Ethan Carter

Our first Product Hunt launch didn t go well. We put something out there, pushed for votes, and hoped for the best. It didn t work.

For our relaunch, we took a completely different approach. Here s what changed:

• Engage, don t just post. We spent weeks commenting on other launches, supporting makers, and building trust. This time, people recognized us, not just the product.

• Conversations > upvotes. What made the difference were detailed comments and feedback. The algorithm rewards authentic engagement.

• Storytelling > specs. Instead of listing features, we shared why we built it and the problem it solved.

• Timing is everything. Launching at midnight PST gave us momentum when the U.S. audience woke up.

• Expectation reset. PH is less a sales channel, more a credibility engine. The real ROI shows up later, in awareness, trust, and partnerships.

What stood out the most: The community. The honest feedback, encouragement, and tough questions shaped our roadmap more than any internal discussion could.

As I come really close to launching "MarketFit", I have read about benefits of engaging a Hunter - both from the perspective of credibility and visibility.

I have heard that some Hunters are more focused on hunting in a niche eg only Dev tools, while others are agnostic to the niche/category. So, is it really like approaching each hunter individually and checking their interest in hunting your product or is there a forum via PH?

Also, for those who already got a hunter for their product, did you see the difference in the interest in your product? How long before did you reach out to hunters? Did they charge you money (directly or indirectly)?

Also, any Hunters reading this - would be great if you could help us.