How to actually win on Product Hunt

and how i got hunters to back my launch

most people treat product hunt like a slot machine. pull the lever, hope for upvotes. but if you’re launching anything serious, that’s a waste.

i’ve been studying product hunt for weeks while prepping my own launch. and the more i looked into it, the clearer it became:

product hunt isn’t a launchpad. it’s a magnifier.

if you come with no plan, no hype, and no story, it’ll just magnify your silence. but if you show up sharp, with the right message, the right timing, and the right hunter, it can change everything.

here’s how to prep for a launch that actually gets seen. no growth hacks, just signal.

what most people get wrong

they launch on a weekend.

they post with a weak headline.

they treat the first comment like an afterthought.

they don't understand the hunter effect.

they show up hoping to be discovered instead of building momentum before day one.

and when it flops, they blame the algorithm.

what actually works

i spent time building a short list of potential hunters. i studied their past launches. i made sure my product was something they’d be proud to attach their name to.

then i reached out, short, direct, no fluff.

what i sent:

• a short intro about who i am

• what my app does, in one clear sentence

• why i think it fits their style

• a link to the product hunt preview

• my planned launch date

• no cold email tricks. just human to human.

the result? a hunter with tens of thousands of followers agreed to support my launch.

but that’s just one part. here’s the full checklist i’m using:

my pre-launch checklist

• thumbnail that stands out in the feed

• clear, curiosity-driven tagline

• strong first comment with the origin story

• pre-launch email and dm list ready

• launch day tweet + follow-ups prepped

• link page with assets, pitch, and faq

• community support lined up ahead of time

• hunter locked and post scheduled

launching without this is like walking into a pitch meeting with no deck.

on launch day: engage hard

reply to every comment

post updates throughout the day

share your favorite feedback publicly

don’t disappear, show people you care

after launch: turn momentum into proof

use the comments and stats as social proof

send a recap to your list

mention it in your bio, your pitch deck, your landing page

keep the conversation going, the real work starts after launch

if you're about to launch too

do the work upfront. product hunt doesn’t save you, it multiplies whatever you bring to it.

and if you found this useful, you’ll probably like what i’m launching soon. it’s built for indie makers who actually ship.

see you on the front page. maybe.