Dos and don'ts before the Product Hunt launch
It’s almost here for me. In three days, I’ll be relaunching a major update for the app I have been collaborating with, and I’ve set clear boundaries for myself about what I will and won’t do before the launch. I guess these are some general, unwritten rules I try to follow…
❌ Definitely DON’T:
Accept offers from charlatans promising votes or engagement for money
Send unsolicited messages begging for votes or support
Spam other people’s posts with launch announcements
✅ Definitely DO:
Politely ask in advance via messages if it’s okay to request support on launch day. If they say no, or don’t respond, don’t spam them = consent is everything
Communicate about your launch on your own social profiles (especially effective if you’ve been building a community beforehand)
Give honest feedback and try out products that interest you – it puts your face out there in a meaningful way
Use internal company channels to announce the launch (e.g., include it in a newsletter, get support from coworkers in Slack, etc.)
Of course, this list could be longer, so you can help with this part too. 😄
Do you have your own personal rules for what to do – or not do – before a launch?
Replies
ProblemHunt
Nika, I’m really looking forward to the launch so I can support your product! I genuinely see real value in this product for people. 😊
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@gostroverhov Thank you, Boris, it means a lot. I am especially the example of what can happen when people spend way much time on social media :DDDD
vibecoder.date
I've gotten plenty of emails and dms promising upvotes for a fee. It bothers me because I know it's A) against the rules and B) not actually worth it.
I think my to do list is more about being active and commenting on launches I resonate with and products I would use.
There was one recently that had physics simulation for pixel art and I smiled the whole day. And this language learning app sadly still iphone only.
I think I would genuinely only share my product with people that either care about it already or about my journey in general. I'm not pushing anything, I'm sharing in good faith.
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@build_with_aj The worst thing about fake upvotes is that it will not help you to collect genuine feedback from potential (real and worth-paying) customers.
I have one rule before the launch:
1) DO NOT PUSH ANY NEW CODE BEFORE LAUNCH
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@anirudh_madarapu :DDD Did you mess up the project by doing that? :D
@busmark_w_nika Yes, I did, but that was fortunately during a class group project presentation, not an actual launch. That mistake made my teammates angry :(
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@anirudh_madarapu uff, what was the solution? (don't say that they fired you)
That point about 'charlatans' is spot on! ❌ We were actually approached by someone like that recently, and as Product Hunt newbies, we felt pretty uncertain about how to handle it. It’s so easy to be tempted by promises of a #1 spot when you’re still figuring out how the platform works.
I’m really glad you’re opening up this topic – it’s crucial to know that a transparent launch built on a real community is the only sustainable way to go. Do you have a reliable way to immediately tell the difference between a legitimate hunter/advisor and someone just selling bots? Or is it better to just ignore these types of messages entirely?
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@tereza_hurtova I was offered some kit for 50 bucks :D like wtf? :D what a cheap technique do you use guys :D I think that something like this shouldn't be taken seriously. We are not here for purchased upvotes :)
@busmark_w_nika Exactly! It's wild how fast these "offers" pop up. I actually have an email sitting in my inbox right now with the subject line: "Your best product launch ever!" and honestly, I wasn't even sure how to take it at first. It’s a bit overwhelming when you're just trying to be part of the community authentically. Glad we're on the same page about staying away from those shortcuts! :)
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@tereza_hurtova Product hunt launch should be fun, not something we are afraid of :D
App Finder
Good list!
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@konrad_sx Thank you, Konrad :)
I am here to learn what not to do.
Never luanched before but I am planning on launching a tool I am working on soon
our tool definitely looks like something I'll love to have on my phone @busmark_w_nika
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@janefrances_christopher Thank you so much! BTW, what are you preparing?
@busmark_w_nika something to help with quick validation so we build MVPs faster without the stress of talking to users and running ads or building landing pages to guage interest
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@janefrances_christopher When it is live, feel free to share! :)
Triforce Todos
Saving this for my next launch. This should be required reading for first-time founders.
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@abod_rehman Thank you, hopefully, it will be helpful for many people.
Curatora
Yeah, building our own follower list is more important before you launch. The fake upvote and likes will deceive the project goals.
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@imtiyazmohammed Plus – fake upvotes can trigger Product Hunt system and your launch can be disqualified.
Thanks for the advice! Looking forward to our first ever launch on Product Hunt later today :)
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@neilgerstenberg Is it live already?
@busmark_w_nika Yes we're live :-) Been having some issues with various ad platforms though... should be fixed soon! And sorry for taking so long to respond - my profile was restricted :/
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@neilgerstenberg Oh, sorry to hear that. What happened with your profile?
@busmark_w_nika I'm new here and didn't know the rules about pro/personal... I do now :-)