The primary benefit of launching your product on Product Hunt is the close-knit community. Everyone in this community likes to support each other, especially products that interest them. Engagement is, therefore, the secret to your success in your Product Hunt launch. Make sure you do it right to have a shot at becoming “product of the day”.
To get you started on developing a successful launch strategy, take time to learn the basic dos and don’ts in preparation for launch day.
Product Hunt Launch: Dos
Let’s start with the best practices for a successful launch on Product Hunt. Set yourself up for success by following these tips.
1. Present your product well
To ensure the success of your Product Hunt launch, you need to start with how you present the product. If you are going to use your website as a landing page from your product page, make sure to keep the website clean with a user-friendly interface. A lot of product makers on Product Hunt have spent so muchf time developing the perfect product that they overlook the landing page.
Depending on your goal, it’s important that you provide a detailed and informative presentation of your product. This will help educate your audience about what the product is about and what it can do.
It’s how you present your product that will ultimately determine if people are going to be interested. It’s not always about having the best product, but how you make prospects believe it is!
2. Stay active on the platform
As mentioned above, engagement is the key factor to success with your Product Hunt launch. Make sure you are engaged with the community before, during, and after the launch. This will help boost engagement with your product, whether through upvotes or questions and comments.
The algorithm of the website rewards products that get a high level of engagement and this is how you can get featured on the main page. Make sure you build relationships with other users in the community so that you can get them to support your products. When they show you support, don’t forget to reciprocate the support they have given. That is how this community works and how you can benefit from it.
3. Connect with influential users
Building a sense of community and connecting with those who are part of this platform is one of the secrets to success with Product Hunt. However, it is who you connect with that truly matters and can help you get featured.
Search for the top and most influential users within the same category of product you are working on. If you can find them, reach out to these influential “hunters.” By building a connection with them, you can leverage their network of followers so that you can expand the reach for your product and optimize engagement.
When influential users or “hunters” are able to “hunt” your product you significantly increase the chances of your product being noticed in the community. Be strategic when approaching these people and aiming to establish a connection. Do not limit yourself to within the Product Hunt website itself. You can also connect with these people on their social media accounts.
4. Get your listing right
Your success with the Product Hunt launch will ultimately depend on how you list your product on the website. You can do everything right in terms of asking for support from your friends and family, as well as the fellow community members, and still not get featured. You could lose out on potential exposure for your launch with insufficient descriptions and listings copy.
First off, you need to have a catchy tagline. This will be the first thing that people will see about your listing so make sure that it is enough to capture their attention. It should be simple, yet creative. The tagline should speak to your target audience.
The thumbnail of the product listing must be clear and engaging. You can also use a gif, if you prefer that. Ultimately, it should describe your product effectively.
Adding a video is another trick that you can use to optimize your listing on Product Hunt. It will boost the visual appeal of your Product Hunt launch and listing.
Finally, be sure to add your comment as a maker. Talk about your journey in making this product and your vision for it. Keep it interesting. The community at Product Hunt loves a good story. It adds interest to your product.
Once you are ready to launch, make sure you time the launching day of the product well. The best time to post new products on Product Hunt is at 12 AM PST and on specific days of the week. This will help you maximize your reach and engagement.
Product Hunt Launch: Don’ts
You must also be aware of the common mistakes that makers have committed in the past so that you don’t commit them yourself.
1. Reaching out cold
This is a no-no if you want to get the genuine support of other product “hunters.” Take time to connect with them and engage for a few days before you ask for their support on your product. Unsolicited messages won’t guarantee that you get the support you ask for.
2. Not promoting your Product Hunt launch
Your work begins weeks before the actual launch day. Take time to build your network of supporters and to let them know about your launch day so that they can keep an eye on it.
3. Not using the power of social media
Do not limit yourself to promoting within the Product Hunt community. You can potentially find like-minded individuals on social media who might be interested in your product launch.
4. Not observing the best practices for a successful launch
Go back to the list above. Take note of these best practices so you can increase your likelihood of success on launch day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, learn from the mistakes of others and follow the best practices for a Product Hunt launch. This won’t guarantee that you will become a featured product, but it will maximize the reach and engagement that you can get for your product during launch day.