In this text we’ll describe our personal Product Hunt launch expertise. The expertise of three launches, to be exact! Our group launched on three totally different events with our Nitro skilled translation service, and every launch led to a profitable victory, with placement among the many high merchandise of the day. Now we’re able to share our expertise and the discoveries we’ve made on this journey.
This text will profit anybody who’s contemplating a launch on Product Hunt and in search of a method that may get outcomes.
We’ll focus on:
- How we launched our B2B product 3 times on Product Hunt and earned the title “Product of the Day” each time
- What fundamental steps you’ll want to take if you wish to have a profitable launch
- Who high hunters are and why you want them to have a profitable product launch in 2023
- How eye-catching illustrations could make your product stand out throughout launch
- What you’ll want to know in case you’re launching on Product Hunt with a small group and how you can maximize your accessible assets on launch day
- What adjustments have been made to the platform just lately and what updates you’re prone to encounter if you wish to launch proper now. On this part we discuss concerning the “Coming quickly” web page, the increase of ChatGPT and AI-generated feedback on Product Hunt, the platform’s new anti-spam coverage, and the Randomized Homepage.
- Product Hunt launch technique: pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch, all in a transparent and logical timeline.
Buckle up!
Every time we had been selling our product Nitro. Nitro is knowledgeable translation platform from Alconost, overlaying 70+ languages. Nitro is ideally suited to when a top quality translation is required shortly (96% of orders are executed inside 24 hours, with 63% accomplished in two hours or much less). All translations on Nitro are executed by skilled native-speaking linguists.
We’re assured of our product, however right here’s the rub: Nitro is meant for corporations, and B2B merchandise are notoriously onerous to advertise on Product Hunt. We had been confronted with a problem: to struggle for our place within the solar in opposition to graphic editors, no-code apps, and private productiveness enhancement instruments.
Our launches had been titled accordingly: the primary was merely Nitro, the second was Nitro 2.0, and the third — you guessed it — was Nitro 3.0. Earlier than every new launch we improved our product.
- Once we first began we merely introduced the platform and described its capabilities. We highlighted its benefits — human translation, skilled linguists, quick turnaround, its personal API.
- The second time round we had added assist for Google Docs: as an alternative of copying texts and pasting them into the Nitro translation window, now customers might add a doc and get the finished translation with out dropping any of the formatting.
- We did the identical with different file codecs: right now Nitro helps Google Docs, Google Sheets, HTML, and .strings (for iOS). We additionally added one thing new: assist for the JSON format, which was what mainly motivated us to place in an look on Product Hunt the third time.
Outcomes:
- Nitro (November 2021): 4th place, 337 upvotes by finish of launch day, 500+ as of April 2023
- Nitro 2.0 (July 2022): fifth place, 136 upvotes by finish of launch day, 200+ as of April 2023
- Nitro 3.0 (March 2023): fifth place, 230 upvotes by finish of launch day, 300+ as of April 2023
The launches enabled us to attract consideration to our product whereas buying new registered customers and purchasers, and likewise served as a wonderful alternative to speak about Nitro on social networks and within the media. As well as, we acquired a shopper for Alconost’s adjoining service: localization. Nitro is appropriate for small quantities of textual content and for translating updates to video games, web sites, and apps. Whereas optimistic options of localization providers embody work group by a mission supervisor, choice of an appropriate platform and translators for the shopper’s specific wants, and course of design. Not like Nitro’s impersonal interface, a supervisor communicates with purchasers straight and works in tandem with them, which is how we optimize the localization of huge initiatives.
By no means as soon as have we enlisted assistance from hunters. The conclusion? A profitable launch is ABSOLUTELY attainable with out their help! Within the part beneath entitled “The function of the hunter in 2023, or Why we determined to launch on our personal” we describe in additional element what hunters can contribute to a launch.
Moreover, we all know first-hand what it means to organize for a launch with out an intensive group. The first driving power behind our launches consisted of 1 or two key individuals who understood the nuances of the platform and would ask their colleagues for help with preparations each time the necessity arose. On X-Day itself, some others from Alconost’s inside assist group additionally lent a hand. However in case you’re solely in a position to contain a few folks in making ready on your launch, as an alternative of an intensive group, we all know how you can successfully make use of your accessible time and power.
In almost each article on launching on Product Hunt you’ll see these suggestions:
- Put together for the launch prematurely.
That method you’ll have time to community on the platform and enlist the assist of the neighborhood — you’re going to wish it on X-Day. Turn out to be an lively platform participant previous to launch. Participate in discussions (and actually share your viewpoint on the questions mentioned — you must solely promote your product the place acceptable), acquire karma factors, assist the merchandise of others, and work together with different Product Hunt contributors.
2. Put together eye-catching launch web page content material.
You’ll want:
- the identify of your product;
- quick descriptions of it, 60 and 260 characters in size;
- an icon (a GIF or concise brand) 240 x 240 or 600 x 600 pixels;
- a video — probably a product demo; ideally an uncommon, authentic video that each showcases the product and acts as a hook;
- putting, wealthy graphics with simply readable textual content for the gallery — 1270 x 760 pixels;
- a GIF (optionally available), ideally not bigger than 3MB;
- a remark from the first maker and, if desired, from different makers;
- subjects — from 1 to three; see standard subjects.
