We launched yesterday – landed #16. Here’s what we learned (and what we’re still figuring out)

Hi Product Hunters!

Yesterday, we launched NoForm AI – our AI sales assistant that turns website visitors into customers. We ended the day at #16 with 60 points and 54 comments, which we're proud of for a first launch, but it got us thinking about what we could improve.

So, what we noticed about the day:

• Launch day was stacked with AI products – 8 of the top 16 were AI-focused.

• The winner, Genstore ai, hit 558 points (which is truly massive!) and had a killer maker story ( decade at Intel, Google, and Baidu) + $300 signup bonus.

• We noticed that timing might have played a bigger role than we thought, upvote bursts seem to matter more than steady growth.

What we did:

• During the pre-launch prep, we reached out to our community, created clear assets, had FAQs ready.

• Launch day – actively replied to every comment, started discussions & encouraged real questions, shared the launch in relevant communities.

• Focused on authentic engagement, not just upvotes.

What we think worked:

• Clear problem/solution (turning visitors into customers).

• High comment-to-upvote ratio (real conversations, not just drive-by votes).

• Staying active in the thread all day.

• Extra boost from LinkedIn – special shoutout to Nika ( @busmark_w_nika ) for her amazing post that brought more eyeballs and engagement.

What we'd do differently, well, maybe pick a less AI-saturated day? Though honestly, every day seems to have multiple AI launches now.

What surprised us is that despite great engagement and meaningful conversations, we never got featured on the homepage and plateaued at #16.

So, a few questions for the community:

• For those who've landed in the top 5 or top 10, what was the most effective strategy for you?

• How do you deal with a highly competitive day?

• Does the timing of upvotes and comments matter more than we think?

• Is getting featured on the homepage just a game of chance, or are there specific signals we're missing?

This launch taught us a lot - and we’re already planning how to do better next time. I would love to hear your experiences so we can make the next one even stronger.