Product hunt launch
Quick answer
- 01What is it?
- Product Hunt launch optimization with specific specs, timing, and gallery strategy. Covers taglines, gallery images, maker comments, and launch day tactics. The value is a focused slice of growth marketing judgment, useful when several similar skills cover the same ground.
- 02Inputs
- Context for growth marketing: your goals, audience, constraints, and any source material the skill asks for.
- 03Output
- A ready-to-use result for growth marketing: the analysis, copy, or recommendations the agent produces.
Add this skill
Install as a package
Installs this one skill package for your coding agent, including any supporting files that skill ships with — not every skill in the repository. Read the tutorial.
$ npx skills add manojbajaj95/claude-gtm-plugin --skill product-hunt-launchUse in Profound
Copy this file into a new Profound Skill. That's it, nothing else to install.
Copy and create in ProfoundProduct Hunt Launch
Workspace Context
Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.
Operating Contract
This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.
Optimize your Product Hunt launch with research and visuals.
Listing Specifications
| Element | Spec | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Product name | — | Keep it short, memorable |
| Tagline | 60 character limit | No period at end |
| Description | First 260 chars show in preview | Full description can be longer |
| Gallery images | Up to 8 images | 1270 x 760 px recommended |
| Topics | Max 3 | Pick the most specific ones |
| Makers | Tag all team members | They can engage in comments |
| Link | Product URL | Where upvoters go |
Gallery Images
The First Image Is Everything
The first gallery image shows in the feed, email digest, and social shares. It IS your first impression.
| Position | Content | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Hero) | Product in action, core value visible | Stop the scroll, communicate what it does |
| 2 | Key feature demonstration | Show the "aha moment" |
| 3 | Before/after or problem/solution | Show the transformation |
| 4 | Social proof or metrics | Build credibility |
| 5 | Technical differentiator or integrations | For evaluators |
Dimensions
- Recommended: 1270 x 760 px (16:9 ish)
- Minimum: 600px wide
- Supports GIF for animated demos
Generating Gallery Images
Use your preferred image generation tool to create gallery images matching these specs:
Image 1: Hero product shot
- Prompt: "modern SaaS product showcase, clean dashboard interface floating above gradient background, UI showing analytics charts and metrics, professional product marketing style, soft shadows, blue and white color scheme, wide format"
- Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px
Image 2: Feature demo
- Prompt: "product feature showcase, split screen showing drag-and-drop interface on left and generated output on right, clean UI design, modern SaaS aesthetic, subtle grid background, professional marketing"
- Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px
Image 3: Before/after
- Create a side-by-side comparison showing the problem state and solution state
- Use design tools like Figma or image editing software
Image 4: Social proof / metrics
- Prompt: "clean infographic style image showing upward growth metrics, large numbers and charts on dark background, professional data visualization, startup metrics dashboard style, modern minimal design"
- Dimensions: 1248 x 832 px
Recommended tools: Midjourney, DALL-E, Figma, Adobe Express, or your preferred design/image generation platform.
Tagline
60 characters. No period. Must communicate what the product does AND why someone should care.
Formulas That Work
| Formula | Example |
|---|---|
| [Action] for [audience] | "AI writing assistant for developers" |
| [Result] without [pain] | "Beautiful docs without the design skills" |
| [Tool] that [benefit] | "Analytics that explain themselves" |
| [Adjective] [category] | "Instant customer feedback surveys" |
| The [category] for [niche] | "The Figma for data visualization" |
Examples
❌ "The best project management tool ever created" (superlative, 52 chars)
❌ "We help you manage projects better." (vague, has period, 37 chars)
❌ "AI-powered machine learning project management SaaS" (buzzword soup)
✅ "Ship docs in minutes, not days" (31 chars)
✅ "AI turns your data into stories" (32 chars)
✅ "The open-source Calendly alternative" (37 chars)
Timing
When to Launch
| Factor | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Day | Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (highest traffic) |
| Time | 12:01 AM PT (Pacific Time) — start of the PH day |
| Avoid | Weekends, holidays, major Apple/Google events |
| Duration | PH day = midnight PT to midnight PT |
Why 12:01 AM PT
- Maximum time in the running for daily top spot
- Accumulate upvotes throughout the full day
- Morning email digest (US time) includes your product
- Allows engagement across all US time zones
Maker Comment
Post within 5 minutes of going live. This is your pitch.