3. Type a assist group amongst Product Hunt communities, on LinkedIn, Telegram, WhatsApp, Fb, Slack, and Twitter.
The lists of those communities are consistently being up to date; outdated teams lose their relevance, and new ones seem. Create an inventory of communities within the early days of the preparation course of. Begin actively taking part in these communities: assist different hunters, depart significant feedback, and relaxation assured — they’ll do the identical for you.
The problem encountered by these making ready for his or her first launch on Product Hunt is that it’s no straightforward factor to determine how the platform itself really works. Whereas the web is stuffed with directions and articles on launch prep, all of them grow to be outdated pretty shortly: Product Hunt makes frequent updates that you simply’ll nonetheless have to determine by yourself.
What we encountered on the preparation stage this time, in March of 2023, that wasn’t there earlier than:
“Coming quickly” web page
The “Coming quickly” web page or teaser is proven within the Coming quickly feed, and was launched on Product Hunt pretty just lately — at any fee, it wasn’t round when Nitro and Nitro 2.0 had been launched. Immediately, creating this web page is a requisite a part of launch preparation.
The “Coming quickly” web page shows the identify of the product, a brief description of 255 characters or fewer, and a banner. For the banner, a dimension of 1:2 (w:h) is really helpful for the desktop model, and 1:1 for cell. If this isn’t your first launch, use a 1:1 banner for each variations.
When an individual subscribes to the “Coming quickly” web page, they are going to obtain a notification once we launch. This refers to notifications straight on the platform, with a bell icon within the higher proper nook. Within the best-case situation, Product Hunt notifications are additionally delivered through e mail.
As we see it, the “Coming quickly” web page made making a Ship pointless, and it’s freed from cost. We advocate making a teaser per week previous to launch.
An important technical consideration is you could solely create a “Coming quickly” web page (or teaser) after you’ve scheduled your launch: you publish it on Product Hunt, then look ahead to the product to launch routinely.
A scheduled launch permits you to:
- Create a “Coming quickly” web page
- Get a “Launching quickly” badge by your profile identify
- Put together and add all supplies for the launch and see how they are going to be displayed on the web page (from this second on the product web page is accessible through the hyperlink)
- If essential, make adjustments to the ready supplies proper up till the launch itself (the date will also be moved)
- Not fear about launching the product on the platform on X-Day — it will likely be launched routinely.
We advocate making a scheduled launch as early as attainable. The longer you’ve gotten your badge, the extra Product Hunt contributors will need to be the primary to attach with you. Completely something within the scheduled launch may be modified — even the hyperlink to the product, though the hyperlink is step one in including the product to the web site.
As soon as the scheduled launch has been created, it’s very straightforward so as to add a teaser utilizing the directions from Product Hunt. When you’ve offered the knowledge for the “Coming quickly” web page, the banner goes by way of moderation, which may take as much as 24 hours. Our teaser was revealed 3–4 hours after submitting the knowledge.
The ChatGPT increase
There’s plenty of discuss ChatGPT on Product Hunt — only for curiosity’s sake, head over to the discussions and do a search there for ChatGPT. The variety of merchandise that use additionally it is rising, as even a few days of watching the product rankings will present.
Though the neighborhood could concur that ChatGPT is a useful gizmo, the issue is that many individuals are beginning to participate in discussions and depart feedback below merchandise to not share their opinion, however to be engaged merely for the sake of engagement. To save lots of time, some are utilizing ChatGPT to generate responses and publish them on Product Hunt. Product Hunt is beginning to fight AI-generated feedback and content material — for instance, the “Report” button now has the choice to flag AI contributions.
Numerous merchandise invariably fall behind within the rankings when the Product Hunt algorithm flags suspected illicit exercise beneath a submit. Even in case you go about gaining upvotes the suitable method, keep watch over what’s happening within the launch feedback.
In our opinion, ChatGPT is usually a nice assist when making ready for launch, particularly for these for whom English just isn’t their native language. ChatGPT may be helpful for shortly and appropriately placing collectively an insightful reply or eye-catching remark, offering concepts for creating your personal discussions, or serving to you compile texts, letters, and posts about your launch — there are going to be plenty of them! The essential factor is to not abuse it and to be sincere with your self and the neighborhood. Then you definately gained’t have any points.
You may study extra about Product Hunt’s coverage concerning AI-generated content material within the dialogue “Let’s Discuss About Spam” dated March 23, 2023.
The randomized homepage
The truth that Product Hunt is continually and quickly altering is born out by their randomized product web page, which was actually launched the very day (!) earlier than we launched.
Basically, throughout the first two hours of the launch day (00:01–02:00 PST) the leaderboard adjustments at random, and product upvotes throughout this era are hidden. At this identical time (00:01–02:00 PST) the variety of upvotes a product has been seen on the launch web page itself, however its general rating on the leaderboard stays unknown. As earlier than, the ultimate ranking is set by the neighborhood on the finish of the day.
