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Product Hunt

Product Hunt is one of the best platforms for introducing new tools, especially in the tech community. It attracts a crowd of early adopters, startup enthusiasts, and developers eager to discover the latest innovations. Even Apify itself was on PH.

If you're looking to build awareness and generate short-term traffic, Product Hunt can be a powerful tool in your marketing strategy. It's a chance to attract a wide audience, including developers, startups, and businesses looking for automation. If your Actor solves a common problem, automates a tedious process, or enhances productivity, it's a perfect candidate for Product Hunt.

Product Hunt is also great for tools with a strong visual component or demo potential. If you can show the value of your Actor in action, you’re more likely to grab attention and drive engagement.

How to promote your Actor on Product Hunt​

Create a compelling launch​

Launching your Actor on Product Hunt requires thoughtful planning. Start by creating a product page that clearly explains what your Actor does and why it’s valuable. You’ll need:

  • A catchy tagline. Keep it short and to the point. Think of something that captures your Actor's essence in just a few words.
  • Eye-catching visuals. Screenshots, GIFs, or short videos that demonstrate your Actor in action are essential. Show users what they’ll get, how it works, and why it’s awesome.
  • Concise description. Write a brief description of what your Actor does, who it’s for, and the problem it solves. Use plain language to appeal to a wide audience, even if they aren’t developers.
  • Demo video. A short video that shows how your Actor works in a real-life scenario will resonate with potential users.

Once your page is set up, you’ll need to choose the right day to launch. Product Hunt is most active on weekdays, with Tuesday and Wednesday being the most popular launch days. Avoid launching on weekends or holidays when traffic is lower.

Build momentum before launch​

Start building awareness before your launch day. This is where your social media channels and community engagement come into play. Share teasers about your upcoming Product Hunt launch on Twitter (X), Discord, LinkedIn, and even StackOverflow, where other developers might take an interest. Highlight key features or the problems your Actor solves.

If you have a mailing list, give your subscribers a heads-up about your launch date. Encourage them to visit Product Hunt and support your launch by upvoting and commenting. This pre-launch activity helps create early momentum on launch day.

Timing your launch​

The timing of your Product Hunt launch matters a lot. Since Product Hunt operates on a daily ranking system, getting in early gives your product more time to gain votes. Aim to launch between 12:01 AM and 2:00 AM PST, as this will give your product a full day to collect upvotes.

Once you’ve launched, be ready to engage with the community throughout the day. Respond to comments, answer questions, and thank users for their support. Product Hunt users appreciate creators who are active and communicative, and this can help drive more visibility for your Actor.

Engage with your audience​

The first few hours after your launch are crucial for gaining traction. Engage with users who comment on your product page, answer any questions, and address any concerns they might have. The more interaction you generate, the more likely you are to climb the daily rankings.

Be transparent and friendly in your responses. If users point out potential improvements or bugs, acknowledge them and make a commitment to improve your Actor. Product Hunt users are often open to giving feedback, and this can help you iterate on your product quickly.

If possible, have team members or collaborators available to help respond to comments. The more responsive and helpful you are, the better the overall experience will be for users checking out your Actor.

Leverage Apify

You can also give a shoutout to Apify, this way your Actor will also notified to the community of Apify on Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/stories/introducing-shoutouts

Expectations and results​

Launching on Product Hunt can provide a massive spike in short-term traffic and visibility. However, it’s important to manage your expectations. Not every launch will result in hundreds of upvotes or immediate sales. Here’s what you can realistically expect:

  • Short-term traffic boost. Your Actor might see a surge in visitors, especially on the day of the launch. If your Actor resonates with users, this traffic may extend for a few more days.
  • Potential long-term benefits. While the short-term traffic is exciting, the long-term value lies in the relationships you build with early users. Some of them may convert into paying customers or become advocates for your Actor.
  • SEO boost. Product Hunt is a high-authority site with a 91 domain rating. Having your product listed can provide an SEO boost and help your Actor's page rank higher in search engines.
  • User feedback. Product Hunt is a great place to gather feedback. Users may point out bugs, request features, or suggest improvements.

Tricks for a successful launch​

  1. Leverage your network. Ask friends, colleagues, and early users to support your launch. Ask the Apify community. Ask your users. Encourage them to upvote, comment, and share your product on social media.
  2. Prepare for feedback. Product Hunt users can be critical, but this is an opportunity to gather valuable insights. Be open to suggestions and use them to improve your Actor.
  3. Use a consistent brand voice. Make sure your messaging is consistent across all platforms when you're responding to comments and promoting your launch on social media.
  4. Offer a special launch deal. Incentivize users to try your Actor by offering a discount or exclusive access for Product Hunt users. This can drive early adoption and build momentum.

Caveats to Product Hunt promotion​

  • Not every Actor is a good fit. Product Hunt is best for tools with broad appeal or innovative features. If your Actor is highly specialized or niche, it may not perform as well.
  • High competition. Product Hunt is a popular platform, and your Actor will be competing with many other launches. A strong marketing strategy is essential to stand out.
  • Short-term focus. While the traffic spike is great, Product Hunt tends to focus on short-term visibility. To maintain long-term growth, you’ll need to continue promoting your Actor through other channels.