing up in the same few places for weeks with something new each time: a feature, a result, a lesson. See the 30-day launch roadmap.
6. Make your updates visible
Every feature is a reason to post. A short feature announcement video turns a changelog line into something people stop for. Teasr makes one from a page of your site in under 10 minutes, from €39.