Want to hack hacker news? ๐ฅ
After I finally hit the frontend page, I gathered some insights into this thread.
Some are unique, I haven't heard of them before
Thread ๐
After I finally hit the frontend page, I gathered some insights into this thread.
Some are unique, I haven't heard of them before
Thread ๐
1 / How many times you can post?
You can post multiple times, event with the same title. I've checked some account submissions.
It can be posted from different users, or the same user.
You can post multiple times, event with the same title. I've checked some account submissions.
It can be posted from different users, or the same user.
2 / Will they ban me if I post multiple times?
They won't. But if you post the same link often, you will be the only one who sees your submissions. Others won't see it.
So they have some kind of filtering mechanism here.
They won't. But if you post the same link often, you will be the only one who sees your submissions. Others won't see it.
So they have some kind of filtering mechanism here.
3 / Can I share a direct link to my post?
I'm pretty sure most of you know that you can't.
I mean, you can post a direct link to your post, but the upvotes won't be counted.
100%.
I'm pretty sure most of you know that you can't.
I mean, you can post a direct link to your post, but the upvotes won't be counted.
100%.
4.1 / "Good" and "Bad" upvotes
I noticed that when somebody upvotes your post your karma might be increased. Or not!
1. Upvote from direct link = no karma
2. Upvote from friend = almost always no karma
3. Random upvote = sometimes +1, sometimes no karma
I noticed that when somebody upvotes your post your karma might be increased. Or not!
1. Upvote from direct link = no karma
2. Upvote from friend = almost always no karma
3. Random upvote = sometimes +1, sometimes no karma
4.2 / What if my friend upvotes me without a direct link?
Almost in any case - nothing. They are called hackers for a reason.
How do they know that you asked for an upvote?
1. You're in the same IP / region
2. Your friend already upvoted you before
3. Unnatural behavior
Almost in any case - nothing. They are called hackers for a reason.
How do they know that you asked for an upvote?
1. You're in the same IP / region
2. Your friend already upvoted you before
3. Unnatural behavior
4.3 / Karma
So I noticed that even random upvotes might not give you karma.
However, if you get karma then the upvote is probably "good".
So I noticed that even random upvotes might not give you karma.
However, if you get karma then the upvote is probably "good".
5 / How many upvotes to get to the front page?
You can get to the front page even with 3-4 upvotes. This is how it works
1. You post
2. Someone upvotes you. 3-4 times. You get +3-4 karma, so these upvotes are good
3. In an hour or so you can get to the front page
You can get to the front page even with 3-4 upvotes. This is how it works
1. You post
2. Someone upvotes you. 3-4 times. You get +3-4 karma, so these upvotes are good
3. In an hour or so you can get to the front page
6 / Do comments matter?
Pretty sure they don't. Plenty of posts get to the front page without comments at all.
Pretty sure they don't. Plenty of posts get to the front page without comments at all.
7 / Where is my post?
1. If you see your post, but others don't, you posted not unique link many times
2. Your post can be flagged by other users
3. Your post can be penalized by moderators
4. It sometimes disappears from new and goes to the 2-3 page of frontpage list
1. If you see your post, but others don't, you posted not unique link many times
2. Your post can be flagged by other users
3. Your post can be penalized by moderators
4. It sometimes disappears from new and goes to the 2-3 page of frontpage list
8 / Insight #1
Not sure what does it mean, but
I was checking HN from 2 different laptops on the same WI-FI, and I noticed that one laptop got a refreshed version of the frontpage sooner than another one.
No idea what's that. No cache, I checked.
Not sure what does it mean, but
I was checking HN from 2 different laptops on the same WI-FI, and I noticed that one laptop got a refreshed version of the frontpage sooner than another one.
No idea what's that. No cache, I checked.
9 / Isight #2
Your post never gets to the front page asap. Instead, it goes down in the new feed & can even disappear.
But then some mechanism refreshes the front page, and your post gets there.
