1. Build a lean, but usable MVP
Focus on the core features of your product. Don't start building every little thing you can think of. What do you need to build for your product to function? For us, it was users searching and applying to jobs.
Focus on the core features of your product. Don't start building every little thing you can think of. What do you need to build for your product to function? For us, it was users searching and applying to jobs.
2. Get early user feedback and build an audience
Join communities where your target audience hangs out and be an active member. Provide value, feedback, and ask questions. We are an active member of Makerlog, Reddit, Pioneer.app, and Indie Hackers.
Join communities where your target audience hangs out and be an active member. Provide value, feedback, and ask questions. We are an active member of Makerlog, Reddit, Pioneer.app, and Indie Hackers.
3. Launch repeatedly
We launched 2 times before on news.ycombinator.com/show before getting to #1.
Every week, we updated communities of new features/milestones like
getmakerlog.com, IndieHackers, reddit.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook groups.
We launched 2 times before on news.ycombinator.com/show before getting to #1.
Every week, we updated communities of new features/milestones like
getmakerlog.com, IndieHackers, reddit.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook groups.
4. Research how others did it and take notes
(Reading posts from Hacker News and Product Hunt will help)
Some great resources we used:
levels.io/product-hunt-h…
medium.com/startup-grind/…
(Reading posts from Hacker News and Product Hunt will help)
Some great resources we used:
levels.io/product-hunt-h…
medium.com/startup-grind/…
5. Make sure your server can handle the traffic
Prepare for the best-case scenario. You do not want to upgrade your server during launch day as your site will be down for 10 mins or more.
Prepare for the best-case scenario. You do not want to upgrade your server during launch day as your site will be down for 10 mins or more.
6. Collect emails
Add a way for users to subscribe to your mailing list. Make sure it's ready before you launch. We collected emails to our Postgres database and transferred it to MailChimp.
Add a way for users to subscribe to your mailing list. Make sure it's ready before you launch. We collected emails to our Postgres database and transferred it to MailChimp.
7. Make your title personal and less marketing-y
Example from makebook.io:
Show HN: I made a site that lets you subscribe to pet food delivery
Our HN title:
Show HN: I made a site that aggregates entry-level positions
And it worked..
Example from makebook.io:
Show HN: I made a site that lets you subscribe to pet food delivery
Our HN title:
Show HN: I made a site that aggregates entry-level positions
And it worked..
8. Launch your product at 12:01 am PST
Posting at 12:01 am maximizes your product's 24-hour time frame. When we launched, we had the highest # of traffic between 12 am - 6 am pst. If we had launched any later, we would have missed out.
Posting at 12:01 am maximizes your product's 24-hour time frame. When we launched, we had the highest # of traffic between 12 am - 6 am pst. If we had launched any later, we would have missed out.
9. The first hour is the most critical
We shared our HN post with a few friends within the first hour which helped move us from newest to show. From there, we were in the top 10 on Show HN which helped with more people viewing and we took off.
We shared our HN post with a few friends within the first hour which helped move us from newest to show. From there, we were in the top 10 on Show HN which helped with more people viewing and we took off.
10. Announce your launch in the communities mentioned in step 3
People that follow you and like what your doing will check out your launch. If you're in the front-page by now, leverage that and let people know. We sent out multiple updates letting our followers know.
People that follow you and like what your doing will check out your launch. If you're in the front-page by now, leverage that and let people know. We sent out multiple updates letting our followers know.
11. Reply to comments on your HN page
Stay in the comments and reply positively. Hacker News comments can destroy your launch so be careful. Luckily, we received lots of good feedback. Our product, rose through the ranks thanks to the comments.
Stay in the comments and reply positively. Hacker News comments can destroy your launch so be careful. Luckily, we received lots of good feedback. Our product, rose through the ranks thanks to the comments.
