The Complete Guide to Launching on Product Hunt

Product Hunt can flood your business with thousands of visitors, hundreds of new users, and the kind of social proof badge that converts for years.

But here's the reality: launching on Product Hunt is getting more competitive every day. And if you're a first-timer, the learning curve can feel overwhelming.

This guide distills strategies into a step-by-step playbook you can follow whether you're launching next month or next quarter.

Let's break it down.

When Should You Start Preparing?

The short answer: Earlier than you think.

In our interviews, 80% of successful makers started preparing at least one month before launch day. That's not a suggestion — it's the pattern behind winning launches.

If you're short on time, two weeks is the absolute minimum. Anything less, and you're gambling with your results.

Stage 1: Pre-Launch (30 Days Out)

This is where launches are won or lost. The work you do before launch day determines whether you'll rank in the top 5 or get buried.

1.1 Choose Your Launch Day Strategically

Not all days are created equal on Product Hunt. Your choice depends on your goals and audience size.

High-Traffic Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

More visitors = more potential upvotes
More competition = harder to stand out
Best for: Products with large existing audiences

Low-Traffic Days: Monday, Friday, Weekends

Fewer visitors = less competition
Easier to rank higher
Best for: Products with smaller audiences or niche appeal

Pro tip: If you have a small but engaged audience, a low-traffic day might actually be your best shot at a top-3 finish.

1.2 Decide: Self-Hunt or Find a Hunter?

A Hunter is the person who officially launches a product on Product Hunt. You have two options:

Option A: Launch it yourself

Simple, direct, and keeps you in full control.

Option B: Find an established Hunter in your niche

A respected Hunter brings:

Built-in credibility and authority
Their own follower base (who get notified)
Experience optimizing listings and timing

How to find the right Partner:

Visit directories of top Product Hunt marketers
Filter by your product category
Reach out to hunters who are active in your niche
Pitch your product and explain why it's a fit for their audience

1.3 Schedule Your Launch & Create a Teaser Page

Once you've picked your date, schedule your launch inside Product Hunt. This unlocks a powerful pre-launch tool: the Teaser Page.

Your teaser page lets people click Notify Me to get alerted the moment you go live. More notifications = more Day 1 momentum.

To create your teaser page:

Schedule your launch in Product Hunt
Click Create Teaser next to your product
Add your title, description, and banner image
Submit for review

Once approved, your teaser page goes live — and the audience-building begins.

1.4 Promote Your Teaser Everywhere

Your goal during pre-launch: maximize Notify Me clicks.

Every person who clicks that button is essentially a pre-committed upvote waiting to happen.

Social media content ideas:

Educational content — Teach something valuable related to your product, then mention your upcoming launch
Behind-the-scenes updates — Share your building journey and progress
Memes — Create relatable content around your customer's pain points (surprisingly effective)
Countdown posts — Build anticipation as launch day approaches
Giveaways — Offer free access or bonuses to people who support your launch

Platforms to focus on:

Twitter/X (the Product Hunt community lives here)
LinkedIn (especially for B2B products)
Relevant Slack communities
Discord servers in your niche
Reddit (carefully — follow subreddit rules)

1.5 Activate Your Personal Network

Don't be shy about asking for support. Reach out directly to:

Maker friends and fellow founders
Former colleagues and classmates
Customers and beta users
Social media connections who've engaged with your content

Important: Message them before launch day. Confirm they're willing to support you. Don't surprise people with requests on the day of — it feels spammy and often backfires.

1.6 Email Your List

If you have an email list — even a small one — use it.

Send a pre-launch email that includes:

What you're launching and why it matters
The date and time of your launch
A specific ask (upvote, comment, share)
Your teaser page link with the Notify Me button

Timing tip: Send a heads-up email 1 week before, then a reminder 1-2 days before launch.

1.7 Get Active in Product Hunt Discussions

Product Hunt has a built-in community section called Discussions. Use it.

What to post:

Ask questions relevant to your target audience
Share insights and help others
Mention your upcoming launch naturally (don't spam)

This builds familiarity with the PH community before you ask for their support. When launch day comes, you won't be a stranger.

1.8 Prepare Your Launch Assets

A polished listing converts visitors into upvoters. Don't wing this.

Required assets:

Asset	What It Is	Tips
Tagline	One-line product description	Clear, benefit-focused, no jargon
Description	260-character expanded overview	Focus on what it does FOR the user
Thumbnail	Your logo or an eye-catching GIF	Movement catches attention in the feed
Gallery Images	At least 4 product screenshots	Show the product in action, not just features
Video	Product demo or explainer	Keep it under 2 minutes, show real usage
Maker Comment	First comment on your launch	Tell your story, why you built this

Your Maker Comment matters more than you think. It's the first thing people read after your description. Use it to share:

The problem that inspired you
Your personal journey building it
What makes this different
A genuine ask for feedback and support

Authenticity wins on Product Hunt. Don't be salesy (be human).

