Product Hunt Launch Day Checklist
This skill provides a comprehensive, hour-by-hour checklist to execute your Product Hunt launch flawlessly.
When to Use This Skill
- Final preparation night before launch
- During the 24-hour launch window
- Coordinating team activities on launch day
- Ensuring all critical actions are completed
The Night Before (T-12 Hours)
Final Checks
- Product Hunt listing is complete and scheduled
- All gallery images uploaded and ordered
- Video tested and working
- Maker comment pre-written and saved
- All links tested and working
- Website ready for traffic spike
- Analytics tracking verified
- Email sequences scheduled
- Social posts scheduled
- Supporter network reminded
Personal Preparation
- Alarm set for launch time (if applicable to your timezone)
- Phone charged
- Computer ready
- Food/drinks prepared
- Team communication channel ready
- Get rest!
Launch Hour (12:01 AM PST)
Immediate Actions (First 10 Minutes)
- Verify product is live on Product Hunt
- Confirm listing appears correctly
- Post maker comment immediately
- Share PH link internally with team
- Screenshot for records
- First social media post goes out
First Hour Focus
- Monitor for any issues
- Respond to first comments (< 5 minutes)
- Wave 1 of supporter outreach (close inner circle)
- Check ranking position
- Note early feedback
Target: 30-50 upvotes in first hour
Early Hours (1 AM - 6 AM PST)
Ongoing Tasks
- Continue responding to all comments
- Monitor for technical issues
- Wave 2 supporter activation (if planned)
- Track progress vs benchmarks
- Screenshot milestones
Team Coordination
- Check in with team members
- Handoff if working in shifts
- Document any issues
Target: 100+ upvotes by 6 AM PST
Morning (6 AM - 12 PM PST)
Peak Activity
- Wave 3 supporter activation (US East Coast)
- Monitor social media mentions
- Respond to all new comments
- Share progress updates
- Wave 4 email sends
- LinkedIn/Twitter engagement
Mid-Morning Check
- Current ranking position
- Upvote velocity
- Comment quality
- Any concerning patterns
- Competitor activity
Target: 200+ upvotes by noon PST
Afternoon (12 PM - 6 PM PST)
Sustained Push
- Wave 5 supporter activation
- Progress update post on social media
- Continue comment responses
- Retweet/share supporter posts
- Monitor and adjust strategy
4 PM PST Check
- Ranking trajectory analysis
- Final push needed?
- Activate remaining supporters
- Behind-the-scenes content
Target: 400+ upvotes for top 5
Evening (6 PM - Midnight PST)
Final Push
- Wave 6 outreach to non-responders
- Final social media push
- Last reminder to close supporters
- Continue comment engagement
- Thank early supporters
10 PM PST
- Assess final ranking position
- Begin preparing thank you messages
- Screenshot final stats
- Document learnings
Post-Midnight (Day 2)
Immediate After-Launch
- Final ranking recorded
- Thank you post on social media
- Thank you emails to supporters
- Team celebration/debrief
- Document all metrics
Hour-by-Hour Reference
| Time (PST) | Priority Action | Support Wave |
|---|---|---|
| 12:01 AM | Go live, maker comment | Inner circle |
| 1:00 AM | First responses | Wave 1 |
| 3:00 AM | Monitor progress | Wave 2 |
| 5:00 AM | EU activation | Wave 3 |
| 8:00 AM | US East activation | Wave 4 |
| 10:00 AM | Progress check | — |
| 12:00 PM | Midday push | Wave 5 |
| 3:00 PM | Afternoon update | — |
| 6:00 PM | Evening push | Wave 6 |
| 9:00 PM | Final push | Stragglers |
| 11:00 PM | Wind down | — |
Emergency Protocols
If Website Goes Down
- Don't panic
- Check hosting/server status
- Implement backup if available
- Post update on PH comments
- Keep engaging while fixing
If Comments Turn Negative
- Respond professionally
- Acknowledge concerns
- Provide solutions/clarifications
- Don't get defensive
- Thank for feedback
If Ranking Drops Suddenly
- Check for algorithm flags
- Review recent activity patterns
- Don't panic-activate supporters
- Focus on quality engagement
- Accept what you can't control
If You Get Flagged/Unfeatured
- Don't spam outreach
- Contact PH support if legitimate
- Review your practices
- Learn for next time
Communication Templates
Team Updates
🕐 [Time] UPDATE
Ranking: #[X]
Upvotes: [X]
Comments: [X]
Trend: [Up/Down/Stable]
Next: [Action needed]
Issues: [Any problems]Social Progress Update
Launch day update! 🚀
[X] hours in and we're:
• #[X] on @ProductHunt
• [X] amazing comments
• [X] new signups
Thanks for the incredible support! 🙏
→ [Link]Key Metrics to Track
Throughout the Day
- Ranking position (every hour)
- Total upvotes
- Upvote velocity (upvotes per hour)
- Comment count
- Website traffic
- Signups/conversions
Log Template
| Time | Rank | Upvotes | Δ Upvotes | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 AM | #5 | 45 | +45 | 8 |
| 2 AM | #4 | 78 | +33 | 15 |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Team Roles (If Applicable)
Role 1: Comment Captain
- Monitors all comments
- Responds within 5 minutes
- Flags issues to team
- Maintains friendly tone
Role 2: Outreach Coordinator
- Executes supporter waves
- Tracks who's engaged
- Sends reminders
- Thanks supporters
Role 3: Social Media Manager
- Posts updates
- Monitors mentions
- Engages with shares
- Creates content
Role 4: Analytics Tracker
- Logs metrics hourly
- Spots trends
- Alerts on anomalies
- Prepares summary
Final Checklist Summary
Pre-Launch Night
- All assets ready
- Team briefed
- Supporters reminded
- Rest obtained
Launch Hour
- Product live
- Maker comment posted
- First wave activated
- Monitoring begun
Throughout Day
- All comments answered
- Waves executed on schedule
- Progress tracked
- Issues addressed
End of Day
- Final rank recorded
- Thanks sent
- Metrics documented
- Learnings noted
Output Format
LAUNCH DAY STATUS: [Product Name]
CURRENT TIME: [Time PST]
HOURS SINCE LAUNCH: [X]
METRICS:
• Ranking: #[X]
• Upvotes: [X]
• Comments: [X]
• Website visits: [X]
• Signups: [X]
COMPLETED:
✓ [Completed action]
✓ [Completed action]
NEXT UP:
→ [Next priority action]
→ [Following action]
ISSUES:
[Any current issues or none]
TEAM STATUS:
[Who's active, who's next]