[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-article-how-i-calmly-grew-my-chrome-extension-to-100k-users-in-5-years":3},{"meta":4,"html":33,"authorName":34,"authorFacebookUrl":35,"authorProfileImage":36,"authorWebsite":37,"authorJobTitle":38,"authorTwitterUrl":39,"wordCount":40,"recommended":41},{"id":5,"slug":6,"type":7,"title":8,"excerpt":9,"metaTitle":10,"metaDescription":10,"canonicalUrl":10,"featureImage":11,"publishedAt":17,"createdAt":18,"updatedAt":19,"featured":20,"readingTime":21,"tags":22,"author":32,"recommendedSlugs":10},"6763c386b98706751d677f49","how-i-calmly-grew-my-chrome-extension-to-100k-users-in-5-years","post","How I Calmly Grew My Chrome Extension to 100K Users In 5 Years","Mind-changing lessons learned on my journey to build a stress-free side project.",null,{"url":12,"alt":13,"caption":14,"width":15,"height":16},"\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2024\u002F12\u002Fwexor-tmg-L-2p8fapOA8-unsplash.jpg","Photo by Wexor Tmg on Unsplash","\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\">Photo by \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002F@wexor?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\">Wexor Tmg\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"> on \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Funsplash.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fbrown-turtle-swimming-underwater-L-2p8fapOA8?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash\">\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\">Unsplash\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>",1920,1200,"2024-06-04T06:58:00.000+00:00","2024-12-19T06:56:06.000+00:00","2024-12-19T06:59:50.000+00:00",false,4,[23,26,29],{"name":24,"slug":25},"My Journey","my-journey",{"name":27,"slug":28},"Side Hustle","side-hustle",{"name":30,"slug":31},"Side Projects","side-projects","marius-bongarts","\u003Cp>\n  We all want to change the world, ideally earn a lot of money in the process, and preferably do it as quickly as\n  possible.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  We tend to set the bar high for ourselves. Sadly, this often results in letdowns. This is where many of us throw in\n  the towel. But, it’s crucial to realize that overnight success is rare.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  In this piece, I want to share a few tips that kept me going and helped my Chrome Extension reach 100K users in 5\n  years 🐢\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3 id=\"don%E2%80%99t-rush\">Don’t Rush\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>\n  Most solopreneurs start their side hustle next to their full-time job. That’s why most of us have time. Still, many of\n  us are rushing!\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>The day you stop racing is the day you win the race. — Bob Marley\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  Nowadays, so many \"overnight\" success stories bombard us. We believe that if our side project doesn’t go through the\n  roof in the next few months, we fail.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it’s a fact that true success rarely happens overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  I am building\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n    rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n  >\n    Web Highlights\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  now for over 5 years, and it took me over a year to gain my first 10 users.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>TEN users!\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption\">\n  \u003Cimg\n    src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn-images-1.medium.com\u002Fmax\u002F1600\u002F1*mIOZY3nMFTcNp0rrh31qFw.png\"\n    class=\"kg-image\"\n    alt=\"Weekly users over time — Web Highlights Chrome Extension\"\n    loading=\"lazy\"\n    width=\"1600\"\n    height=\"368\"\n  \u002F>\n  \u003Cfigcaption>\n    \u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap\">Weekly users over time — \u003C\u002Fspan>\n    \u003Ca\n      href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n      target=\"_self\"\n      rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n    >\n      \u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre-wrap\">Web Highlights Chrome Extension\u003C\u002Fspan>\n    \u003C\u002Fa>\n  \u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\n\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>And honestly, all of those 10 users were friends and family!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  A few months later, the first unknown user signed up — I couldn’t be happier. It took me another whole year to\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002F@mariusbongarts\u002Fmy-journey-to-the-first-9-99-with-my-side-project-3edc13dd1f2d\"\n    rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n  >\n    make my first $9.99\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  .\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.\n  \u003Cbr \u002F>\n  ― Bill Gates\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>If your financial situation doesn’t rely on your product, don’t rush; take your time.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Build habits around your side hustle. Improve your product every day and ensure to create an outstanding product your\n  customers love.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Growth will follow, it just takes time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  Instead of trying to be a Lion in business, I strive to be a Tortoise. — \n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fu\u002F3c68f7b89b81\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Cameron Scott\u003C\u002Fa>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  To sum this up,\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedium.com\u002Fu\u002F1753cee1bce5\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Paul Graham\u003C\u002Fa>\n  would say:\n  \u003Cem>“Build something 100 people love, not something 1 million people kind of like.”