Stage 2: Launch Day

This is game day. Block your entire calendar. No meetings. No distractions. No I'll check in later.

You need to be 100% focused on your launch for the full 24 hours (especially the first 4).

2.1 The Critical First 4 Hours

This window makes or breaks your launch.

During the first 4 hours, Product Hunt shows new launches randomly to visitors. After that, rankings are determined by upvotes and engagement.

Translation: Go all-in on promotion during these first 4 hours. The momentum you build here determines your trajectory for the rest of the day.

2.2 Send Your Outreach Messages

The moment your launch goes live, notify everyone who said they'd support you:

Maker friends
Your personal network
Beta users and customers
Social media supporters

Key principle: You should have already confirmed their support before today. Launch day messages are reminders, not cold asks.

Don't spam. Don't beg. Just send a simple message with your launch link and a genuine thank you.

2.3 Post Across All Channels

Announce your launch everywhere:

Platforms:

Twitter/X
LinkedIn
IndieHackers
Product Hunt Discussions
Relevant Slack/Discord communities
Your company's social accounts

What to include:

Direct link to your Product Hunt page
A compelling reason to check it out
Clear ask (upvote if you find it useful)

2.4 Email Your List (Again)

Send a launch-day email to your subscribers. This is the most important email of your campaign.

Pro tip: Segment by timezone. Send the email when each segment is most likely to be active and able to support you immediately.

2.5 Engage With Every Comment

Engagement is a ranking factor. If you and a competitor have the same number of upvotes, the launch with more comments and replies ranks higher.

Your job: Reply to every single comment on your launch page.

Thank people for their support
Answer questions thoroughly
Respond to feedback graciously (even criticism)
Keep the conversation going

This isn't just about rankings — it's about building relationships with potential customers and advocates.

2.6 Post Regular Updates

Keep the momentum going with hourly social media updates:

Update ideas:

Current upvote count and ranking
Milestone celebrations (We hit 200 upvotes!)
Screenshots of great comments and reviews
Behind-the-scenes photos of your launch day
Thank-you posts tagging supporters

This keeps your launch visible in feeds and encourages people who haven't voted yet to join in.

Stage 3: Post-Launch

The launch is over. But the work isn't.

3.1 Thank Your Supporters

Within 24-48 hours of your launch ending, send personalized thank-you messages to:

Email subscribers who supported you
Social media followers who engaged
Maker friends who showed up
Anyone who left a comment or review

Include your Product Hunt link in these messages. People can still upvote after launch day, and those votes count toward Product of the Week and Product of the Month rankings.

3.2 Ride the Wave With Secondary Launches

Your website traffic will spike during launch day — then drop. That's normal.

Extend your momentum by launching on other platforms:

Betalist — For upcoming startups
Uneed — Curated tool directory
Dev Hunt — For developer tools
Fazier — Startup launch platform
There's an AI for That — If you're an AI product
Startups.fyi — Startup showcase
Indie Hackers — Share your launch story
Hacker News — Show HN post (if appropriate)

Each platform extends your launch window and brings new audiences to your product.

3.3 Capture and Display Social Proof

If you ranked well, show it off.

Add the Product Hunt badge to your website
Include your ranking in email signatures
Reference it in your marketing copy
Screenshot great comments for social proof

A #3 Product of the Day badge converts visitors for months (or years) after your launch.

Launch Day Checklist

Pre-Launch (30 Days Out)

[ ] Choose your launch date strategically
[ ] Decide: self-launch or find a Hunter
[ ] Schedule launch and create teaser page
[ ] Promote teaser on all social platforms
[ ] Reach out to your network for support commitments
[ ] Send pre-launch emails to your list
[ ] Get active in Product Hunt Discussions
[ ] Prepare all launch assets (images, video, description)
[ ] Write your Maker Comment

Launch Day

[ ] Block your entire calendar
[ ] Go all-in during the first 4 hours
[ ] Send outreach to confirmed supporters
[ ] Post on Twitter, LinkedIn, communities
[ ] Email your list (segmented by timezone)
[ ] Reply to every comment on your launch page
[ ] Post hourly updates on social media

Post-Launch

[ ] Send thank-you messages to supporters
[ ] Launch on secondary platforms
[ ] Add Product Hunt badge to your website
[ ] Capture social proof for future marketing

Final Thoughts

A successful Product Hunt launch doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of strategic preparation, relentless execution, and genuine community engagement.

Start early. Build relationships before you need them. Show up authentically. And when launch day comes, go all-in.

The makers who follow this playbook don't just launch products — they launch movements.

Your turn.