How to Use Product Hunt: A Newbie’s Guide in 3 Steps

Launching a new product can be daunting, but Product Hunt offers a powerful platform to gain exposure and valuable feedback. In this comprehensive beginner's guide, you'll discover the secrets to effectively utilize Product Hunt and skyrocket your product's success.

We'll cover everything from understanding the basics to executing a stellar launch that drives engagement. Plus, we'll introduce AI-powered tools like Bardeen that can automate repetitive tasks, saving you time and effort. Get ready to master Product Hunt and watch your product soar to new heights!

Product Hunt Basics for Beginners

Before diving into using Product Hunt, it's important to understand the fundamentals of how the platform works.

1. What is Product Hunt?

Product Hunt is a community-driven website where people discover, share, and discuss new products. It's a place for product enthusiasts, early adopters, entrepreneurs, and investors to find interesting new apps, websites, hardware projects, and tech creations.

2. Benefits of Launching on Product Hunt

Launching your product on Product Hunt provides several key advantages:

• Reach a targeted audience of tech-savvy early adopters
• Get valuable feedback to improve your product
• Drive a burst of traffic, users, and exposure
• Opportunity for press coverage and to be featured
• Connect with potential investors or hires
• Use prospect list building tools to enhance your launch strategy

3. Key Product Hunt Terminology

• Maker - The creator of the product
• Hunter - The Product Hunt user who submits the product
• Upvote - How the community shows their interest and support for a product
• Product of the Day - The top 5 most upvoted products each day

4. Product Hunt Rules and Guidelines

Some key rules to be aware of before using Product Hunt:

• No company accounts allowed, only real people
• Products must be new or a major update/relaunch
• Avoid spamming or asking for upvotes
• Provide clear info and visuals about your product
• Be respectful and professional in discussions

Understanding these Product Hunt fundamentals will help you make the most of the platform. Next up, we'll cover how to prepare for a successful Product Hunt launch. For more resources, learn about sales prospecting tools.

Prepare for a Successful Product Hunt Launch

Properly preparing for your Product Hunt launch is critical to maximize your chances of success. From setting goals to creating compelling content to choosing the right day and time, the work you do before launching can make a big impact.

1. Pre-Launch Content Checklist

Before launching on Product Hunt, make sure you have the following content and assets ready:

• Product name, URL, and social media handles
• Engaging tagline and description
• Eye-catching thumbnail image
• Gallery images or GIFs showcasing key features
• Video demo or walkthrough
• Maker profiles and shoutouts

Taking the time to craft high-quality, compelling content for each of these items can help your product stand out and attract attention on launch day. Refer to the full Product Hunt content checklist for more details and best practices.

Bardeen can help you prepare for a sales call and automate many of the repetitive tasks involved. Try it out and save your time.

2. Set Launch Goals and Metrics

What does a successful Product Hunt launch look like for you? It's important to define your goals upfront so you can measure your performance and ROI. Some common Product Hunt launch goals include:

• Hitting a certain number of upvotes
• Driving traffic to your website or app
• Generating signups or sales
• Gathering feedback from early adopters
• Building buzz and awareness

Set specific, measurable targets for each goal, and make sure to have tracking in place, whether that's using Google Analytics, in-app events, or custom URLs. Defining your goals will also help inform the type of content you create and promotion you do for your launch.

3. Choose the Best Launch Day and Time

While there's no universally perfect day and time to launch on Product Hunt, timing can impact the amount of visibility and engagement your product receives. Some factors to consider:

• Product Hunt's homepage is busiest on weekdays
• Launching at midnight PST maximizes your time on the homepage
• Avoid major holidays or big tech news days
• Consider your team's availability to engage with hunters

Tools like Product Wars can show historical data on the best performing days. But ultimately, the right day and time depends on your audience, goals, and team. Pick a launch window that aligns with when your target users are most likely to be on Product Hunt.

