Startup Series : Launching on Product Hunt: A Strategic Guide for Startups

Roshni Mohandas
4 min readJan 18, 2024

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Photo by Damian Zaleski on Unsplash

Launching a product on Product Hunt can be a game-changer for startups, offering unprecedented exposure and networking opportunities. We at uniQin.ai are excited to announce our upcoming launch on Product Hunt this 20th January 2024. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to make the most of this opportunity

1. Pre-Launch Strategy

Preparation is key. Weeks before the launch, create a buzz around your product. Utilize social media, email newsletters, and your network to build anticipation. Share sneak peeks of your product to pique interest. Remember, a strong pre-launch momentum can significantly impact your launch day success.

The product hunt launches are 20 to 30 everyday. The top 5 gets a lot of traffic and attention

2. Understanding the Launch Day Dynamics

  • Timing: Launches on Product Hunt happen daily, with the top 5 products receiving significant attention. Launching at 12:01 AM PST is strategic, maximizing your visibility throughout the day.
  • Product Presentation: Your product icon and images are your first impression. Use compelling visuals and animations to stand out. An engaging product video can further drive traffic to your website.
  • Effective Description: Craft a compelling narrative that addresses the problem, your solution, and the unique value you offer. Be thorough yet concise, and don’t forget to link back to your website.
  • Community Engagement: Engage actively with the community. Respond to comments and encourage discussions to maintain visibility.
    If on top of a day, it wll appear as product of the day, if it comes on product of thee week etc.

3. The Importance of a Hunter

While previously a hunter was essential for a successful launch, it’s now optional. We’ve chosen to launch independently, focusing on leveraging our own networks and community.

4. Launch Day Essentials

  • Visibility and Upvotes: Aim to secure as many upvotes as early as possible to maintain a high ranking.
  • Community Activation: Alert your network, including emails and messages, to garner support immediately after launch.
  • Continuous Engagement: Address every comment and feedback. Your responsiveness will be key in maintaining momentum.

Product Icon :

Shows on front page and product page. So you can use any kind of visuals and also animated. So if someone hovers over the ikon they see, the animation

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the most traffic days hence high competition. Please choose what you need based on that

product icons

Product Images

Try to use the structure

  1. Why : Problem , Solution , The Value
  2. A product video will be good to have, this drives traffic to website

Description : Describes the product and go more into details . Providde Link out to website.

Categories or Topics

Categories or topics in product is launched has to be given too, please see that in launched in

Maker comment :

The maker comment has to be given. The maker also has to engage with the community.

Launch Day

Launch at 12:01 am PST, this is to ensure we get maximum time. It's important to generate much upvotes as possible as early on. This is needed to get featured on first page

Upvotes will determine ranking. Make sure we are up on top early.

  1. Activate our community from the start. Push out another blast of emails and messages
  2. Answer comments and start discussion. Answer every single comment. we can also use launch day tool on product hunt
  3. Have a good product, if you have shitty product this will end up in the flush

Do one on one outreach to friends and other contacts, this is very important

You can embed featured on product hunt banner on your website , this will add extra trust on your website.

I also joined various whatsapp groups and other groups.

5. Post-Launch Momentum

  • Sustaining Interest: If your launch is successful, leverage it to gain backlinks and drive more traffic to your site.
  • Avoiding Pitfalls: Never attempt to manipulate votes. Authenticity is crucial for long-term success.

Conclusion

A successful Product Hunt launch can catapult your product into the limelight, but it requires meticulous planning and execution. At uniQin.ai , we’re committed to leveraging this platform to its fullest potential, and we encourage other startups to explore this avenue for their growth strategies.

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Roshni Mohandas

Entrepreneur, Data Scientist , Startup , Hustler : 100% follow back