Hacker News (HN) is a popular news website for developers, techies, and startups. It has become a go-to resource for those looking for the latest news and updates in the tech industry. HN is similar to Product Hunt in that it works based on upvotes — the more upvotes a post gets, the higher it will appear on the site. This means that the content on HN is curated by its users and mods. The most popular posts are the ones that get the most attention.

If you are a developer or a startup looking to launch your product, HN can be a great platform to showcase your work. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between launching on Product Hunt (PH) and HN and provide some tips on launching your dev tool on HN.

Product Hunt Vs. Hacker News

While launching a product, people often end up with just the Product Hunt. While Product Hunt is a platform focused on product discovery, HN focuses more on news and discussion. PH is filled with tech founders, product folks, and entrepreneurs, while HN is loaded with software professionals, IT guys, and tech enthusiasts. PH engagement is often around the utility and features, while HN is around tech details, functionalities, and features.

In summary, launching on PH may be more beneficial if your product is focused on discovery and utility, while launching on HN may be more beneficial if your product is focused on tech details and functionalities.

We have written a similar blog on launching your dev tool on Product Hunt.

Why is Hacker News Crucial for Dev Tools?

I asked KrunchGPT, a custom GPT built for Dev Marketers or DevRels, why dev tools should launch in HN. It said this:

Targeted Audience : HN is a hub for developers, tech enthusiasts, and industry experts, making it an ideal platform to reach potential users who understand and value developer tools.
Valuable Feedback : The HN community is known for providing insightful and constructive feedback, which can be crucial for refining and improving your tools.
Brand Visibility : Regular engagement on HN increases brand awareness and visibility within the tech community, enhancing your product’s reputation and recognition.
Network Building : HN offers opportunities to connect with industry professionals, potential collaborators, and investors, opening doors for partnerships and growth.
Market Validation and User Acquisition : Positive reception on HN can serve as market validation for your tool and drive significant traffic to your website, aiding in user acquisition.

To give you some examples of how some dev tools leveraged to get more eyes on their product, Groove received 105,000 visits from HN one month before launching their last version. They got 97 signups and 14 paying customers.

How do you launch your dev tool on HN?

If you have decided to launch your dev tool on HN, there is a set of instructions that HN itself provides. I’m sharing a few more tips to help you make the most out of the opportunity:

Create a Proper Story

One of the keys to success on HN is creating a proper story. You need to speak the audience’s language and state the problem statement you’re solving clearly. Tell your story and why you picked this problem to solve. Make sure that your story is compelling and interesting and that it resonates with the HN audience.

Make Your Landing Page More Understandable

Your landing page is the first thing people will see when they click on your HN post. This means that it needs to be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Use visuals and graphics to help explain your product and its features. Make sure that your landing page is optimized for mobile devices and that it loads quickly.

Let’s take these Example 1 & Example 2 threads, and you can see how important having the right messaging on the landing page is.

Set Up a Proper Pricing Page

If you are selling a product, you need to make sure that you have a proper pricing page. This should clearly state the price of your product, any discounts or promotions you are offering, and any other relevant information. Make sure that your pricing page is easy to navigate and that it is optimized for conversions.

Check Whether All Things Are Working in Your Product

Before launching your dev tool on HN, you must ensure everything is working properly. Test your product thoroughly and check whether all its features work as intended. Make sure that there are no bugs or glitches that could cause problems for users.

Use Repo Instead of Landing Pages

One of the best ways to showcase your product on HN is to use your repository instead of a landing page. Given that most HN users are techies, redirecting them to your GitHub repo can lead to stars and forks, which in turn increase your product’s visibility. Ensure that your README file is as good as your landing page and updated regularly.

Make a Direct Title Stating the Intent

Your title is one of the most important parts of your HN post. It needs to be direct and to the point and clearly state your post’s intent. Make sure that your title has “Show HN” or “Launch HN” in front of it. Don’t try to sell to the audience and definitely stay away from clickbait titles like “5 ways to solve X problem”, “How to solve X problem using our solution”. I suggest you to give it a read our previous blog on how to create content for developer communities.

Post Multiple Times

Posting your dev tool on HN multiple times can increase its visibility and reach. However, you need to be careful not to overdo it. Posting too often can be seen as spammy and may result in your posts being flagged or removed. A good rule of thumb is to post once every few weeks or when you have a major update or new feature to showcase.

Set Up Analytics to Track Your Visitors

Finally, you need to set up analytics to track your visitors. Use tools like Krunch to track the visitors from your HN traffic. This will help you see how many people visit your landing page and sign up for your product. Use this information to optimize your landing page and to improve your product.

Other Small Things You Need to Take Care of

In addition to the tips above, there are some other small things that you need to take care of when launching your dev tool on HN. These include:

Avoid Sharing Link: Don’t share the direct link of your posts and ask for upvotes. HN won’t consider the upvotes coming from direct links
Office Upvotes don’t count: HN considers one upvote per IP address. If your ask your employees who are all in the same IP upvote your post, you will just see one. Once you add your post, you can see that under Newest. Ask your friends from different IP to upvote.
Timing your launch: Weekends tend to have less competition but have good traffic. Weekdays during working hours are also good to go.
Engaging with your comments: Respond to comments on your post and engage with your audience to build a community around your product.
Leveraging your network to start the conversation: Use your social media channels and personal network to promote your HN post and drive traffic to your landing page.
Being mindful of how you talk: Make sure that you are respectful and professional in all of your interactions on HN. This will help you to build a positive reputation and to gain the trust of your audience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, launching your dev tool on HN can be a great way to showcase your work and reach a wider audience. By following the tips outlined in this post, you can increase your chances of success and make the most out of this opportunity. Remember to create a compelling story, make your landing page more understandable, set up a proper pricing page, check that all things are working in your product, use a repository instead of a landing page, make a direct title stating the intent, post multiple times, set up analytics to track your visitors and take care of other small things.

A Guide To Launch Your Dev Tool on Hacker News — Track Where Your Conversions Came From

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