4. Decide on Self-Hunting vs Using a Hunter

Anyone can hunt a product on Product Hunt, whether that's the maker themselves or an independent hunter. But should you hunt your own product or try to find a prominent hunter? There are pros and cons to each approach:

• Hunting your own product gives you more control over timing, positioning, and can look more authentic
• Using a hunter with a large following can give you a visibility boost
• Asking for hunter intros can be time-consuming with no guarantee
• Ultimately, the content and quality of your product matter more than the hunter

Most successful launches are self-hunted by the makers. If you do want to find a hunter, start building those relationships well before your launch. But don't stress too much about finding the "perfect" hunter - focus on making your launch content as compelling as possible.

Thorough preparation is key to maximizing your Product Hunt launch performance. In the next section, we'll dive into the tactics and strategies to employ on launch day itself to drive engagement and traction.

Launch Day Tips for Product Hunt Success

Launch day is when all your preparation and hard work promoting your product comes to fruition. From managing the launch itself to engaging with the Product Hunt community, there are several key things to focus on to maximize your chances of success.

1. Launching Your Product on Product Hunt

To launch your product, first make sure you're logged into your Product Hunt account. Then click the "Submit" button in the top right corner and select "New Product". You'll be prompted to enter your product's name, URL, and other key details.

Once submitted, your product will go live on Product Hunt at 12:01am Pacific Time. The Product Hunt algorithm may randomize the homepage during the first couple hours, so don't panic if you're not at the top right away. Focus on driving authentic engagement throughout the day.

2. Engage with the Product Hunt Community

Aside from just driving upvotes, one of the most important things you can do on launch day is actively engage with the Product Hunt community. Respond to comments, answer questions, and thank people for their support and feedback.

Personalized, authentic engagement goes a long way. Avoid just leaving generic "thanks for the support!" type comments. Instead, take the time to provide thoughtful responses and really interact with the people checking out your product. This type of community engagement is valued by Product Hunt and can help your launch performance.

3. Promote Your Product Launch

While you can't ask for upvotes directly, you should absolutely promote your Product Hunt launch through your existing marketing channels. Some effective promotion ideas:

• Send a newsletter or in-app message to your email list
• Share on social media and relevant online communities
• Reach out to friends, family, colleagues, and investors
• Add a Product Hunt badge or embed to your website

The key is to get the word out to your network and communities where you're already active, without coming across as spammy. Avoid scraping emails or mass-messaging strangers. Focus on driving genuine interest and engagement.

4. Handle the "Someone Else Hunted Us" Situation

Sometimes, despite your best planning, someone else might hunt your product first before you're ready. If this happens, don't panic. You have two options:

1. Run with it and make the most of the opportunity. Jump in and start engaging with the community.
2. If it's really premature, reach out to Product Hunt and see if they can remove it so you can relaunch when ready.

Ultimately, while not ideal, someone else hunting your product isn't the end of the world. The strength of your product and launch day engagement is more important than the hunter. Just roll with it as best you can.

Following these tips will help you make the most of your launch day and drive the engagement needed for Product Hunt success. Thanks for sticking with us - you're well on your way to Product Hunt stardom! The next section will cover how to keep the momentum going after launch day. Learn more about how to automate sales prospecting to keep the momentum.

Conclusions

Knowing how to use Product Hunt effectively is crucial for makers looking to successfully launch and promote their products. To further enhance your outreach, consider learning about cold outreach strategies. Here's a recap of the key points covered in this beginner's guide:

• The basics of how Product Hunt works and the benefits for makers
• How to prepare for a successful Product Hunt launch
• Strategies for executing your launch and driving engagement on the platform

By following the tips in this guide, you'll be well-equipped to make the most of Product Hunt and get your product in front of its target audience. Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity to showcase your creation to the world! For more advanced techniques, check out automate sales prospecting to drive better engagement.

Using Bardeen can save precious time by automating repetitive sales tasks. This lets you focus on closing deals and building relationships. Learn more about sales discovery questions to further enhance your outreach.