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LAUNCH ON PRODUCT HUNT.
A big thread about everything I know about the topic.
A big thread about everything I know about the topic.
An interesting topic about makers, indie hackers, founders, and startups.
During the last 6 years, I'm using Product Hunt daily and have launched several products successfully.
The benefits are insane and everyone must launch there at least one time
Let's dive in...
During the last 6 years, I'm using Product Hunt daily and have launched several products successfully.
The benefits are insane and everyone must launch there at least one time
Let's dive in...
Product Hunt is the place where people post & discover the best (tech mainly) products around the world.
Their monthly traffic is 5M and ~30% is from the US, according to @SimilarWeb https://www.similarweb.com/website/producthunt.com/
Their monthly traffic is 5M and ~30% is from the US, according to @SimilarWeb https://www.similarweb.com/website/producthunt.com/
A little about the Product Hunt terms:
- Makers: are the people who build products.
- Hunters: are the people who post products (their own or not)
- Posts: are product submissions
- Upvotes: are equivalent to the number of likes for a product.
- Makers: are the people who build products.
- Hunters: are the people who post products (their own or not)
- Posts: are product submissions
- Upvotes: are equivalent to the number of likes for a product.
Each day, Product Hunt features the best products.
The ranking is based on upvotes and other secret factors. It looks like the Product Hunt algorithm favors upvotes from active users over new signups.
The ranking is based on upvotes and other secret factors. It looks like the Product Hunt algorithm favors upvotes from active users over new signups.
The goal is to reach the Top 5 Products of the day.
Then, your product would be featured in the next Product Hunt newsletter issue (500k readers).
Also, you'll receive a fancy badge for your website...
Then, your product would be featured in the next Product Hunt newsletter issue (500k readers).
Also, you'll receive a fancy badge for your website...
Lately, the Product Hunt team seems to feature up to 10 products in their newsletter though.
Then, it's not the end of the world if you get the 6th or 8th position...
Then, it's not the end of the world if you get the 6th or 8th position...
Reaching the top 5 spots seems like a vanity metric but it's not...
It's a fact that people rarely scroll on the web!
A NN Group research pointed out that 57% of people might never scroll.
[Source: http://nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention]
Continue...
It's a fact that people rarely scroll on the web!
A NN Group research pointed out that 57% of people might never scroll.
[Source: http://nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention]
Continue...
Eventually, the products on the top positions attract more visitors!
You can quickly validate that by comparing the upvotes gathered by the top 5 products versus all the other products.
It's obvious that more upvotes equal more product visits too.
You can quickly validate that by comparing the upvotes gathered by the top 5 products versus all the other products.
It's obvious that more upvotes equal more product visits too.
But why should you care about Product Hunt?
The reason is simple! You bring your product in front of thousands of pairs of eyes.
More specifically, you can achieve multiple goals...
The reason is simple! You bring your product in front of thousands of pairs of eyes.
More specifically, you can achieve multiple goals...
A good Product Hunt launch has several benefits:
- Get Early Beta Users
- Get Your First Customers
- Increase Personal/Company Brand Visibility
- Boost SEO
- Increase Sales
- Shape Up Partnerships
- Get Early Beta Users
- Get Your First Customers
- Increase Personal/Company Brand Visibility
- Boost SEO
- Increase Sales
- Shape Up Partnerships
It's wise to set your goal before launching. Then, you can plan better and prioritize your activities.
For example:
For sales, you need an exclusive tempting offer.
For SEO, you need to pick your keywords wisely.
For early users, you need an invite system, not a payment flow
For example:
For sales, you need an exclusive tempting offer.
For SEO, you need to pick your keywords wisely.
For early users, you need an invite system, not a payment flow
Until now, you have a product & an end goal for your launch
But how will you actually launch?
But how will you actually launch?
There're two ways to launch on Product Hunt:
1. You launch your own product
2. Find a hunter who will launch your product
Both of them have pros & cons.
1. You launch your own product
2. Find a hunter who will launch your product
Both of them have pros & cons.
