yupi-translate-app[bot]
8.7 KiB
Why Monetize a Product?
Understand the "why" to do it better
Hello everyone, I'm Yupi. Before creating a product, the first question we must ask ourselves is: Why are we making it?
Only then should we consider how to do it and how to do it better.
In this article, I'll share my thought process before monetizing an AI product, using my own experience as an example. I hope this helps you clarify your goals and direction before starting your product journey.
The "Benefit"
Why create my own AI product? The answer is simple: Benefit.
Benefit here refers to gains, but it's not limited to money—it can manifest in various forms, including material, mental, and emotional rewards. For instance, I spent two years sharing free programming knowledge early on, completely disregarding "material" benefits at the time. It was more about passion and the positive feedback from helping my followers—benefits of the mind and heart.
You've probably heard the term "benefiting others." Why do that? At its core, it's also about benefiting oneself. On one hand, you gain satisfaction from helping others—mental and emotional benefits—and on the other, it can bring material rewards, killing two birds with one stone. This is why I personally advocate for this approach.
So, I began thinking: What are the different layers of benefit in creating an AI product?
Material Gains
Starting a company and building a product naturally comes with the hope of making money.
Why an AI product? As everyone knows, AI is currently a "typhoon-level" opportunity—a bigger wave than mobile internet.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize this at first. At the time, I was still working at Tencent, with little time to focus on AI, dismissing it as another media hype. But by February-March, I sensed something was off. Not only were major companies worldwide making moves, but even my "slacker" colleagues started talking about AI and GPT?! Add to that the surge of viral AI-related videos and daily unexpected developments, and it hit me: Damn, the opportunity is here!
To be honest, my resignation was partly influenced by AI. While I'd planned to leave anyway, AI was the final push off the cliff.
In short, I'm bullish on AI's growth. Those who stay ahead of the times inevitably reap greater material rewards, so I decided I had to enter the AI game!
Mental and Emotional Gains
Beyond material gains, I place more emphasis on mental and emotional rewards. I've always valued freedom—whether it was sharing knowledge or later monetizing it, these were areas I loved. I didn't want to chase money for money's sake and end up constrained.
From observing peers who also shared programming content, I noticed that if you're not passionate about something and merely imitate others for profit, you might scrape some crumbs, but you'll never make it big.
For me, diving into AI—constantly engaging with and learning cutting-edge knowledge—is just "so cool!" I love experimenting and sharing. Honestly, my accumulated traditional frontend/backend tech stack and development experience are already sufficient to build most products. I also crave a foothold in a new field. AI, to me, is a mysterious and uncharted territory, and the process of learning and practicing it feels incredibly exhilarating—that's my mental reward.
Once you've clarified your benefits, it's time for deeper reflection.
Question 1: Why Build a Product?
How can we leverage AI for benefit? The answer lies above: Stay ahead of the times.
If you keep pace with the era, spot opportunities others miss, and access information others can't, you'll reap rewards.
Some classic examples:
- Start a media channel sharing AI-generated text and images to amaze those unfamiliar with AI.
- Offer training with AI tutorials to introduce AI to beginners.
- Build products integrating global AI models to make AI accessible to more people.
- Conduct research, stay updated on the latest tech, and write groundbreaking papers.
With so many options, why choose product development?
First, in terms of difficulty, media and training are feasible for most with some time investment, while research isn't my forte, so products are the sweet spot.
Products come in many forms—courses, apps, or services. I chose to make Yucongming AI a website because:
- I have extensive experience building websites—it's easy for me.
- Websites are low-cost information carriers with broad accessibility.
- Websites can integrate diverse technologies and applications, offering limitless potential.
From a benefit perspective, websites reach more users and allow flexible development, naturally creating more opportunities. Continuously refining a "limitless potential" project also excites me—building a website is like raising a child, watching it grow brings immense satisfaction.
Question 2: Should I Really Do This?
While the above points are compelling, they only place AI products on my optional list—something I "could do."
But whether to proceed requires comparing it with other plans through cost-benefit analysis.
This is especially crucial for those with limited time. Ideally, we'd "have it all"—profitable ventures we're technically capable of. But reality often limits us to 2-3 concurrent tasks before exhaustion sets in, necessitating trade-offs.
Like programming students facing countless "opportunities"—lab work, competitions, internships, side gigs—and temptations. But you must clarify your goals and ask: Is this truly the highest ROI choice right now?
For me, dedicating 2-4 hours daily to product exploration, plus two team members assisting in development, makes completing this AI product entirely feasible. The potential benefits are immeasurable (since you never know until you try). So why not give it a shot?
Question 3: With So Many Similar Products, Should I Still Proceed?
Before starting my AI product, many questioned why I'd bother when countless similar "wrapper" products already exist.
-
Opportunities remain abundant. Stepping outside my bubble, research showed that truly understanding and using AI is still rare. Many have only glimpsed AI through media—most remain outsiders.
-
Are "wrapper" products meaningless? So-called wrappers exist because pioneers paved the way—these are gifts we should embrace. Wrappers aren't inherently bad or unworthy, but we shouldn't stop there. We can add innovations atop them, making them our own.
It's like projects—you can expand on existing ones, adding unique touches to make them distinct.
Also, many programmers get overly technical, obsessing over advanced features while forgetting tech serves business and products serve users. Even similar products offer room for innovation in UX and workflows.
- Resources reign supreme. In today's landscape, most tech isn't the bottleneck, nor is product innovation. Frankly, with resources and business acumen, you can replicate others' innovations overnight, right?
With some initial traction, I could more easily navigate the cold start phase and stand out with a bit more effort.
Considering these factors, I was set on creating my own AI product. But before starting, one last step—preparing for the worst.
Preparing for the Worst
This is my usual approach—always have an exit strategy.
What's the worst-case scenario for this AI product? Maybe: No profit, wasted time, mental strain, some wasted traffic.
But on the bright side, even if it fails:
- I won't go bankrupt.
- The system remains usable.
- I can share the experience as content.
- Gain failure experience.
I can accept this trial period. So, just do it!
Final Thoughts
Above is my pre-product thought process. Whether you're using Vibe Coding for personal projects or building value-driven products, consider these questions first:
- Why this product? (Benefit analysis)
- Should I really do it? (Cost-benefit analysis)
- Are there similar products? Still proceed? (Competitive analysis)
- What's the worst-case scenario? (Risk assessment)
Clarifying these will sharpen your focus and boost motivation.
In the Vibe Coding era, product barriers are low. With ideas and willingness to try, you can create something valuable.
Go for it—I look forward to seeing your product! 💪
Recommended Resources
- Yupi's AI Directory: AI Resources, Latest News, Free Tutorials
- Programming Navigation Learning Circle: Roadmaps, Tutorials, Projects, Career Guides, Q&A
- Programmer Interview Cheatsheet: Intern/New Grad/Job-Hop FAQs, Company Insights
- Resume Builder for Coders: Professional Templates, Rich Examples, Interview Prep
- 1-on-1 Mock Interviews: Essential for Intern/New Grad/Job-Hop Offers