# Profectus — Distribution Playbook

Cost-effective acquisition plan post-launch. Companion to profectus-monetization.md.

## 1. The community path (how "no links" still recruits users)

The mechanics: on Reddit, credibility compounds at account level, and most conversions happen off-platform (people google the name). The path:
1. Account transparently affiliated (e.g. u/ProfectusTeam), listed in profile + a "What is Profectus?" pinned wiki/profile post.
2. 80% of activity = genuinely answering method questions (rest-pause, myo-reps, DC, time-efficiency) with substance, no links. People who value the answers click the profile; that is the path.
3. 20% = method explainers posted where rules allow, linking the app. Many subs (r/naturalbodybuilding etc.) have weekly self-promo threads.
4. Branded account for method content + a personal-voice account for debate is possible but keep both fully transparent about affiliation.

## 2. Reddit bot — feasible, with one constraint

Autonomous posting by a bot violates Reddit's content policy (platform manipulation) and sub rules; accounts get shadowbanned and the brand burns. The workable version (human-in-the-loop):
- A Hermes cron job monitors target subreddits + forums via RSS/search for keywords (rest pause, myo reps, Doggcrapp, partial reps, time under tension, "training time").
- Each hit: draft a suggested reply trained on the guide/articles voice, with a note on which sub-rule applies (link allowed / no link).
- Delivered to the user (Telegram) for one-tap approve/edit/post from his own account.
- Optionally the bot also scores opportunities (thread age, upvotes, competition).
This keeps authenticity (the thing that actually converts) and is fully compliant. Implementation when service is live.

## 3. SEO realism + keyword process

Yes, realistically winnable for long-tail: head terms (workout tracker app) are hopeless; specific queries (rest pause program, myo-reps calculator, rest pause vs drop sets, 27 second rest partials) have weak competition — several current ranking results are thin AI-generated calculator pages. Existing corpus (28 articles) is the substrate; process:
- Monthly keyword harvest: Google autocomplete + People Also Ask + competitor gaps on the method terms; topics must fit the guide's philosophy (no listicles-for-robots).
- Rule: every article answers a real training question first, mentions the app second.
- Judge nothing before 90 days; track impressions (free: Search Console) not vanity rankings.
A Hermes bot can automate the monthly keyword harvest + draft article briefs for approval.

## 4. Tools page (researched, competition is weak)

Verified: existing rest-pause calculators are sparse and mostly AI-generated sludge (calculatorcollection.org score toy, novacalculator cluster-timer). Opportunity confirmed. Candidate tools (all client-side, no login):
1. Rest-pause working-weight calculator: input last straight-set weight x reps -> partial-set targets (the app's own engine exposed).
2. Myo-rep / rest-pause set builder: load, activation reps, cluster size -> full scheme + total TUT vs straight set, time saved.
3. Session-time calculator: N exercises x sets -> session duration (the guide's math, interactive).
4. 1RM + percentage table (classic, competitive but good internal linker).
5. Rest-pause vs drop sets vs straight sets comparison table (SEO anchor page).
6. Warm-up ladder generator (the app's 50/75/90 scheme).
Placement: /tools, reachable when logged out; each tool page ~300 words of genuine method context + soft CTA to the app. Also the natural landing targets for SEO.

## 5. Landing page (spec, philosophy-aligned)

Current state: login wall only. Proposed public start page structure (no tracking, no banner needed):
1. Hero: name + one-line promise ("A strength program that takes an hour and forces progress" / final wording TBD), one primary CTA: "Try it free, no email needed" + secondary: "Read the method" (guide).
2. The method in 5 bullets (partial sets to failure, 27s rest, one working set, progression forced, 2-4 sessions/week) linking guide + key articles.
3. How it works: 3 screenshots/steps (pick program, log partial sets, beat last time).
4. Who it is for / not for (from you-are-wrong): time-poor, wants results, not gym-dwellers. Honesty as conversion device.
5. Privacy line: no email required, no ads, no tracking, anonymous possible.
6. Team recommendations + most-read (the Extra content as proof of substance).
7. Footer: imprint/privacy links (legal layer), tools links.
Principles: no fake testimonials, no countdowns, no cookie banner, load <1s, works logged-out. Build item, medium effort (new route + copy).

## 6. Channel/site list (fitness + method + lifehacking)

Fitness/method:
- r/naturalbodybuilding, r/leangains, r/HypertrophyTraining, r/strength_training, r/GYM, r/workout, r/homegym (dumbbell variant), r/bodyweightfitness (minimal-equipment angle), r/xxfitness
- HIT-adjacent (closest method neighbors, high intent): T-Nation HIT forum threads, EliteFitness Doggcrapp threads, IronMagazine, MuscleChemistry, intensemusclemagazine forum community, Baye.com blog comments, myo-reps content comment sections
- Method search terms on YouTube comments (under rest-pause/myo-rep videos)

Launch/product:
- Product Hunt, Hacker News (Show HN: privacy + anonymous angle), IndieHackers, BetaList, r/SideProject, r/IMadeThis, r/AlphaandBetausers, r/roastmystartup (feedback-first), AlternativeTo.net, SaaSHub, Slant

Lifehacking / self-optimization (the "hack building muscle" positioning):

The frame: Profectus IS a lifehack in the classic sense — minimum effective dose (Tim Ferriss language this audience already speaks), heavy logging (quantified-self instinct), time as the scarce resource. The pitch writes itself: "the MED of building muscle, with the logging to prove it works."

Channels:
- r/Biohackers, r/BiohackStack — MED/self-experiment framing fits natively
- r/QuantifiedSelf — logging is the core QS behavior; our angle is "the spreadsheet that lifts back"
- r/HubermanLab, r/PeterAttia — large, science-literate audiences; enter via mechanism discussions (fiber recruitment, phosphagen recovery, volume-efficiency research), never as product spam; skepticism is high, so lead with the research the method is built on
- r/getdisciplined, r/productivity, r/DecidingToBeBetter — time-prioritization angle ("an hour a week to never think about programming again")
- r/minimalism — equipment minimalism variant (two dumbbells, one corner)
- r/leangains adjacent + fasting communities — appetite/discipline overlap (the lose-the-fat-first article)
- Hacker News — "Show HN" framed as self-optimization + privacy engineering, not fitness; HN rewards the anonymous-first, no-tracking build
- Tim Ferriss / 4HB legacy audience — the 4-hour-body generation is aging into exactly our target demographic; blog comments and the r/4hourbody sub

Caution: biohacking audiences are saturated with hype and aggressively allergic to it. The brand's plain-voice, no-hype register is the asset here; posts must read as engineering notes, not marketing. Expect slower, smaller but higher-quality conversions than fitness subs.

Swiss later: local angle only once imprint/company exists.

Rules of engagement for every channel: read rules first, value-first, disclose affiliation, never cross-post the same text, never argue by sock puppet.

## 7. Sequencing

Phase A (launch week): seed circle + landing page + tools page + launch listings.
Phase B (weeks 2-12): community rhythm (~3h/week), 1-2 articles/month, affiliate micro-creators.
Phase C (quarter 2+): double down only on channels showing activation + retention; consider first paid experiment only if LTV evidence justifies.