Micro.blog

Manton Reece launched Micro.blog in 2017 after a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $80,000 from 1,600+ backers who wanted a social network that respected ownership. The premise: you blog on your own domain, Micro.blog hosts your site and syndicates your posts to a timeline that others can follow. No algorithmic manipulation, no advertising, no surveillance. Micro.blog was an implementation of the IndieWeb movement's ideals in a consumer-friendly package. Manton had spent decades building indie Mac software and was deeply embedded in the RSS and open web communities. The platform grew slowly but loyally, attracting writers, journalists, and developers who cared about owning their content. Micro.blog expanded to support podcasting and photo hosting under the same subscription. Revenue came from $5/month hosting subscriptions. Manton ran it largely solo, occasionally bringing on help. A principled, sustainable indie social network generating around $20k/month from a community that chose ownership over convenience.