What we learned relaunching on Product Hunt
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.
For anyone planning a launch: If your first attempt doesn’t land, don’t give up. PH rewards persistence, authenticity, and storytelling.
Replies
Love this breakdown, Sarrah, especially the point about conversations > upvotes. We noticed the same thing during our launch, the real value came from the discussions, not just the numbers.
ZeroThreat
@oksana_ch Absolutely! Upvotes fade, but the conversations stick and actually shape the product. Glad you felt the same!
DeepTagger
Super interesting breakdown, Sarrah 🙌 I was looking at your launch history, and it's fascinating, it seems your first launch actually achieved a higher final rank. Curious what felt “unsuccessful” from your side, conversions, engagement, or something else?😊
ZeroThreat
Thanks so much for the thoughtful question! 🙌 @talshyn
Actually, the first launch technically ranked higher, but what felt “unsuccessful” for us was the outcome beyond the leaderboard. We had good visibility, but it didn’t translate into the conversions and meaningful engagement we were hoping for.
This time around, we focused less on chasing rank and more on building genuine conversations, and that shift made a huge difference.
Cal ID
Glad you shared this, Sarrah. Chasing numbers is easy, but building real conversations takes patience. Being a huge content advocate, love how you highlight storytelling over specs. people connect with “why,” not just “what.” Makes me want to spend even more time genuinely engaging here, not just chasing that #1 spot.
Good reminder that launch day is just the start. The real value (and work) comes after.
ZeroThreat
@sanskarix Indeed. Thanks for putting it more straightforward! :)
IXORD
Congratulations on the launch. Thank you for writing, I agree with you that PH is not only a sales channel, it can be used in other things for example analysis.
ZeroThreat
@ixord Thank you so much!
Lancepilot
how much do you think the product features themselves influence the outcome? Without strong features, wouldn’t all the engagement and storytelling eventually fall flat?
ZeroThreat
@priyankamandal Features are the core. Storytelling gets attention, but without real value in the product, it won’t stick.
@priyankamandal Great question! Features definitely matter, they’re the foundation. But I personally feel that on PH, features alone rarely win attention. What gets people to actually check them out is the story, the framing, and the conversations around it. Strong features + weak storytelling = invisible. Strong storytelling + weak features = short-lived buzz. The sweet spot is when both work together, and that’s when a launch really sticks.
CalPulse
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Sarrah. I’m currently preparing for my first product launch, and I’m feeling a bit nervous. Your insights about engaging with the community and focusing on storytelling are really helpful.
ZeroThreat
@peilan_qin Best of luck with your launch! 🚀
CalPulse
@sarrah_pitaliya Thank you, Sarrah!
I'm glad to hear that the second launch went better and it's useful to hear about what worked and didn't work on the second launch.
I do have a question about your list, though. Don't all launches begin at midnight PT? Or is there some scheduling option that I'm missing? I ask because I launch in one week, and am trying to make sure that I don't miss anything about the process.
ZeroThreat
@tmtabor Yep, all launches kick off at midnight PT. No scheduling option. Just be ready with your assets and community to jump in early. Best of luck with your launch next week! 🚀
ZeroThreat
@shey_a Thank you so much!
I am about to do my first PH launch. And have been part of several conversations since past 3-4 months - where I have got help and given help. It's been really great and trust-building part if quite visible.
ZeroThreat
@manu_goel2 That’s awesome to hear! Being active in the community before launching really makes a difference. it builds trust and you learn so much from others’ experiences. Wishing you all the best for your first launch🚀
Onyx
I don't understand. Your second launch got 7 upvotes vs. your first launch with over 100?
ZeroThreat
@wenxi Good observation! The second launch was more of a re-launch/refresh to share recent updates rather than a big bang first-time reveal. For us, it’s less about the upvote count and more about staying transparent, sharing progress, and learning from the community.