(And How We Did It at Create)
In September, we launched Create on Product Hunt.
We didn’t spend a single dollar on paid promotions.
No PR agency.
No ads.
Just a small team, a product we believed in, and a whole lot of prep.
By the end of the day, we hit Top 3 Product of the Day.
The momentum we built from that one launch brought in new users, feedback, and credibility.
A bunch of Create users are now planning their own launches, so we wanted to document everything we learned.
We thought we’d share our full playbook: what worked, what didn’t, and how you can launch successfully too.
First, why even launch on Product Hunt?
If you’re building for founders, indie hackers, devs, or creators, Product Hunt is still one of the best places to launch.
Here’s what a solid launch gives you:
- You get instant credibility with the right crowd
- It drives real traffic and signups
- You get unfiltered feedback from early adopters
- It becomes a launchpad for everything else; press, investors, users
More than anything, it forces you to focus:
to clarify your messaging, polish your product visuals, and get everything ready.
So even before your launch day, you're already leveling up.
2–3 Weeks Before Launch: The Foundation Phase
This is where most launches are won or lost.
Here’s what to focus on:
1. Start building your audience early
- Share your build journey on X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Slack groups, wherever your people hang out.
- Talk about the problem you’re solving, not just the product.
- Start posting consistently at least 2–3 weeks in advance.
We’d been showing Create’s progress for weeks, so the launch didn’t feel random.
It felt like a moment people had been waiting for.
2. Set your PH launch date + get on the calendar
- Product Hunt has a public Upcoming Launches section, use it.
- Announce the date on your socials, email list, and personal circles.
3. Create your launch visuals
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Product Hunt thumbnail (240x240 PNG, should pop!)
- A killer product video (30–60 seconds, no fluff)
- Screenshots/GIFs of your product in action
- A simple, clear tagline
- Maker profile updated (with headshot, bio)
Don't overthink the visuals. Just make them clean, fun, and scroll-stopping.
1 Week Before Launch: Get Everything Ready
1. Prep your launch content
- Launch tweet + thread
- Launch LinkedIn post
- Email for your newsletter
- DMs for close friends/supporters
- Scripts for your team (so they can easily help)
Make it super easy for people to support you.
Copy-paste messages help a lot.
2. Talk to past launchers
Ask folks who launched recently what worked. What didn’t work for them. What surprised them.
This helps you avoid silly mistakes.
Tip: Offer to support their next launch too. PH is all about mutual help.
3. Create a ‘Supporter List’
- Google Sheet, Notion page, CRM, whatever works.
- Add names of everyone who said they'll help.
- Include links to DM/email them on launch day.
This saved us during last-minute chaos.
Launch Day: Step-by-Step
Product Hunt resets at 12:00am PST.
That’s when you go live. Don’t miss this.
12:01am PST – The Launch Goes Live
- Hit publish
- Confirm you're live on the PH homepage
- Email your list immediately
- Tweet + post everywhere
- Send DMs to your closest supporters
Early traction = better ranking.
The goal: get in Top 10 before most people wake up.
6:00am PST – Go Wide
Now it's hustle time.
- DM everyone on your Supporter List
- Share in founder groups, Discord servers, indie communities
- Post on Reddit (if you’ve built karma beforehand)
- Text your WhatsApp/Signal friends who use the product
Don’t be shy; it’s launch day. Ask for support with confidence.
Optional: Host a Real-Time Event
We co-hosted a live session with some fellow builders.
Did a quick Create demo. Shared a QR code linking to our PH page.
It worked. Live engagement = more traffic = more upvotes.
If you’ve got a big user base or community, do a webinar or Twitter/X Space.
5:00pm PST – Keep the Momentum Going
- Remind your audience the launch ends at midnight PST
- Re-share launch posts with “Last few hours!” message
- DM folks who missed it in the morning
End strong. You want votes + comments to keep coming in till the last minute.
Post-Launch: What Comes After?
- Thank everyone who supported you
- Share the results publicly: views, votes, lessons
- Write a post-launch thread or blog
- Turn the momentum into customer conversations
- Keep showing up
A Product Hunt launch is not the finish line.
It’s just a really loud starting gun.
Lessons We Learned (So You Don’t Have To)
- Don’t just go with the flow. Prep as much as you can before launch day.
- Build an audience early. Even if it’s just 100 people, they’ll show up if they’re invested in your journey.
- Ask for help. People won’t vote unless you ask them to. Nicely, clearly, and directly.
- Support others first. PH is a two-way street. Upvote others. Leave comments. Cheer them on.
- Make your product stupid simple to understand. One scroll of your PH page should be enough for someone to “get it.”
That’s a Wrap
A good Product Hunt launch can bring you traffic, users, and trust. But it doesn’t happen by luck.
You need to plan ahead, build hype, and show up prepared on launch day.
Talk to your audience. Involve your community. Ask for support.
The more people you bring into your launch early, the better your chances.
And remember, Product Hunt is just the start.
Use the attention to grow your brand, get feedback, and keep improving your product.
You've got this.
We did it without ads. You can too.