Structure
Hey Product Hunt! 👋
[1 sentence: what it is]
[2-3 sentences: why you built it / the problem you noticed]
[1-2 sentences: how it works / key differentiator]
[1 sentence: what's next / what you're looking for]
Would love to hear your thoughts — happy to answer any questions!
Example
Hey Product Hunt!
DataFlow turns raw SQL queries into visual dashboards in seconds.
As a data engineer, I was frustrated spending more time formatting
reports than actually analyzing data. Every BI tool I tried required
a PhD in their configuration. So I built DataFlow — paste your SQL,
get a dashboard.
It auto-detects chart types, handles large datasets, and exports
to PDF/PNG with one click.
We're offering 50% off the first year for PH users. Would love
your feedback — what reporting pain points do you have?
Launch Day Playbook
Before Launch (1-2 weeks)
- Gallery images finalized (5 recommended)
- Tagline tested with 5+ people (do they understand what it does?)
- Maker comment drafted and proofread
- Landing page with PH badge ready
- Early supporter list ready (people who want to check it out)
- Social media announcement posts drafted
Launch Day Timeline
| Time (PT) | Action |
|---|---|
| 12:01 AM | Product goes live, post maker comment immediately |
| 12:15 AM | Share on personal social media |
| 6:00 AM | First engagement check — reply to all comments |
| 9:00 AM | Share in relevant communities (naturally, not spammy) |
| 12:00 PM | Mid-day check — reply to all new comments |
| 3:00 PM | Share any early traction or interesting feedback |
| 6:00 PM | Evening engagement — reply to remaining comments |
| 11:59 PM | Day ends — results are final |
Engagement Rules
- Reply to every comment — makers who engage get more visibility
- Ask questions back — creates conversation threads
- Be genuine — don't use canned responses
- Never ask for upvotes — against PH terms of service
- Share the link naturally — "Check it out at [url]" not "Please upvote"
Research for Preparation
Research competitor launches and community sentiment using web search tools:
- Study similar product launches on Product Hunt
- Analyze the competitive landscape for your category
- Review community sentiment and maker advice from recent launches
- Look for patterns in what works and what doesn't
Post-Launch
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Day 1-3 | Reply to all remaining comments, thank supporters |
| Week 1 | Publish a "lessons learned" blog post / Twitter thread |
| Week 2 | Follow up with interested users from comments |
| Month 1 | Check if you're eligible for "Product of the Week/Month" |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Launching on Friday/weekend | Low traffic, wasted launch | Tue-Thu only |
| Launching at noon | Half the day already gone | 12:01 AM PT |
| No maker comment | Looks abandoned | Post within 5 minutes |
| Asking for upvotes | Against TOS, can get flagged | Share naturally, let product speak |
| Generic gallery images | Doesn't show the product | Show real UI, real features |
| Not replying to comments | Low engagement signal | Reply to every single comment |
| Too many topics | Dilutes discoverability | Max 3, pick the most specific |
| Tagline with buzzwords | Nobody knows what you do | Clear, specific, benefit-focused |
Common questions
How do I install Product hunt launch in Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex?
Run npx skills add manojbajaj95/claude-gtm-plugin --skill product-hunt-launch in the project where you want it, then ask your agent for the skill by name. The --skill flag installs only Product hunt launch, not every skill in the repository.
Where does Product hunt launch come from and what license is it under?
Product hunt launch comes from the manojbajaj95/claude-gtm-plugin repository on GitHub. That repository has 74 GitHub stars. The skill is published under the MIT license.
Prefer plain text? Read the Product hunt launch guide as markdown.
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