\u003C\u002Fem>\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3 id=\"don%E2%80%99t-measure-yourself-against-an-ideal\">Don’t Measure Yourself Against An Ideal\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>\n  It’s deep in our genes that we always want more. We rush from milestone to milestone, but forget about what we already\n  achieved.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002F\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Web Highlights\u003C\u002Fa>\n  is bringing in about $1,000 every month. That’s awesome and beyond what I had hoped for. I’m really proud of hitting\n  this milestone.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  But then I’ll glance at other Chrome Extensions with a similar user base and notice they’re making millions in\n  revenue, with an entire team behind them. This realization brings me down and plunges me into a mental state that Dun\n  Sullivan calls \"The GAP\":\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  There are two ways in which you can measure yourself: against an ideal, which puts you in what I call ‘the GAP,’ and\n  against your starting point, which puts you in ‘the GAIN,’ appreciating all that you’ve accomplished.\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  Whenever we are in “\n  \u003Cem>the GAP,”\u003C\u002Fem>\n  we are looking at all the things we could have achieved. This can lead to stress, demotivation, and feelings of\n  sadness. Instead, we should transform our mental state into the\n  \u003Cem>“GAIN”\u003C\u002Fem>\n  and look at all the things we have achieved.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, instead of looking at others, we should look at ourselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>The GAIN creates freedom. The GAP makes you a slave to your unhealthy need. — Dan Sullivan\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\n  This concept has helped me a lot. Whenever I start to compare myself to other businesses, I remind myself to turn my\n  mental state to “the GAIN” and look at all the things I have achieved instead:\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n  \u003Cli>\n    My\n    \u003Ca\n      href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n      rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n    >\n      app\n    \u003C\u002Fa>\n    is making digital research easier for over 100,000 users worldwide.\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\n    I consistently receive heartwarming emails from users expressing their gratitude for how much the app helps them.\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n  \u003Cli>\n    My\n    \u003Ca\n      href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n      rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n    >\n      Chrome Extension\n    \u003C\u002Fa>\n    has an average rating of 4.8 stars with over 1,600 ratings, outshining most extensions in the store.\n  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Yes, true, it’s not making me a living yet. Still, it’s making me a decent amount of passive income every month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Reflecting on my past goals is helpful for me. Every time I do that, I realize that I have already achieved much more\n  than I ever expected.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  So, here is my tip: Next time you feel stressed because you compare yourself to others, don’t focus on what you could\n  do next. Instead, take a moment to appreciate what you’ve already accomplished.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3 id=\"build-a-great-product-first\">Build A Great Product First\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Marketing is important — but it’s not everything. Nowadays, you often hear statements like these:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  \u003Cem>\n    Even the greatest ideas need a megaphone. Without marketing, they’re just whispers in the wind. — Jeffrey Eisenberg\n    in The Rice and Beans Millionaire\n  \u003C\u002Fem>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>or this one:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n  \u003Cem>\n    Great products don’t sell themselves; marketing is the storyteller that brings them to life. — Seth Godin in This Is\n    Marketing\n  \u003C\u002Fem>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Cp>Many solopreneurs hear that and focus everything on marketing while forgetting to build a great product first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  I have realized that for myself a few months ago. I was focusing on Marketing and SEO and gained millions of\n  impressions on Google for\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002F\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">web-highlights.com\u003C\u002Fa>\n  .\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Still, I always knew that my product is not yet perfect. Recently, I saw this tweet about two paths we can take:\n  either\n  \u003Cstrong>make a better product\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  or\n  \u003Cstrong>create a mediocre one with more marketing\u003C\u002Fstrong>\n  .\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  While both strategies are viable, I feel like doing marketing for a “shitty” product shouldn’t be something you should\n  aim for.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am a true believer that, if you build an awesome product, it will be recognized sooner or later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Improve your product, create something incredible, and let time do its thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr \u002F>\n\u003Cp>Thanks for reading!