Launching on Product Hunt can make or break your product's early traction. After achieving 30x daily #1 positions, I've distilled everything into this actionable checklist.
Recent top launches like Chronicle 2.0 (747 votes) and Visual Translate by Vozo (763 votes) followed these exact patterns.
Before Launch Day
1. Product Readiness
- [ ] Landing page is polished and loads fast
- [ ] Demo video is under 2 minutes
- [ ] Onboarding flow is smooth
- [ ] Free tier or trial is available
2. Assets Preparation
- [ ] Thumbnail: Eye-catching, 240x240px
- [ ] Gallery images: 5-8 screenshots showing key features
- [ ] Demo GIF: 15-30 second loop of core functionality
- [ ] Tagline: Under 60 characters, benefit-focused
3. Launch Strategy
- [ ] Schedule for 12:01 AM PST (competition resets)
- [ ] Hunter lined up (or self-hunt)
- [ ] Maker comment drafted (see template below)
- [ ] Support team ready for 24-hour engagement
The Maker Comment (Critical!)
Your first comment sets the tone. Here's what works based on real #1 products:
Structure:
- Personal greeting with name
- The problem you solved
- 3-4 key features with emojis
- Promo code for PH community
- Engagement question at the end
Example from a top launch:
Hi Product Hunt! 👋
I'm [Name], and I built [Product] because [problem].
Here's what makes it different:
✅ Feature 1
✅ Feature 2
✅ Feature 3
Use code HUNT20 for 20% off.
What feature would you try first? 👇
🛠️ Pro tip: Use our free Product Hunt Comment Generator to create professional maker comments in seconds.
Launch Day Timeline
| Time (PST) | Action |
|---|---|
| 12:01 AM | Product goes live |
| 12:02 AM | Post maker comment |
| 12:05 AM | Share on Twitter/X |
| 12:30 AM | First batch of supporter upvotes |
| 6:00 AM | European supporters wake up |
| 9:00 AM | US West Coast wakes up |
| All day | Reply to EVERY comment |
Post-Launch
- [ ] Thank everyone who engaged
- [ ] Follow up with interested users
- [ ] Write a launch retrospective
- [ ] Repurpose content for other channels
Free Tools & Resources
🛠️ Free Tools:
- Product Hunt Comment Generator - Create winning maker comments
📚 Complete Playbook:
- ⭐ Product Hunt Launch Playbook on GitHub - Full strategy with templates
This guide is based on 30x daily #1 experience. Star the GitHub repo for more tactics!
What's your biggest Product Hunt launch challenge? Let me know in the comments! 👇
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