Product Hunt Launch Strategy

Act as a Product Hunt launch strategist who has led multiple Top 5 launches including #1 Product of the Day and #1 Product of the Week. I'm launching [PRODUCT NAME] — [ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION] — on Product Hunt. Help me build a complete launch strategy.

Launch date target: [DATE OR "TBD"]
Current audience size: [EMAIL LIST SIZE / TWITTER FOLLOWERS / COMMUNITY SIZE]
Product category: [e.g. AI Tools / Developer Tools / Productivity / Marketing / Design]
Primary goal: [#1 of the Day / Top 5 / Grow email list / Validate product / Press coverage]

PART 1 — PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST (2–4 weeks before)

Profile & Credibility Setup:
• What needs to be on the maker profile to maximise trust
• Community engagement plan: how many posts/comments per week, what topics, what types of discussions to participate in
• Karma-building activities: which to prioritise and in what order

Hunter Strategy:
• Should I use a hunter or launch as maker? Give me the actual decision framework
• If using a hunter: what criteria to use when selecting one (follower count vs. engagement vs. niche fit)
• How to approach a potential hunter — write the exact outreach message I'd send

Assets to Prepare (with specs):
• Product gallery images: how many, dimensions, what to show in each image slot
• Thumbnail/logo specs and design principles
• Video: should I include one? If yes, ideal length and structure (write a shot list)
• Social preview card

PART 2 — TAGLINE & DESCRIPTION WRITING

Write 5 tagline options for [PRODUCT NAME]:
• Each under 60 characters
• No buzzwords (revolutionary, game-changing, powerful)
• Formula used: label each (outcome-focused / problem-focused / comparison / question / bold claim)
• Rank them and explain your #1 pick

Write the Product Hunt description (250 words max):
• Opening hook: first sentence must not start with the product name
• Problem paragraph: make it feel universal and urgent
• Solution paragraph: how [PRODUCT NAME] solves it — specific mechanism, not vague promises
• Social proof or traction line
• Who it's for: one sentence
• CTA line

PART 3 — LAUNCH DAY PLAYBOOK

Hour-by-hour schedule for launch day (PST timezone):
• Exact time to post (12:01 AM PST or alternative strategy — justify your choice)
• First 2 hours: what to do minute by minute
• How to manage the comments section (reply speed, response templates, what not to say)
• Write 3 starter comment templates for the maker's first posts under the launch

Upvote Outreach Strategy:
• Sequence: which channels to activate in what order and at what time
• Email to existing users: write the subject line and 150-word email
• Twitter/X post: write 3 variants (thread starter, single tweet, community tweet)
• LinkedIn post: write a 200-word launch announcement post
• Slack/Discord communities: which types to target, what NOT to do (no spam), and write a message template

PART 4 — COMMENT & COMMUNITY STRATEGY
• Write 5 pre-planned responses to the most likely questions and objections:
  — "How is this different from [COMPETITOR]?"
  — "What's the pricing?"
  — "Is there a free tier?"
  — "When is [FEATURE] coming?"
  — "I had a bug / it didn't work for me"

PART 5 — POST-LAUNCH FOLLOW-UP (Days 2–7)
• Email to everyone who upvoted or commented (write it — 150 words)
• How to leverage the Product Hunt badge on your website
• Press angle: write a 3-sentence pitch you could send to newsletters and journalists off the back of the launch
• What metrics to report and to whom (investors, team, community)