product-hunt-launch

Product Hunt Launch

Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Optimize your Product Hunt launch with research and visuals.

Listing Specifications

Element	Spec	Notes
Product name	—	Keep it short, memorable
Tagline	60 character limit	No period at end
Description	First 260 chars show in preview	Full description can be longer
Gallery images	Up to 8 images	1270 x 760 px recommended
Topics	Max 3	Pick the most specific ones
Makers	Tag all team members	They can engage in comments
Link	Product URL	Where upvoters go

Gallery Images

The First Image Is Everything

The first gallery image shows in the feed, email digest, and social shares. It IS your first impression.

Position	Content	Goal
1 (Hero)	Product in action, core value visible	Stop the scroll, communicate what it does
2	Key feature demonstration	Show the "aha moment"
3	Before/after or problem/solution	Show the transformation
4	Social proof or metrics	Build credibility
5	Technical differentiator or integrations	For evaluators

Dimensions

• Recommended: 1270 x 760 px (16:9 ish)
• Minimum: 600px wide
• Supports GIF for animated demos

Generating Gallery Images

Use your preferred image generation tool to create gallery images matching these specs:

Image 1: Hero product shot

• Prompt: "modern SaaS product showcase, clean dashboard interface floating above gradient background, UI showing analytics charts and metrics, professional product marketing style, soft shadows, blue and white color scheme, wide format"
• Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px

Image 2: Feature demo

• Prompt: "product feature showcase, split screen showing drag-and-drop interface on left and generated output on right, clean UI design, modern SaaS aesthetic, subtle grid background, professional marketing"
• Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px

Image 3: Before/after

• Create a side-by-side comparison showing the problem state and solution state
• Use design tools like Figma or image editing software

Image 4: Social proof / metrics

• Prompt: "clean infographic style image showing upward growth metrics, large numbers and charts on dark background, professional data visualization, startup metrics dashboard style, modern minimal design"
• Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px

Recommended tools: Midjourney, DALL-E, Figma, Adobe Express, or your preferred design/image generation platform.

Tagline

60 characters. No period. Must communicate what the product does AND why someone should care.

Formulas That Work

Formula	Example
[Action] for [audience]	"AI writing assistant for developers"
[Result] without [pain]	"Beautiful docs without the design skills"
[Tool] that [benefit]	"Analytics that explain themselves"
[Adjective] [category]	"Instant customer feedback surveys"
The [category] for [niche]	"The Figma for data visualization"

Examples

❌ "The best project management tool ever created" (superlative, 52 chars)
❌ "We help you manage projects better." (vague, has period, 37 chars)
❌ "AI-powered machine learning project management SaaS" (buzzword soup)

✅ "Ship docs in minutes, not days" (31 chars)
✅ "AI turns your data into stories" (32 chars)
✅ "The open-source Calendly alternative" (37 chars)

Timing

When to Launch

Factor	Recommendation
Day	Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (highest traffic)
Time	12:01 AM PT (Pacific Time) — start of the PH day
Avoid	Weekends, holidays, major Apple/Google events
Duration	PH day = midnight PT to midnight PT

Why 12:01 AM PT

• Maximum time in the running for daily top spot
• Accumulate upvotes throughout the full day
• Morning email digest (US time) includes your product
• Allows engagement across all US time zones

Maker Comment

Post within 5 minutes of going live. This is your pitch.

Structure

Hey Product Hunt! 👋

[1 sentence: what it is]

[2-3 sentences: why you built it / the problem you noticed]

[1-2 sentences: how it works / key differentiator]

[1 sentence: what's next / what you're looking for]

Would love to hear your thoughts — happy to answer any questions!

Example

Hey Product Hunt!

DataFlow turns raw SQL queries into visual dashboards in seconds.

As a data engineer, I was frustrated spending more time formatting
reports than actually analyzing data. Every BI tool I tried required
a PhD in their configuration. So I built DataFlow — paste your SQL,
get a dashboard.

It auto-detects chart types, handles large datasets, and exports
to PDF/PNG with one click.

We're offering 50% off the first year for PH users. Would love
your feedback — what reporting pain points do you have?

Launch Day Playbook

Before Launch (1-2 weeks)

• Gallery images finalized (5 recommended)
• Tagline tested with 5+ people (do they understand what it does?)
• Maker comment drafted and proofread
• Landing page with PH badge ready
• Early supporter list ready (people who want to check it out)
• Social media announcement posts drafted

Launch Day Timeline

Time (PT)	Action
12:01 AM	Product goes live, post maker comment immediately
12:15 AM	Share on personal social media
6:00 AM	First engagement check — reply to all comments
9:00 AM	Share in relevant communities (naturally, not spammy)
12:00 PM	Mid-day check — reply to all new comments
3:00 PM	Share any early traction or interesting feedback
6:00 PM	Evening engagement — reply to remaining comments
11:59 PM	Day ends — results are final

Engagement Rules

• Reply to every comment — makers who engage get more visibility
• Ask questions back — creates conversation threads
• Be genuine — don't use canned responses
• Never ask for upvotes — against PH terms of service
• Share the link naturally — "Check it out at [url]" not "Please upvote"

Research for Preparation

Research competitor launches and community sentiment using web search tools:

• Study similar product launches on Product Hunt
• Analyze the competitive landscape for your category
• Review community sentiment and maker advice from recent launches
• Look for patterns in what works and what doesn't

Post-Launch

When	Action
Day 1-3	Reply to all remaining comments, thank supporters
Week 1	Publish a "lessons learned" blog post / Twitter thread
Week 2	Follow up with interested users from comments
Month 1	Check if you're eligible for "Product of the Week/Month"

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Problem	Fix
Launching on Friday/weekend	Low traffic, wasted launch	Tue-Thu only
Launching at noon	Half the day already gone	12:01 AM PT
No maker comment	Looks abandoned	Post within 5 minutes
Asking for upvotes	Against TOS, can get flagged	Share naturally, let product speak
Generic gallery images	Doesn't show the product	Show real UI, real features
Not replying to comments	Low engagement signal	Reply to every single comment
Too many topics	Dilutes discoverability	Max 3, pick the most specific
Tagline with buzzwords	Nobody knows what you do	Clear, specific, benefit-focused