It took me 4 yrs to grasp how to use online channels to market my product(s) & grow my startup to $1 mn+ revenue.
Here are my learnings from using 11 channels for marketing & growth.
Includes:
• When to use
• How to use
• Use it for
• Pro-tips
A mega thread 🧵
Here are my learnings from using 11 channels for marketing & growth.
Includes:
• When to use
• How to use
• Use it for
• Pro-tips
A mega thread 🧵
1/ Product Hunt
When to use:
• Launch: Early-stage product.
• Post-launch: SEO (listing + alternatives pages), launch side projects.
How to use:
Submit your product directly.
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Feedback & validation
• Do-follow links
(contd.)
When to use:
• Launch: Early-stage product.
• Post-launch: SEO (listing + alternatives pages), launch side projects.
How to use:
Submit your product directly.
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Feedback & validation
• Do-follow links
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• Launch multiple times, when you have major updates. Ideal frequency is once per year.
• Launch a part of your product as an independent offering. Ex. Newsletter or an extensive content hub.
(contd.)
• Launch multiple times, when you have major updates. Ideal frequency is once per year.
• Launch a part of your product as an independent offering. Ex. Newsletter or an extensive content hub.
(contd.)
• Launch mini side-projects while marketing your original product. Ex. Free ebook or an extensive report.
• Optimise your PH listing for SEO. Get your product added to alternatives for your competitor PH listings.
• Optimise your PH listing for SEO. Get your product added to alternatives for your competitor PH listings.
2/ Reddit
When to use:
• Launch: Product + How you built it
• Post-launch: Share your launch experience, learnings & stats
How to use:
What you share depends heavily on the specific subreddit.
Possible things you can do:
• Submit link to your product directly
(contd.)
When to use:
• Launch: Product + How you built it
• Post-launch: Share your launch experience, learnings & stats
How to use:
What you share depends heavily on the specific subreddit.
Possible things you can do:
• Submit link to your product directly
(contd.)
• Share how you built the product
• Share analysis of existing solutions/competitors
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Feedback & validation
• Sustained traffic if you keep sharing blogs or analysis
• Do-follow link if your post becomes popular
(contd.)
• Share analysis of existing solutions/competitors
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Feedback & validation
• Sustained traffic if you keep sharing blogs or analysis
• Do-follow link if your post becomes popular
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• Finding the right subreddits is critical
• Contribute first, market later. Moderators can easily mark you spam. Ideal ratio is 90:10 - 90% comments on posts, 10% sharing links.
• Prepare for blunt, -ve feedback about your product, content or practically anything.
• Finding the right subreddits is critical
• Contribute first, market later. Moderators can easily mark you spam. Ideal ratio is 90:10 - 90% comments on posts, 10% sharing links.
• Prepare for blunt, -ve feedback about your product, content or practically anything.
3/ HackerNews
When to use:
• Launch: Product + How you built it
• Post-launch: In-depth blogs about how you built certain features, analysis or opinion on relevant topics
How to use:
Posts:
• Link to your product
• How you built it
• Analysis or opinion piece
(contd.)
When to use:
• Launch: Product + How you built it
• Post-launch: In-depth blogs about how you built certain features, analysis or opinion on relevant topics
How to use:
Posts:
• Link to your product
• How you built it
• Analysis or opinion piece
(contd.)
Comments:
• A top comment on a popular post can drive huge traffic
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Honest, unfiltered feedback
• Sustained traffic if you keep sharing blogs or analysis
• Do-follow link if you make it to the frontpage
(contd.)
• A top comment on a popular post can drive huge traffic
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users
• Honest, unfiltered feedback
• Sustained traffic if you keep sharing blogs or analysis
• Do-follow link if you make it to the frontpage
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• Contribute first, market later.
-- Comment on posts, build some karma.
-- Share news or interesting wikipedia articles.
• Use "Show HN" when launching a product and the usual posts when submitting blogs
(contd.)
• Contribute first, market later.
-- Comment on posts, build some karma.
-- Share news or interesting wikipedia articles.
• Use "Show HN" when launching a product and the usual posts when submitting blogs
(contd.)
• Stick to the rules at all costs. No spammy votes, no marketing taglines.
• You can submit the same post or link multiple times. Don't do it too often though.
• You can submit the same post or link multiple times. Don't do it too often though.
4/ Twitter
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Talk about the problem, existing solutions. Share specifics - how you're building, small wins etc.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with product link.
• Post-launch: Share stats, analysis - what worked & what didn't.
(contd.)
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Talk about the problem, existing solutions. Share specifics - how you're building, small wins etc.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with product link.
• Post-launch: Share stats, analysis - what worked & what didn't.
(contd.)
How to use:
• Bring out your own personality. Share personal experiences, stories, opinions.
• People should support you, not your product.
Use it for:
• Building a permanent audience that you can leverage for many launches
• Feedback & inputs from your connections
(contd.)
• Bring out your own personality. Share personal experiences, stories, opinions.
• People should support you, not your product.
Use it for:
• Building a permanent audience that you can leverage for many launches
• Feedback & inputs from your connections
(contd.)
• Learn from others' experiences. People share a lot of specifics, go through them & use it for yourself.
Pro-tips:
• People love specifics. Don't hesitate to share your secrets - what frameworks you use, what channels worked for you, how you make money & how much.
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• People love specifics. Don't hesitate to share your secrets - what frameworks you use, what channels worked for you, how you make money & how much.
(contd.)
• Reply on others' posts: best way to get engagement initially.
• Connect with people over DMs.
• Write & share consistently. You can talk about anything from how productive your morning was to how ecstatic you are to get amazing user feedback to what's happening in the world.