It can even get to the second page, then to the first.
Your post never gets to the front page asap. Instead, it goes down in the new feed & can even disappear.
But then some mechanism refreshes the front page, and your post gets there.
It can even get to the second page, then to the first.
10 / Insight #3
If you get to the front page, and your article is good, it doesn't mean that you'll stay a long time there.
Frontpage rank depends on time and upvotes. Something like:
R = time / upvotes^2
The more upvotes you get, the longer you stay
If you get to the front page, and your article is good, it doesn't mean that you'll stay a long time there.
Frontpage rank depends on time and upvotes. Something like:
R = time / upvotes^2
The more upvotes you get, the longer you stay
11 / Insight #4
If you get to the front page, then you may suddenly disappear.
I posted a link to
It started getting upvotes, got to frontpage, and then in a moment, it went down to 70th place.
So moderators are watching the front page page content.
If you get to the front page, then you may suddenly disappear.
I posted a link to
https://twitter.com/vponamariov/status/1328049247183384576
It started getting upvotes, got to frontpage, and then in a moment, it went down to 70th place.
So moderators are watching the front page page content.
12 / Insight #5
How much traffic to expect?
Around 4-5 if you stay on 15-30 place for 10 hours.
Even on the third day after your post disappeared you still get ~200-300 uniques
How much traffic to expect?
Around 4-5 if you stay on 15-30 place for 10 hours.
Even on the third day after your post disappeared you still get ~200-300 uniques
13 / Insight #6
Show HN is special. When you make a post starting with "Show HN: ", you have a chance to get to the "Show" section.
All you need are a few "good" upvotes and wait for 1-2 hours.
If you get there, it will stay there for quite a while (1-3 days).
Show HN is special. When you make a post starting with "Show HN: ", you have a chance to get to the "Show" section.
All you need are a few "good" upvotes and wait for 1-2 hours.
If you get there, it will stay there for quite a while (1-3 days).
14 / Insight #7
The most important thing about posting is your title.
One guy generated titles using GPT-3, and then successfully get to the front page quite a few times: vasilishynkarenka.com/gpt-3/
The most important thing about posting is your title.
One guy generated titles using GPT-3, and then successfully get to the front page quite a few times: vasilishynkarenka.com/gpt-3/
15 / Insight #8
Even though direct asking for upvotes doesn't work, you can post a screenshot with your post on social networks.
If random people upvote it, then it might work and it did in my case (I checked if with my karma-check and I know who helped me out)
Even though direct asking for upvotes doesn't work, you can post a screenshot with your post on social networks.
If random people upvote it, then it might work and it did in my case (I checked if with my karma-check and I know who helped me out)
16 / Insight #9
You can delete your own posts but only in the first hour or two (not sure what's the limit)
It might help since you won't have the same submissions in your profile, and you won't look like a spammer.
No success with a post in the first hour or two? Delete it
You can delete your own posts but only in the first hour or two (not sure what's the limit)
It might help since you won't have the same submissions in your profile, and you won't look like a spammer.
No success with a post in the first hour or two? Delete it
17 / Insight #10
You can post a link to your tweet. If it gets to the front page, the HN bot will retweet it.
It has 17k followers.
Which is not bad I guess.
You can post a link to your tweet. If it gets to the front page, the HN bot will retweet it.
It has 17k followers.
Which is not bad I guess.
Summary.
๐ธMake a good title
๐ธMake good content
๐ธDon't ask for upvotes
๐ธSend a screenshot of your post on social networks. Without asking for upvotes.
๐ธWait an hour or two. If you get it you'll notice. Otherwise, delete your post and try again in a few days
๐ธMake a good title
๐ธMake good content
๐ธDon't ask for upvotes
๐ธSend a screenshot of your post on social networks. Without asking for upvotes.
๐ธWait an hour or two. If you get it you'll notice. Otherwise, delete your post and try again in a few days
โข โข โข
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
ใ
