“My product is live on Product Hunt! I would love your support.”
I see a variation of this message on my Twitter feed at least once per week.
Launching on Product Hunt has become a rite of passage for entrepreneurs.
Initially, it was to be THE place to discover and share new tech products.
Now it’s better known as the top place to launch your startup. But this process can feel like a rollercoaster. And before jumping in, you need to make sure your seatbelt is fastened.
This is how your launch could look like
Imagine it’s Thursday morning. You’re sipping your coffee as you watch the influx of new customers increase. Your notifications are buzzing, and emails are flooding in—most of them from new paying customers, all thanks to your successful Product Hunt launch.
This isn’t a fantasy. There are makers out there that have experienced this.
Today, I’ll share with you advice from people that have gotten thousands of new subscribers and gotten thousands in earnings from their launches.
Today, I’ll share advice from people who’ve gotten thousands of subscribers and a spike in revenue from their Product Hunt launches.
Here are 5 things you should do before your launch.
1. Set a clear goal
The first step is to define what you want to achieve with your launch.
“Upvotes are really just a means to an end. They are coupons you exchange for traffic. It’s what you do with that traffic that matters,” says Harry Dry. He used his Product Hunt launch to grow his newsletter Marketing Examples, from 1,300 to 3,300 subscribers in less than 72 hours.
Erbil Yaman from Teamble, an employee feedback and performance app, used their launch to refine their customer persona and go-to-market strategy. The result? They became the #1 Product of the Day, and their success extended far beyond Product Hunt, leading to features in major platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
2. Find the right hunter
Finding the right hunter—someone who will post your product on Product Hunt—is key.
Stefan Bader, CEO of Cello, credits their successful launch to working with top hunter Chris Messina, who was aligned with their goals and had credibility in their space. Their launch resulted in a significant boost in website impressions, visitor sessions, and most importantly, a 170% increase in qualified sign-ups.
Alexander Isora, who has launched 16 projects on Product Hunt, including a 2nd place Golden Kitty Awards, advises seeking out an experienced hunter whose background aligns with your product. Though a hunter’s follower count isn’t as critical as it once was, having a top hunter can still help you get featured faster.
3. Promote your launch to your audience
Having a base of followers ready to support your launch is invaluable.
Max Haining, founder of 100 Days of No Code, waited a year before launching on Product Hunt. By then, he had built a strong community and brand awareness, which helped him rank first on Product Hunt and gain 3,000 new email sign-ups.
Himanshu Mishra is the creator of the browser extension Hoverify. Himanshu credits his Product Hunt success to the connections he built on Twitter and Makerlog. These connections helped him gain the initial attention that led to +450 upvotes and new customers.
4. Reach out to launch promoters
One-to-one outreach can be time-consuming but incredibly effective.
Ali Abouelatta treated his Product Hunt launch like a traditional sales process. By setting up a CRM and getting 52 people on board to tweet about his launch, he gained over 4,000 new subscribers for his First 1000 newsletter.
Similarly, the team behind SuperPowered, an AI note-taker, reached out to influential founders on Twitter who had large followings among their target audience. This strategy helped them secure their first 100 paying users.
5. Get your content right
Your Product Hunt page should be clear, concise, and visually appealing.
Kaus Manjita from Mason, a Shopify app, emphasizes the importance of your video, cover art, and copy. These are the first things people see, so they need to resonate with your audience. For Mason, getting the content right helped them become the #1 Product of the Day and win a Golden Kitty Award.
Julien Nahum, creator of NotionForms, learned the hard way that preparation is key. After an accidental early launch, he regrouped, created strong visuals, and prepared a demo page, leading to a successful re-launch and the top spot on Product Hunt.
Getting to the top of Product Hunt takes preparation. What you do before your launch day can increase your chances of success.
And your the value of your network is right at the top. Whether it’s hunters or followers, it’s the people who’ll help you reach that #1 spot.
I’m planning to launch UpGroves on Product Hunt once I reach 1,000 subscribers. Hopefully, I’ll get there soon!
But now I want to hear from you.
What strategies will you apply to your next launch?