• Connect with people over DMs.
• Write & share consistently. You can talk about anything from how productive your morning was to how ecstatic you are to get amazing user feedback to what's happening in the world.
5/ LinkedIn
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Talk about the problem you're solving. Focus on the vision.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with your product link.
• Post-launch: Share your success/failure.
(contd.)
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Talk about the problem you're solving. Focus on the vision.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with your product link.
• Post-launch: Share your success/failure.
(contd.)
How to use:
• Focus on sharing personal experiences & stories vs. company updates
• People should support you, not your product.
Use it for:
• Building a permanent audience that you can leverage for many launches.
• Feedback & inputs from your connections.
(contd.)
• Focus on sharing personal experiences & stories vs. company updates
• People should support you, not your product.
Use it for:
• Building a permanent audience that you can leverage for many launches.
• Feedback & inputs from your connections.
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• Success/failure stories work best.
• Make connections. Interact on other people's posts. Chat over DMs.
• Write & share consistently. It will take time to get engagement initially.
• Success/failure stories work best.
• Make connections. Interact on other people's posts. Chat over DMs.
• Write & share consistently. It will take time to get engagement initially.
6,7/ DEV, Hashnode
When to use:
• Launch: How you built it
• Post-launch: Blogs about how you solved specific tech challenges or how you built certain features.
How to use:
• Dev focused communities. So share any & everything related to tech.
(contd.)
When to use:
• Launch: How you built it
• Post-launch: Blogs about how you solved specific tech challenges or how you built certain features.
How to use:
• Dev focused communities. So share any & everything related to tech.
(contd.)
• Both provide do-follow links with canonical URLs. So republish your tech blogs without hesitation
• You can host your own blog on a custom domain on Hashnode
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users. However, the spike may not be as high as the above channels.
(contd.)
• You can host your own blog on a custom domain on Hashnode
Use it for:
• Spike in traffic or # of users. However, the spike may not be as high as the above channels.
(contd.)
• Sustained traffic if you keep sharing blogs.
Pro-tips:
• People love listicles especially list of useful tools or free resources.
• DEV rewards consistency heavily by recommending your profile to new users.
Pro-tips:
• People love listicles especially list of useful tools or free resources.
• DEV rewards consistency heavily by recommending your profile to new users.
8,9/ IndieHackers, Remote Clan
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Ask for specific feedback & help on problems you're stuck at.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with your product link.
• Post-launch: Share your launch experience, learnings & stats
(contd.)
When to use:
• Pre-launch: Ask for specific feedback & help on problems you're stuck at.
• Launch: Share your personal story along with your product link.
• Post-launch: Share your launch experience, learnings & stats
(contd.)
How to use:
• Community websites are perfect to get help on problems you're facing. Discussions on these websites are super engaging & helpful.
• Remote Clan provides do-follow links with canonical URLs. So republish relevant blogs without hesitation.
(contd.)
• Community websites are perfect to get help on problems you're facing. Discussions on these websites are super engaging & helpful.
• Remote Clan provides do-follow links with canonical URLs. So republish relevant blogs without hesitation.
(contd.)
• Both allow you to share links to original article including social media posts.
Use it for:
• Insights & feedback about anything you're doing - product, marketing, sales etc.
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a fraction of what you get from above channels.
(contd.)
Use it for:
• Insights & feedback about anything you're doing - product, marketing, sales etc.
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a fraction of what you get from above channels.
(contd.)
Pro-tips:
• Use the feature of "posting links" wisely. For instance, you can share a Twitter thread once in a while to amplify engagement on original post.
• Engage on posts, share your thoughts publicly. Community websites thrive on sharing things publicly rather than DMs.
• Use the feature of "posting links" wisely. For instance, you can share a Twitter thread once in a while to amplify engagement on original post.
• Engage on posts, share your thoughts publicly. Community websites thrive on sharing things publicly rather than DMs.
10/ Medium
When to use:
• Post-launch: Republish your blog or write a fresh post (only if you have extra time).
How to use:
• Republish your posts.
• If you're making a fresh post, try submitting to a publication. Reach is much higher.
(contd.)
When to use:
• Post-launch: Republish your blog or write a fresh post (only if you have extra time).
How to use:
• Republish your posts.
• If you're making a fresh post, try submitting to a publication. Reach is much higher.
(contd.)
Use it for:
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a tiny fraction of what you'll get from the above channels.
Pro-tips:
• Put your posts behind paywall - these posts are better distributed
• Some publications offer a do-follow link. So, good from an SEO perspective as well
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a tiny fraction of what you'll get from the above channels.
Pro-tips:
• Put your posts behind paywall - these posts are better distributed
• Some publications offer a do-follow link. So, good from an SEO perspective as well
11/ HackerNoon
When to use:
• Post-launch: Write a fresh post. Use HackerNoon only if you have extra time.
How to use:
• Make fresh posts. Add link to your website/blog.
• Links are do-follow, so good from an SEO perspective.
(contd.)
When to use:
• Post-launch: Write a fresh post. Use HackerNoon only if you have extra time.
How to use:
• Make fresh posts. Add link to your website/blog.
• Links are do-follow, so good from an SEO perspective.
(contd.)
Use it for:
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a tiny fraction of what you get from above channels.
Pro-tips:
• If you run a newsletter, you can publish it on HackerNoon.
• All submissions are reviewed by editors. Once you're accepted as an author, reviews are faster.
• Sustained traffic, although it will be a tiny fraction of what you get from above channels.
Pro-tips:
• If you run a newsletter, you can publish it on HackerNoon.
• All submissions are reviewed by editors. Once you're accepted as an author, reviews are faster.
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