Before we dive straight into the best Product Hunt launch strategy in 2023, I first want to say how excited we all are at Customers.ai to have InstaChamp LIVE on Product Hunt, today!
We truly appreciate everyone’s support and a special thank you to Hiten Shah for “hunting” InstaChamp today!
Please, let us know what you think about InstaChamp, or if you have any questions at all in the comments section. We will be answering questions in real-time today, so now’s your chance!
Back to how to get your own product to the #1 spot on Product Hunt…
So, you’ve spent months or maybe even years taking an idea and turning it into a useful product for the masses. The time to launch has arrived and you’ve turned to Product Hunt for a big boost.
Lucky for you, I’ve been there a number of times and have helped multiple products reach the #1 spot for the day. And I’m about to share my Product Hunt launch strategy with you!
Follow these six best practices to give your new product its best chance at success!
6 Best Practices for your Product Hunt Launch Strategy
Here’s what we’ll cover in Part 1 of our Product Hunt launch strategy guide for 2021:
- The Product Hunt Maker Checklist.
- Best time to launch on Product Hunt.
- Create a list of questions and answers about your product.
- Build a landing page dedicated to your launch on Product Hunt.
- Read Product Hunt’s own tips on how to launch on Product Hunt!
- Know what not to do on Product Hunt.
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#1. Product Hunt Launch Strategy: Product Hunt Maker Checklist
After a handful of successful Product Hunt launches, I’ve compiled a checklist of things to do before, during, and after your Product Hunt launch.
Follow this checklist and I guarantee you’ll be well on your way to that #1 spot!
Before Launch: How to prepare for your Product Hunt Launch
Before you launch on Product Hunt, here’s a list of action items that I always recommend before going live:
- Content: Have an email, social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), and a blog post ready to go the day of your launch.
- One social media friendly image or GIF: When uploading your images, GIFs, and/or videos, make sure to add at least one image or GIF that’s easily “Tweetable” and shows up well on social media. The recommended image size for this is 635 x 380 pixels.
- List of Questions and Answers: Create a list of questions for your trusted contacts to ask on the day of your launch. More details on this task can be found in Product Hunt launch tip #3.
- Landing page: Build a landing page dedicated to your launch on Product Hunt that highlights an exclusive deal, only available to those who found your product on Product Hunt.
- Product Hunt Collections – Step 1: Create a few Product Hunt Collections and fill them up with products you find complimentary to your own product, such as a tools roundup like “Instagram Marketing Tools” or “Meditation Tools.”
- Start spreading the news: Start mentioning your Product Hunt launch to people you talk to. Chances are they’ll be willing to help you out with an upvote or a comment the day of your launch.
- Find the right person to submit your product on Product Hunt: Ideally you want your “Hunter” to be someone who has submitted multiple products previously, has a large follower base on social media, and has a successful track record of products that finished in the Top 5 on Product Hunt the day of launch. For example, we were lucky enough to get Hiten Shah to be our Hunter. Check out those Product Hunt stats!
During Launch: What to do on the day your product is Live on Product Hunt
- Invite your Team Members and Others: If you haven’t done so already, be sure to invite your team members with the most social media followers to be a Maker on your Product Hunt page.
- Product Hunt Collections – Step 2: Add your product to all of the Product Hunt Collections that you created, as well as to the existing Product Hunt Collections that your product matches up well with.
- Add the first Comment to your Product Hunt page: Once you’ve been granted permissions as a “Maker” on Product Hunt, post the first comment. Explain your vision and mission for the product, your best use cases, and get people excited. Remember, most of the people on Product Hunt are fellow entrepreneurs and startup savvy, so be sure to tell your own personal story (in one or two sentences) and why your product is so important to you. The Product Hunt audience will definitely be able to relate!
- Notify your Company: Tell everyone to drop what they’re doing for a few minutes and to share the news on their own personal social media pages. There’s no excuse for people to not share your product launch!
- Promote! Every asset you’ve created for your Product Hunt launch strategy, whether that’s an email, an SMS text message, boosting a post on Instagram, or all of the above, now is the time to fire on all cylinders.
After Launch: You’ve executed your Product Hunt launch strategy, now what?
Just because your launch day on Product Hunt is over, doesn’t mean your Product Hunt launch strategy is over.
People visit Product Hunt every day to find the latest and greatest tools out there.
So, be sure to write a blog post about your experience on Product Hunt and what you’ve learned. Ideally, target a keyword that you know you can rank for over time and if you’re lucky, your product will continue to get upvotes for years to come.