1. Launch your own product
PROS:
- It's easier, cheaper & saves you time
- You don't rely upon anyone else
- You take all the credits
- You learn the process
CONS:
- Your PH audience might not be enough
- You'll have to compete with people/organizations with larger audiences
PROS:
- It's easier, cheaper & saves you time
- You don't rely upon anyone else
- You take all the credits
- You learn the process
CONS:
- Your PH audience might not be enough
- You'll have to compete with people/organizations with larger audiences
2. Find a hunter
PROS:
- You leverage the hunter's audience
- You have more chances to be featured
- You engage with a person who's an expert on PH
CONS:
- You need to spend a lot of time to find an experienced one
- You might need to pay a fee to book a call with them
PROS:
- You leverage the hunter's audience
- You have more chances to be featured
- You engage with a person who's an expert on PH
CONS:
- You need to spend a lot of time to find an experienced one
- You might need to pay a fee to book a call with them
A rule of thumb is to get a hunter for your first launches to boost your reach and learn from them.
Then, you'll have the experience & the audience to launch your own products.
Then, you'll have the experience & the audience to launch your own products.
But when is the best day to launch your product?
Here is the typical traffic for a Product Hunt week:
- Monday → Medium
- Tuesday → High
- Wednesday → High
- Thursday → High
- Friday → Medium
- Saturday → Low
- Sunday → Low
Here is the typical traffic for a Product Hunt week:
- Monday → Medium
- Tuesday → High
- Wednesday → High
- Thursday → High
- Friday → Medium
- Saturday → Low
- Sunday → Low
A simple framework to pick the right day is:
- Choose weekend for your first launches to be comfortable with the platform and be featured easier
- Choose Monday/Friday for the next one
- Choose mid-week to get the most exposure when you have an audience & experience
- Choose weekend for your first launches to be comfortable with the platform and be featured easier
- Choose Monday/Friday for the next one
- Choose mid-week to get the most exposure when you have an audience & experience
Always be careful to not choose a public US holiday (or other country's ofc) for your launch
Here is an interesting case study by @AntoineMilkoff about his latest launch and how it affected by thanksgiving holiday http://unmake.io/ideas/how-growthlist-became-product-of-the-day-by-accident
Here is an interesting case study by @AntoineMilkoff about his latest launch and how it affected by thanksgiving holiday http://unmake.io/ideas/how-growthlist-became-product-of-the-day-by-accident
The time is important too!
The Product Hunt day starts at 12:01 AM PST and makes total sense to post your product the earliest you can.
The "game" lasts 24 hours and you need to take advantage of every single minute.
The Product Hunt day starts at 12:01 AM PST and makes total sense to post your product the earliest you can.
The "game" lasts 24 hours and you need to take advantage of every single minute.
During your launch day, you need to be 1000% active and engage with your fans and the community.
It's a crazy day and you might need to say "thank you" in 100+ different ways.
Your presence is as important as your product. People love to know who is behind a product.
It's a crazy day and you might need to say "thank you" in 100+ different ways.
Your presence is as important as your product. People love to know who is behind a product.
Lastly, your launch doesn't end on your launch day.
You'll have significant traffic for the next 2-3 days & you need to make sure your website/app is ready to take advantage of this exposure.
Continue...
You'll have significant traffic for the next 2-3 days & you need to make sure your website/app is ready to take advantage of this exposure.
Continue...
Check your email lists, payment flows, website uptime regularly to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Sometimes it makes sense to keep up the momentum & virality with HN & Reddit posts.
Sometimes it makes sense to keep up the momentum & virality with HN & Reddit posts.
After a week, your traffic will begin to fade but you'll definitely have a steady stream of hooked daily users.
Usually, the amount is <5% of your traffic peak during the launch days.
Usually, the amount is <5% of your traffic peak during the launch days.
That's all folks!
If you want more insights check my launch checklist...
It includes all these tips (+ many more) and useful apps, resources & acquisition channels for your launch.
Save $10 with the link below:
http://gumroad.com/l/launch-checklist/twitter
* RT if you know ppl who can benefit.
If you want more insights check my launch checklist...
It includes all these tips (+ many more) and useful apps, resources & acquisition channels for your launch.
Save $10 with the link below:
http://gumroad.com/l/launch-checklist/twitter
* RT if you know ppl who can benefit.
