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Complete Product Hunt Launch Guide

Everything you need to know about launching your product on Product Hunt, from finding a hunter to maximizing your launch day success.

What is Product Hunt?

Product Hunt is a platform where people discover new products. It's like "Hacker News for products." Getting featured on Product Hunt can drive thousands of visitors to your site in a single day.

  • Products are ranked by upvotes within a 24-hour period
  • Top products get featured on the homepage
  • Can drive 1,000-10,000+ visitors in one day
  • Great for early traction and press coverage

Why You Can't Post Your Own Product

Product Hunt Rule: Makers (the people who built the product) cannot post their own products. You need someone else to "hunt" it for you.

Why? This prevents self-promotion spam and keeps the community authentic.

Step 1: Find a Hunter

A "hunter" is someone with a Product Hunt account who will post your product for you.

Where to Find Hunters:

  • Ask Friends/Network - Do you know anyone active on Product Hunt?
  • Product Hunt Community - Join Product Hunt's Slack community and post in #hunters channel
  • Twitter/X - Search for "Product Hunt hunter" or "PH hunter"
  • Indie Hackers / Reddit - Post on r/indiehackers or r/SideProject
  • Hire a Hunter - Some people offer hunting services (usually $50-200)

Step 2: Prepare Your Product Hunt Listing

You need to prepare everything BEFORE launch day. Your hunter will need:

  • Product Name - Example: "Best Husband Ever"
  • Tagline - One sentence, max 60 characters
  • Description - 2-4 paragraphs explaining what it is
  • Product URL - Your website URL
  • Product Logo - 512x512px square image
  • Product Screenshots - At least 3, recommended 5-7
  • Product Video - Optional but recommended (30-60 second demo)
  • Topics/Tags - Choose 3-5 relevant topics
  • Maker Comment - Your story (you write this after launch)

Step 3: Choose Your Launch Date

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday

  • Avoid Monday (busy start of week)
  • Avoid Friday (people check out)
  • Avoid weekends (lower traffic)

Best Time: 12:01 AM PST (Pacific Standard Time)

Product Hunt resets at midnight PST. Posting at 12:01 AM gives you the full day and more visibility = better ranking.

Step 4: Launch Day Process

The Night Before (11:30 PM PST):

  • Final check of all assets
  • Hunter confirmed and ready
  • Your Product Hunt account created
  • You're ready to respond to comments

At 12:01 AM PST:

  • Hunter posts your product
  • You claim your product immediately
  • Add your maker comment

Throughout Launch Day:

  • Share everywhere (Twitter, LinkedIn, communities)
  • Engage actively - respond to every comment
  • Monitor ranking (Top 5 = featured on homepage)
  • Stay active and genuine

Pro Tips for Success

Before Launch:

  • Build an email list and email them on launch day
  • Prepare your network - tell friends/family about launch day
  • Create great assets - clear screenshots, professional logo
  • Write compelling copy - clear, engaging description

During Launch:

  • Respond quickly - first hour is critical
  • Be genuine - don't be salesy, share your real story
  • Engage with community - upvote other products too
  • Share strategically - don't spam, share in relevant communities

Success Metrics

What's Considered Success:

  • Top 5: Amazing! Featured on homepage, thousands of visitors
  • Top 20: Great success! Significant traffic and visibility
  • Top 50: Good success! Decent traffic and engagement
  • Top 100: Solid launch! Good visibility
  • 100+ upvotes: Strong community support

Realistic Expectations: First launch: 50-200 upvotes is common. Don't expect to be #1 on first try. Focus on engagement and feedback.

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