If you haven’t already, be sure to add your product to every Collections list on Product that makes sense. Don’t get carried away though, your additions will be removed if they do not fit the category descriptions.
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#2. Product Hunt Launch Strategy: Best Time to Launch on Product Hunt
While it’s a good idea to know when to launch on Product Hunt, it’s just as important to know when to not launch on Product Hunt.
Ideally, the best time to launch on Product Hunt is 12:01 am on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
However, avoid Mondays and Fridays if you want to get the most eyes on your product!
#3. Product Hunt Launch Strategy: Create a List of Questions and Answers About your Product
One of the best ways to get to the top of the Product Hunt leaderboard is to get engagement on your product page.
Most people only think about Upvotes when it comes to Product Hunt engagement, but equally as important is to get comments and questions from the Product Hunt audience.
Every Maker on Product Hunt is going to reach out to their network to ask for support on launch day, right?
So, in order to make helping you as easy as possible, create a list of questions you’d prefer to answer, and send 2 or 3 of them to your most trusted contacts to ask on your product page the day of the launch.
For example, “Hey Bob, we’re live on Product Hunt today! Can you do me a huge favor by upvoting and then asking one of the following questions on our product page?”
Then provide them with a few questions to choose from. It’s that simple.
Trust me, you don’t want to skip this step because each question or comment your Product Hunt page receives carries the weight of at least 10 upvotes!
#4. Product Hunt Launch Strategy: Build a Landing Page Dedicated to your Launch on Product Hunt
Product Hunt users love a good deal. Feel free to include a special promotion or offer in your opening comment.
Exclusive launch day offers can increase engagement, help capture people’s attention, and encourage people to try what you’re working on (e.g. 20% off for 6 months). P.S. Giving community members early access by distributing promo codes via the comments can work wonders.
Let visitors to your website know that you’ve been posted on Product Hunt. You can include an embedded Product Hunt badge on your other web pages to directly link visitors to your post on Product Hunt.
#5. Read Through Product Hunt’s Own Tips for How to Launch on Product Hunt!
Number five on our Product Hunt launch strategy list is short and sweet:
Yes, it exists: Read this blog post and follow everything you can that makes sense for your own product launch!
If you follow Product Hunt’s advice, you’ll give yourself the maximum probability of doing well with your launch.
We took the best practices to heart, from the texts to visual assets and launch video, as we wanted to leave as little as possible up for a chance.
#6. Product Hunt Launch Strategy: What Not To Do on Product Hunt
Do not ask for upvotes anywhere: Feel free to ask for feedback, but asking for upvotes is a big no-no. People should upvote the product because they like it, not because they’re peer pressured into doing so.
Don’t spam people: Mass-tweeting/emailing people unsolicited, asking for feedback or upvotes, even if they’ve upvoted similar products in the past isn’t effective. If your timeline is filled with dozens of identical messages, that is not the way to go about it. Be authentic.
Linking to “producthunt.com”: Contrary to popular belief, Product Hunt wants you to link directly to your product page. Linking to “producthunt.com” only makes it harder for people to find you and doesn’t have any effect on the algorithm at all.
It seems to be “common knowledge” that you’re punished for linking directly to your product page — it’s simply not true. Focus on communicating what your product does. P.S. Linking to producthunt.com is one of the clearest indications you may be “over-optimizing” your launch (gaming the system).
It seems to be “common knowledge” that you’re punished for linking directly to your product page — it’s simply not true.
Product Hunt (straight from the horse’s mouth!)
Product Hunt Launch Strategy: Next Steps
We’ll be updating this post soon with our results and what we learned from our Product Hunt launch of InstaChamp!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Product Hunt Launch Strategy
What is Product Hunt?
Product Hunt is an online platform where users can discover and share new products and services.
Why is a Product Hunt launch strategy important?
A well-planned Product Hunt launch strategy can help you gain visibility, attract early adopters, and generate buzz for your product or service.
What are some key tips for a successful Product Hunt launch?
Some key tips for a successful Product Hunt launch include preparing a compelling product description, engaging with the Product Hunt community, leveraging your network, and promoting your launch through various channels.
How can I optimize my Product Hunt listing?
To optimize your Product Hunt listing, make sure to include high-quality visuals, an engaging title, a clear and concise description, relevant tags, and a link to your website or landing page.
Should I promote my Product Hunt launch on social media?
Yes, promoting your Product Hunt launch on social media can help increase visibility and attract more attention to your product or service. Share updates, ask for support, and encourage your followers to check out your Product Hunt listing.