The representatives of Product Hunt consider that in case you comply with the neighborhood guidelines and obtain genuine votes, these adjustments will have an effect on you positively. The random adjustments on the leaderboard are meant to assist stage the sphere for all merchandise initially of the day and cut back the stress to acquire the best variety of votes within the first jiffy/hours of the launch.
However, we advocate that you simply attempt to attain a high place initially of the day. Any given individual goes to note the primary 5 or 10 merchandise topping the rankings — no extra. In our case, the interval for randomizing the highest merchandise was a bit longer than promised — round 2.5–3 hours.
The glossary put out by Product Hunt says {that a} hunter is any individual with a free Product Hunt account who publishes merchandise with a view to share them with the neighborhood. In different phrases, in case you’ve revealed even one launch, you’re already a hunter.
Right here we’re speaking about high hunters. These are long-time veterans of the platform who’ve a large viewers and repeatedly publish the merchandise of others. As a substitute of seeking out high hunters on the platform by yourself, you may verify their rankings on the Upvote Bell web site.
Using a hunter on your launch could also be a great way to succeed in a bigger viewers that admittedly enjoys higher belief among the many neighborhood. However to launch with a hunter they’ll have to really like your product. And contemplating that high hunters obtain quite a few gives day by day, you’ll want a robust gross sales pitch and extra time for communication. Your launch date may also be depending on the hunter, because you’ll have to agree on a day once they’re not serving to to launch different merchandise.
Prior to now it made sense to pursue high hunters: in spite of everything, every time they revealed a brand new product, all their tens of 1000’s of subscribers would obtain an e mail, guaranteeing the product a large attain and, finally, an considerable enhance in upvotes. Immediately, a hunter’s subscribers solely obtain notifications on the platform itself.
We determined to not spend time speaking with a high hunter, and as an alternative to community independently and organize with folks from the neighborhood for assist. Right here it is sensible to construct a subscriber base on Product Hunt itself. If you hunt a product independently, subscribers will obtain a notification — the identical sort of notification that these of high hunters obtain. The benefit of hunters lies within the variety of their subscribers. Our benefit lies in private contact with individuals who will come to assist the launch on the very least as a result of we’ve been involved with them and grow to be buddies.
In the event you determine to hunt out a hunter in spite of everything, we advocate that you simply write to 4 or so, 4–6 weeks previous to launch. You’ll have to have all of your supplies prepared if you do — illustrations, movies, textual descriptions. Oh, and talking of illustrations…
In most guides on making ready for a Product Hunt launch you’ll learn concerning the significance of high quality graphic supplies. We will verify that sure, that’s true. From our first launch with Nitro we selected the idea of a cat mascot describing our Nitro platform. We caught to it all through all three launches.
Individuals preferred the illustrations a lot that they even wrote to us about them particularly — who got here up with that superior cat? The strategy additionally gave us a playful technique to display the capabilities of our platform: totally different photos described our native-speaking translators, the codecs we assist, our turnaround time, or our API.
Our ultimate launch was really a race — our ranking modified from sixth place to ninth on the product board, and once we ended up within the high 5 we needed to preserve that place for one more 12 hours.
It’s essential to unfold out your efforts all through the launch day, because the Product Hunt algorithm reacts positively to this. The launch day lasts a full 24 hours, and it’s not sufficient to succeed in your goal place at a given second — it’s a must to get there and keep there.
When X-Day ended we had gained the title of “Product of the Day”. Under we share our most up-to-date conclusions:
- Be prepared for product randomization throughout the first hours of the launch, however don’t let this considerably impression your actions throughout this time. In any case, attempt to make it to the highest as early as attainable.
- Subsequent, discover a technique to keep on the high. All through the day, have interaction your assist group. Make certain your efforts and upvotes are dispersed all through the hours of the day.
- Assume forward of time about what to do throughout the night time, particularly in case you’re launching with no hunter and with a small group. It may be dangerous to lose management over the leaderboard for a number of hours working.
- Maintain issues energetic on the launch web page: reply to feedback, reply questions completely, and spotlight your favourite feedback (by the way, in January of 2023 remark awards had been launched — you may examine them right here).
There aren’t any absolute common options right here, and the to-do record and the way it’s damaged down over time will fluctuate from one group to the following. However, beneath we’ve created a launch prep guidelines: these are the factors that we ourselves prioritize, and we advocate that you simply do the identical.
Preparation:
Launch day:
- Share messages concerning the launch with Product Hunt contacts on LinkedIn and Twitter
- Ask neighborhood members for assist on launch day; create discussions surrounding the launch
- Ship an digital mailing asserting the product launch
- Get hold of the assist of the group/”pal community”
- Submit an announcement on social networks concerning the launch
Afterward:
By following these steps and making ready for the massive day prematurely, your efforts are positive to logically finish in your profitable the title of “Product of the Day”. Right here’s wishing you success along with your launch on Product Hunt!