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  Want to learn more about how I scaled my\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n    rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n  >\n    Chrome Extension\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  to almost 100,000 users as a solopreneur? Follow me on\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fmarius-bongarts-6b3638171\u002F\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">LinkedIn\u003C\u002Fa>\n  and\n  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FMariusBongarts\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Twitter\u003C\u002Fa>\n  .\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\n  If you read a lot online, make sure to check out my\n  \u003Ca\n    href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fchromewebstore.google.com\u002Fdetail\u002Fweb-highlights-pdf-web-hi\u002Fhldjnlbobkdkghfidgoecgmklcemanhm\"\n    rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"\n  >\n    Chrome Extension\n  \u003C\u002Fa>\n  loved by 100k+ active user — it’s free and no account is needed.\n\u003C\u002Fp>\n","Marius Bongarts","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FMariusBongartsWeb","\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2022\u002F08\u002FIMG_7861_Square.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fmarius-bongarts.de\u002F","Founder & Software Engineer","https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002FMariusBongarts",966,[42,75,92],{"id":43,"slug":44,"title":45,"description":46,"url":47,"publishedAt":48,"createdAt":49,"updatedAt":50,"featured":20,"readingTime":51,"tags":52,"imageUrl":55,"imageAlt":56,"faviconUrl":57,"publishedAtString":48,"category":58,"readTimeString":74},"688719cf8b4b770aa39407fc","my-simple-strategy-for-3-268-5-star-chrome-extension-reviews","My Simple Strategy for 3,268 5‑Star Chrome Extension Reviews","Get 37x more reviews than Grammarly with this simple strategy. Learn the Win-Ask Method to boost your Chrome extension ratings and user engagement.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fmy-simple-strategy-for-3-268-5-star-chrome-extension-reviews\u002F","2025-07-28T06:48:26.000+00:00","2025-07-28T06:33:51.000+00:00","2025-07-28T07:04:33.000+00:00",6,[53,30,27,54],"Marketing","Chrome Extension","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1633613286991-611fe299c4be?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHJhdGluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTM2ODQ0MzR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000","Five yellow star-shaped objects placed diagonally on a pink and blue background.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Ffavicon.ico",[59,67],{"type":25,"title":60,"shortTitle":24,"icon":61,"description":62,"excerpt":63,"thumbnail":64},"Behind the Scenes of Web Highlights","rocket","Hey 👋 I am Marius. I started Web Highlights in 2019 as a tool just for myself and have been working on it alone since then. Learn from my mistakes and stories right from the beginning how I grew the Chrome Extension to 250K users without any marketing costs.","These posts are the honest build log of Web Highlights: what worked, what hurt, and what I’d do again. If you care about indie products, Chrome extensions, or SEO-led growth, you’ll find practical lessons alongside the personal story.",{"url":65,"alt":66},"https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fimages\u002Fme.png","Me, Marius Bongarts, in front of sea in Portugal, Algarve",{"type":68,"title":69,"shortTitle":70,"icon":71,"description":72,"excerpt":73},"productivity","Browser Productivity & Chrome Extensions","Productivity","command","Curated extension lists, focus workflows, and tips for getting more from Chrome—always with an eye toward reading, capture, and learning.","Productivity isn’t only task managers. These articles cover the browser layer: extensions that protect focus, comparisons that save you from dead-end tools, and setup tips that keep your reading and capture stack lightweight but powerful.","6 min read",{"id":76,"slug":77,"title":78,"description":79,"url":80,"publishedAt":81,"createdAt":82,"updatedAt":81,"featured":20,"readingTime":51,"tags":83,"imageUrl":86,"imageAlt":87,"faviconUrl":57,"publishedAtString":81,"category":88,"readTimeString":74},"671f386db98706751d677b5f","how-to-show-a-link-preview-on-any-website","How To Show A Beautiful Link Preview On Any Website","Easily add link previews to any website using the open-source Previewbox library. Works with any framework, fetching Open Graph data automatically.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-show-a-link-preview-on-any-website\u002F","2024-10-29T20:25:55.000+00:00","2024-10-28T07:08:29.000+00:00",[84,85],"Web Development","SEO","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2024\u002F10\u002F0_dkKw8Q1T3dUhNBo7.jpg","Lake with mountains in background",[89,91],{"type":25,"title":60,"shortTitle":24,"icon":61,"description":62,"excerpt":63,"thumbnail":90},{"url":65,"alt":66},{"type":68,"title":69,"shortTitle":70,"icon":71,"description":72,"excerpt":73},{"id":93,"slug":94,"title":95,"description":96,"url":97,"publishedAt":98,"createdAt":99,"updatedAt":100,"featured":20,"readingTime":101,"tags":102,"imageUrl":104,"imageAlt":105,"faviconUrl":57,"publishedAtString":98,"category":106,"readTimeString":109},"66ed6878e07b961e2f231a8f","lessons-from-a-bamboo-tree-staying-motivated-on-my-side-project","Five Years to 100K Users: The Bamboo Tree Story for Side Project Growth","Discover how a bamboo tree can inspire solopreneurs to stay motivated on side projects. Learn the value of delayed gratification on the journey to success.","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Flessons-from-a-bamboo-tree-staying-motivated-on-my-side-project\u002F","2024-09-22T20:17:54.000+00:00","2024-09-20T12:20:08.000+00:00","2024-09-24T07:00:43.000+00:00",7,[24,103,30,27],"Story","https:\u002F\u002Fweb-highlights.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F2024\u002F09\u002F0_JjFAqJ78cyJMViqZ.webp","Tall Bamboo Tree",[107],{"type":25,"title":60,"shortTitle":24,"icon":61,"description":62,"excerpt":63,"thumbnail":108},{"url":65,"alt":66},"7 min read"]