How do I get more upvotes? What's the secret behind Product Hunt?
Hey makers,
I launched my product recently on Product Hunt. I put effort into the messaging, visuals, and value — and was honestly excited to share it. But after 24 hours, I’ve barely gotten any traction. A handful of upvotes, no meaningful feedback… just cold emails and offers from marketers.
It’s hard not to feel a little discouraged. I keep seeing others get organic love, so I’m wondering:
How do you actually drive authentic, organic engagement on Product Hunt?
Is there something I should be doing before the launch to build visibility or momentum?
What’s worked (or failed) for you when trying to get real feedback, not just inbox noise?
I’m not trying to game the system — just want to understand how others are navigating this and what’s realistic.
Would really appreciate any thoughts or lessons learned 🙏
Replies
Product Hunt
What's the product?
No secrets unfortunately, it's all about building a great product that's solving a problem in a unique way. I've launched 8 times and not all of them have been hits.
1) you didn't describe it clearly - people didn't understand what you built.
2) you didn't describe how your approach is unique / different from other tools. Or, your product isn't clearly better than other tools.
3) people don't want what you're building - it's not a problem that resonates with them.
@floris_meulensteen We did ours few years ago with decent success. But the principles remain the same.
Product video with you in the video. Great for personal connect.
Add as many screenshots as possible
Write the copy from a benefits perspective
List a potential roadmap of what the future looks like: new features that may added etc. Too many products launch and disappear. People want to see the longevity atleast the plan of it.
Most Criticial: Get someone with a large following to HUNT your product as oart of the launch... gives more push. simple mesaging is more than enough... no need to PAY someone...we found someone with 4K followers, you could end up with someone with 400K... wrth the shot
NON NEGOTIABLE: PRODUCT PITCH: Why should someone really care. not features, what job does it get done for me.... My operational, emotional and social aspect.
2nd non negotiable - The product has to be good enough for people to care
Then there are other oganic methods like pushing the update on linkedin, IG< reddit etc to get more traction to it.... send everyone in your database an SMS, email or whatsapp.... Basically get maximum organic push at the same time...
minimalist phone: creating folders
Hey Floris,
I think that it does when:
– your product gathered some users previously because it is somehow useful for them,
– when you are active on other platforms and actively engage with people, DM them frequently (LI, X, IG)
– when you can transform your real-life friends into PH users so they can show you some support.
Hey Floris - we haven't launched yet, so take this feedback with a grain of salt :)
I looked at your most recent launch. I love the concept of the product (we're building one similar, but for sales).
But your launch page has 1 still image and nothing else. All of the top-performing launches I've seen have had multiple still images and at least one video.
Hi Floris,
I totally understand where you’re coming from—launching on Product Hunt can feel like shouting into the void at times. From my experience, building genuine engagement often starts well before the launch day. Here are a few things that helped me:
1. Build a Community Early: Engage with relevant communities (Twitter, Indie Hackers, LinkedIn groups) and share your journey. When you launch, these folks are more likely to support you.
2. Connect with Makers and Hunters: Reach out to influencers or active Product Hunt users who might be interested in your product. A genuine connection (not just a cold message) can make a big difference.
3. Tell a Story: People resonate with stories. Share the problem you’re solving and why it matters. Make your messaging personal and relatable.
4. Engage Actively on Launch Day: Respond to comments promptly, thank early supporters, and keep the conversation going to boost visibility.
5. Quality over Quantity: Focus on attracting users who genuinely care about your product rather than just numbers.
Remember, traction often builds over time, not overnight. Keep iterating, sharing, and learning from feedback (even the cold emails!). Wishing you the best with your launch—you’ve got this!
Happy to chat more if you want to share details about your product.
Product Hunt
Hi Floris!
Congrats on building and launching your product. The key things I notice when things don't get a lot of traction are:
Not easily understood or clear what the product does
The product's uniqueness and how it differs from what is on the market wasn't clear
There wasn't enough information for folks to go off of (little assets, no demo, minimal visuals).
Take a look at my post here for launch tips!