Startup. Launching on Product Hunt
Who this course is for This course is designed for first-time founders and indie makers who want to launch on Product Hunt with clarity and confidence. You might have a great MVP, a small (or zero) audience, and a tight …
Overview
Who this course is for
This course is designed for first-time founders and indie makers who want to launch on Product Hunt with clarity and confidence. You might have a great MVP, a small (or zero) audience, and a tight timeline. You’re not looking for fluff or hype—you want a practical, step-by-step path that shows you what to prepare, when to do it, and how to execute without getting flagged, banned, or ignored.
What you will achieve
By the end of this program, you will have a complete launch kit ready to go live on Product Hunt, a realistic plan for getting into the daily Top 5, and a clear system for converting launch attention into real users, demos, and revenue. You’ll understand how Product Hunt works in 2025, how credibility is formed, how timing impacts visibility, and how to engage the community in a way that is authentic and compliant with the rules.
How the course works
The course is intentionally text-based and outcome-oriented. Each module focuses on a specific launch layer: positioning, assets, profiles, hunters, timeline, ethical outreach, day-of execution, analytics, risk management, safety, post-launch momentum, and templates. You’ll follow a preparation timeline from T-21 days to T-0 (launch day), with hour-by-hour guidance for the day itself. We use simple language but do not oversimplify—expect checklists, decision frameworks, and examples you can adapt immediately.
Key outcomes and deliverables
- A sharp value proposition that speaks to the Product Hunt audience and communicates “why now.”
- A complete launch set: name, tagline options, short/long descriptions, 6–8 gallery images, a 30–60s teaser video/GIF, pricing/FAQ, and a landing page with a clear CTA.
- A Maker’s first comment that sets the narrative, highlights key features, shares your roadmap, and invites feedback without begging for votes.
- Optimized Maker profiles and a credible company page with consistent branding, website readiness, and legal pages in place.
- A data-informed decision on whether to use a hunter, self-post, or ignore paid “guaranteed #1” pitches.
- A day-by-day and hour-by-hour plan from T-21 through launch day, including timezone strategy (Product Hunt resets at 00:00 Pacific Time).
- An ethical outreach playbook for mobilizing supporters via DMs, communities, newsletters, and Slack/Discord—without incentives or spam.
- A metrics and UTM framework to measure votes, comments, CTR, referral traffic, signups, demo requests, and conversions.
- Contingency tactics for tough scenarios: competing with a major brand, slow early traction, or pricing pushback.
- Post-launch systems to turn attention into momentum: PR angles, case study, badges, nurture sequences, and partner outreach.
Why this matters
Product Hunt is still a high-signal discovery platform where early adopters, builders, and media scan for what’s new. A good launch can deliver a burst of qualified traffic, social proof, and investor credibility; a great launch can open doors you didn’t expect. But success is not just about upvotes. It’s about relevance, timing, quality of engagement, and the conversion experience after the click. This course helps you optimize all four.
What “success” looks like
We frame success by outcomes, not vanity metrics. Aim for Top 5 of the day if possible, but prioritize signups, demo requests, and learning. You will build a compliant, repeatable approach that respects the community and your brand. No vote rings, no spam, no manipulative tactics—just strong positioning, clean execution, and honest outreach.
Tools and formats
You’ll get templates for taglines, first comments, FAQs, outreach scripts, checklists for each timeline phase, and a lightweight analytics dashboard with a UTM matrix and KPI targets. Everything is designed for speed and clarity so you can spend time improving your product instead of wrestling with process.
Final note
You don’t need a massive audience or a famous hunter to have a meaningful Product Hunt launch. You need a precise message, disciplined preparation, and respectful engagement. This course gives you exactly that—step by step.
