The Best Product Hunt Launch Strategy to be #1 for the Day

Before we dive straight into the best Product Hunt launch strategy , 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:

1. The Product Hunt Maker Checklist.
2. Best time to launch on Product Hunt.
3. Create a list of questions and answers about your product.
4. Build a landing page dedicated to your launch on Product Hunt.
5. Read Product Hunt’s own tips on how to launch on Product Hunt!
6. Know what not to do on Product Hunt.

#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:

1. Content: Have an email, social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), and a blog post ready to go the day of your launch.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.”

6. 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. 
7. 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

1. 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.

2. 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.
3. 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!
4. 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!
5. 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.

#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!

Want to get started with InstaChamp and new Instagram DM automation tools?

Learn how to:

• Increase the reach of your posts on Instagram using Comment Auto-Responders.
• How to get more Instagram Story Mentions, from Neil Patel on how to use his new favorite tool for Instagram!
• Boost conversions on Instagram with these 15 brilliant Instagram auto DM examples.

Are you an affiliate? Get in on the madness that is InstaChamp while it’s still brand new and become a Customers.ai affiliate partner, today!

Instagram accounts that use InstaChamp by MoibileMonkey will generate automated activity and interactions which are perceived as entirely organic. And because you’re able to generate organic engagement at scale, this translates into a huge increase in genuine followers.

Best of all, with Customers.ai, you’ll be working with 100% Instagram-approved engagement tools.

The proof is in the numbers. 75% of consumers also prefer to engage with brands using private messaging channels vs traditional channels.

Get early access to Instagram messaging tools for free!

This is just the tip of the iceberge for InstaChamp. Check out all of the tools and features you get with InstaChamp, here!

Frequently Asked Questions about Product Hunt Launch Strategy

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.

What is Product Hunt, and why is it important for product launches?

Product Hunt is a platform where makers showcase new products to a community of early adopters and tech enthusiasts, providing significant exposure and feedback opportunities.

How does the Product Hunt ranking algorithm work?

The algorithm considers factors like upvotes, comments, engagement quality, and the credibility of voters to determine product rankings.

What are the best days and times to launch on Product Hunt?

Launching at 12:01 AM PST on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday is often recommended due to higher engagement during mid-week.

How can I prepare my team for a Product Hunt launch?

Assign specific roles, create a response plan for comments, and ensure all team members are ready to engage promptly on launch day.

What are common mistakes to avoid during a Product Hunt launch?

Avoid spamming for upvotes, neglecting to engage with commenters, and launching without adequate preparation or understanding of the community.

How can I effectively use visuals in my Product Hunt listing?

Utilize high-quality images, engaging videos, and clear screenshots to showcase your product’s features and benefits.

What role do ‘Hunters’ play in a Product Hunt launch?

Hunters are community members who submit products; collaborating with a well-connected hunter can increase your product’s visibility.

How important is community engagement on Product Hunt?

Active engagement through responding to comments and participating in discussions can boost your product’s visibility and credibility.

Can I launch multiple products on Product Hunt?

Yes, but it’s advisable to space out launches and ensure each product is ready and has a unique value proposition.

How do I handle negative feedback during my Product Hunt launch?

Address negative feedback professionally, seek to understand concerns, and use it as an opportunity to improve your product.

What are some post-launch strategies to maintain momentum after Product Hunt?

Follow up with users, implement feedback, continue engaging with the community, and leverage the exposure gained for further marketing efforts.

How can I measure the success of my Product Hunt launch?

Track metrics such as upvotes, comments, website traffic, user sign-ups, and overall engagement to assess performance.

Is it beneficial to offer special deals or discounts during a Product Hunt launch?

Offering exclusive deals can incentivize users to try your product and increase engagement during the launch.

How can I leverage social media to support my Product Hunt launch?

Promote your launch across social platforms, engage with followers, and encourage them to support your Product Hunt listing.

What are some examples of successful Product Hunt launches?

Products like Dropbox, Notion, and Robinhood have had successful launches, gaining significant user bases and feedback.

How do I choose the right category for my product on Product Hunt?

Select a category that best aligns with your product’s primary function to reach the most relevant audience.

Can I edit my Product Hunt listing after it’s live?

Yes, but major changes are discouraged; ensure all information is accurate and complete before launching.

How does Product Hunt’s ‘Upcoming’ feature work?

The ‘Upcoming’ feature allows you to build an audience before your official launch by sharing teasers and gathering subscribers.

What are the benefits of achieving ‘Product of the Day’ on Product Hunt?

Achieving ‘Product of the Day’ can lead to increased visibility, user acquisition, media coverage, and potential investment opportunities.

How can I build a following on Product Hunt before launching?

Engage with the community by upvoting, commenting on other products, and sharing valuable insights to build relationships and credibility.