A Quick Guide to Launch on Product Hunt

I had the honor to "hunt" two products on Product Hunt (both of these products were made by the company I work for, CrabNebula), during this period I learned a few stuff and since I'm preparing for my 3rd launch I thought to share with you all my strategy for launching successful products.

The 2nd time I launched I had already improved my strategy since the 1st time, and now that I'm preparing for my 3rd one I'm quite confident that we'll have even better results.

Here is my profile if anyone wants to follow me.

Introduction

I'll start with some general tips for hunters, things you should do, and things that you shouldn't, and in between I'll share some more specific tips and insights from my own learnings.

Launching a product on Product Hunt can be an exciting opportunity to gain exposure and feedback.

Note: From now on, I'll call Product Hunt -> PH.

Tips for first-time hunters on Product Hunt

Prepare a Strong Launch

Investing time in preparing for your launch is crucial. Crafting a compelling and concise tagline that clearly communicates what your product does can make a significant difference.

💡Personal example: In my company, I use the same tagline we have on the website for the product to the PH page too.

Additionally, creating eye-catching visuals, including a well-designed logo and screenshots that showcase your product's features, can help attract attention and make a strong first impression.

💡Personal example: This is one of the images we used for the launch.

Engage with the Product Hunt Community

Joining the Product Hunt community before your launch is essential to understand the dynamics and engage with other hunters and makers. Participating in discussions, upvoting other products, and building relationships within the community can help you gain valuable insights and support for your launch.

💡Personal experience: The 1st time I was launching I didn't really do that... Yes, I upvoted some products but that was not enough... After the launch, a lot of people DM me, especially on LinkedIn and tried to introduce me to their products. That was an interesting way for them to engage with me and ask for my upvote. A lot of times they offer back their help by upvoting my next product.

Choose the Right Day and Time

That one is challenging... Timing matters on Product Hunt. Launching your product when there's higher traffic, typically during weekdays (Tuesday to Thursday) and during the morning hours in the Pacific Time Zone, can maximize visibility. Considering time zones is also important to ensure that your product reaches a broader audience.

💡Personal experience:

• But also consider where your most users/clients are. If they're not in Pacific Time Zone then you can post whenever you think they are awake!

• Also, I noticed a lot of solopreneurs launch on the weekends (I assume they have more time for engagement), whereas startups or companies on Mondays to Thursdays.

• If you work in a company and you have a lot of things to prepare I wouldn't suggest Monday because you may not have enough time. I also wouldn't suggest Friday for obvious reasons (if something goes wrong your company will be closed and you will not be able to make significant changes).

Tell a Compelling Story

Crafting a story around your product that resonates with the audience can make it more memorable and relatable. Explain the problem your product solves and how it adds value. Using storytelling can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and make your product stand out.

💡Personal experience: My CEO and CTO helped me to create the "compelling story", they actually wrote it, as well as they were the ones to write the 1st comments which is something really important for PH. If you're working in a company I'd also suggest speaking with the CEO, CTO, or Product manager/Product owner and learning the "story" behind the product.

Be Responsive

I feel this one is self-explanatory: Being prepared to respond to comments and questions promptly is crucial for a successful launch. Engaging with users who provide feedback or ask for more information about your product shows that you are actively involved and open to user input. This can help build trust and foster a positive relationship with your audience.

Offer Exclusive Perks

Providing Product Hunt users with exclusive perks or discounts can encourage them to try your product. This can create a sense of urgency and incentivize early adoption, helping you gain traction quickly.

PH has a really easy interface to help you offer exclusive perks.

Promote Outside Product Hunt

Leveraging your existing audience and networks to drive traffic to your Product Hunt launch can help you reach a wider audience. Sharing the news on your social media, email newsletters, and other relevant platforms can increase visibility and support for your launch.

💡Personal experience: As I mentioned above you can use social media, and newsletters, but also:

• Find subreddits, discord servers, or publish in blogging platforms about your product and mention the launch.

• Go live on social media, youtube, twitch, wherever your audience is. Speak about your product and eventually ask people to check it on PH. You can't force them to upvote but in my opinion, it's ok to ask at least to check it.

• You can also share on social media your progress with visual stats, for example: "In 1 hour we had 34 upvotes - thanks everyone for the support."

Follow Up Post-Launch

Continuing to engage with users after the launch is important for maintaining momentum. Thanking them for their support, addressing any concerns or questions, and providing updates on your progress can help build a loyal user base and foster long-term success.

Once again, PH has a really friendly user interface and you can easily do that.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

There are several common pitfalls that can lead to a less successful launch. 👷‍♂️

• An unclear value proposition can make it difficult for users to understand what problem your product solves, leading to a lack of interest.

• Poor presentation, including low-quality visuals and unprofessional graphics, can negatively impact the perception of your product. (Really, do pay attention to your images, videos or any other visual aspect.)

• Failing to engage with the Product Hunt community can result in missed opportunities, while overhyping or making misleading claims can damage your credibility.

• Ignoring community guidelines, neglecting follow-up, and dismissing user feedback can also be detrimental.

• Rushing the launch without proper preparation, having no clear call-to-action, and relying solely on Product Hunt for promotion can limit your reach and effectiveness.

Conclusion

Launching a product on Product Hunt is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure and valuable feedback. keep in mind that there are other similar platforms to PH and you should also consider launching there (let me know if you need more info about these). By preparing thoroughly, engaging with the community, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can maximize your chances of a successful launch.

Remember, the PH community appreciates authenticity and transparency, so be genuine in your interactions. Additionally, PH has some excellent guides on its own that can provide further insights and tips for a successful launch. (I also recommend these guides as things on PH change pretty frequently).

Last but not least, there are definitely more tips and tricks for a successful launch (for example I didn't even mention the pre-launch/coming soon method) as this article is titled "A Quick Guide to Launch on Product Hunt" 😅, but as always let me know if you need more info!

Good luck with your upcoming launches! Feel free to share your own tips and experiences in the comments below. Let's help each other succeed!

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👋 Hello, I'm Eleftheria, Community Manager, developer, public speaker, and content creator.

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