Curriculum
- 13 Sections
- 42 Lessons
- Lifetime
- 1. Product Hunt 1014
- 1.18YUG 1.1 How Product Hunt works today: daily leaderboard, categories, timing, social proof
- 1.28YUG 1.2 What “success” means (Top 5 of the day, Product of the Day/Week/Month, traffic vs. signups vs. revenue)
- 1.38YUG 1.3 Eligibility and rules (no vote buying, no incentives, authentic community engagement)
- 1.48YUG 1. Quiz3 Questions
- 2. Strategic Positioning & Assets5
- 2.18YUG 2.1 Define the “why now” and the sharp value prop for PH audience
- 2.28YUG 2.2 Crafting the launch set: name, tagline options (10+), short/long descriptions, 6–8 gallery images, 30–60s teaser video/GIF, pricing/FAQ page, landing page with clear CTA
- 2.38YUG 2.3 Maker’s first comment: narrative, key features, roadmap, ask for feedback
- 2.48YUG 2.4 Social copy bank: Twitter/X, LinkedIn, email, DM scripts, community posts
- 2.58YUG 2. Quiz3 Questions
- 3. Profiles & Credibility4
- 4. Hunters: Do You Need One?4
- 5. Timeline & Preparation Plan6
- 5.18YUG 5.1 T-21 to T-14 days: positioning, asset drafts, shortlist of supporters/communities
- 5.28YUG 5.2 T-14 to T-7: refine visuals/video, finalize landing, collect testimonials, set analytics/UTMs
- 5.38YUG 5.3 T-7 to T-3: dry-run the page, stress-test traffic, outreach sequencing, embargo notes
- 5.48YUG 5.4 T-2 to T-1: timezone check (PH day resets at 00:00 Pacific Time), support squad calendar, final QA
- 5.58YUG 5.5 T-0 (Launch day): hour-by-hour plan (first 2 hours, morning boost, mid-day push, evening follow-ups)
- 5.68YUG 5. Quiz3 Questions
- 6. Outreach Without Getting Banned4
- 6.18YUG 6.1 Mobilizing your network ethically: “feedback & support” language vs. vote-begging
- 6.28YUG 6.2 Channels that work: personal DMs, founder communities, newsletters, Slack/Discord groups
- 6.38YUG 6.3 What NOT to do: vote rings, incentives, spam; how PH detects manipulation
- 6.48YUG 6. Quiz3 Questions
- 7. Day-of Execution5
- 7.18YUG 7.1 Launch checklist (before going live): assets, links, tracking, backups
- 7.28YUG 7.2 Comment strategy: respond fast, seed Q&A, highlight updates, pin clarifications
- 7.38YUG 7.3 Social cadence: announce → reminder → proof of momentum; adapt to different timezones
- 7.48YUG 7.4 Micro-pivots during the day: swapping hero image, clarifying pricing, updating FAQs
- 7.58YUG 7. Quiz3 Questions
- 8. Metrics, Analytics & Conversion4
- 9. Risk Management & Common Failure Modes5
- 9.18YUG 9.1 Launching same day as a major brand: how to react, differentiate, and salvage outcomes
- 9.28YUG 9.2 Low engagement first hours: fast diagnostic and corrective actions
- 9.38YUG 9.3 Negative feedback or pricing pushback: respond, iterate, update
- 9.48YUG 9.4 If things truly flop: post-mortem, Ship updates, when/how a relaunch is acceptable
- 9.58YUG 9. Quiz3 Questions
- 10. Safety, Scams & Red Flags4
- 11. After Launch: Momentum & PR4
- 11.18YUG 11.1 24–72h follow-up: thank-you posts, changelog, quick fixes shipped from feedback
- 11.28YUG 11.2 Repurposing the launch: case study, social proof on website, badges, email to waitlist
- 11.38YUG 11.3 From PH to pipeline: nurture sequences, demo flows, partner outreach
- 11.48YUG 11. Quiz3 Questions
- 12. Templates & Checklists (appendices)5
- 12.18YUG 12.1 Tagline bank (20+), first comment template, FAQ template
- 12.28YUG 12.2 Outreach scripts: DM/email/community post variations
- 12.38YUG 12.3 Launch checklists: T-21/T-7/T-1/Day-of; hour-by-hour schedule
- 12.48YUG 12.4 Analytics template with UTM matrix and KPI targets
- 12.58YUG 12. Quiz3 Questions
- 8YUG FinalQuiz1






