Product Hunt is the go-to platform for startups looking to make a splash.
However, recently, we've seen a lot of controversial feedback about launching on PH. Some founders find the experience frustrating:
In my opinion, there is a huge gap between reality and policy on Product Hunt: a product that wasn't fully ready and had only a content page made it to the Featured section and took fifth place, raising questions about the algorithms, which seem not to account for actual website visits and CTR.
The same product, despite receiving significant organic traffic and live comments from around the world, was relaunched approximately three months later but didn’t make it to the Featured section. Meanwhile, a competitor, which was an extension, was featured despite Product Hunt's rule against featuring extensions and even managed to take first place, raising doubts about the platform's algorithm and fairness.
Oleksandr Buratynskyi, a founder of tTravel
While others are 100% satisfied with their results!
Launching on Product Hunt has become more challenging recently, as makers have noticed.
In response, Product Hunt CEO Rajiv Ayyangar shared that they've raised the bar for what gets featured on the homepage.
Our job is to be a site where the most interesting, impactful, creative products rise to the top. We can’t just feature everyone’s AI wrapper.
This is part of our commitment to highlighting only the most innovative and impactful products.
That’s why MySignature.io decided to conduct a small investigation to find out if it is still worth launching on PH in 2024-2025 and what realistic results can be expected.
We surveyed dozens of services launched on PH this year and secured a spot in the top 10 products of the day.
First of all, why do users launch on PH? Are they looking for traffic, leads, sales, links for SEO, or simply to get a PH badge for their homepage?
What motivates users to launch on ProductHunt?
According to our findings, 80% of users seek exposure and visibility for their products, 62% want to attract new users, 50% aim to earn the PH badge (looks great on your homepage and makes you feel like a tech superstar!), and interestingly, in fourth place is aiming to get feedback and validation.
Nothing surprising, right? Most users want to showcase their products and gain valuable feedback.
How many visitors can you expect from ProductHunt?
One of the most valuable insights from our survey is the amount of traffic a launch can generate. So, how many visitors can you expect from the Product Hunt platform?
According to a MySignature.io survey, 26.5% of launches attract 500-1000 users from PH.
Another 22.4% saw even more success, gaining 1000-2000 users. Meanwhile, 24.5% managed to get only 100-500 users.
Only 10.2% of the luckiest launches can boast about attracting 2000-5000 users.
The real question is: does this surge in PH traffic actually turn into meaningful results - leads and sales?
Could ProductHunt be the growth catalyst you’re hoping for or just another short-lived traffic spike?
Will Product Hunt users register on your website after launch?
Generally, yes. 50% of founders report seeing some increase in registrations after launching on Product Hunt. 30% experience a significant increase in registrations, while 16% don’t notice any spikes.
Alexander Belogubov, founder of IndieMerger, says that the conversion rate of Product Hunt traffic varies significantly from product to product. For some, it can be 20-30% higher than expected, while for others, it may be almost 50% lower. This variation largely depends on factors such as the product’s Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), how well it resonates with the Product Hunt audience and the overall market fit.
What can we conclude about sales?
ProductHunt isn’t primarily designed to drive sales or registrations. Yes, many successful launches enjoy these benefits — users, sales, and recognition. Some even attract investment.
However, we’ve observed that ProductHunt is best used for generating traffic and gathering feedback.
42% saw some sales increase after the launch, while for 14%, sales were not a goal.
Oleksandr Buratynskyi, a founder of tTravel.me, says that Product Hunt provides one of the most valuable resources for any startup: early adopters and social proof, which you can showcase on your website. Beyond that, you can reach out to users who upvote your product, ask for their feedback, and even offer them exclusive discounts, fostering deeper connections and driving growth.
Does Product Hunt help find new partners and investors?
Yes! 54% of services that launched on Product Hunt were able to establish valuable partnerships or connections within the tech industry.
Viktor, the founder of buzzabout, regarding his results after the Product Hunt launch:
We've gained over 2,000 new users, received hundreds of emails from people who love your product, and dozens of collaboration requests or investment offers. And then it hits you — that was just the first curve on your journey.
Does Product Hunt help get featured in mass media?
Usually not. 56% of launches don’t receive media coverage or press mentions after their Product Hunt debut.
What is the best day to launch on Product Hunt?
It depends on your goal — whether you want the most visibility or the best chance of getting the #1-3 spots.
We analyzed the number of upvotes needed to secure the #1-3 positions. Tuesday, Monday, and Thursday are the most competitive days, requiring the highest number of upvotes. These days are also likely to have the most traffic, which means launching on them can give you greater visibility but also more competition.
Source: Product Hunt data
If your goal is to get the PH budget or link for SEO, consider Saturday and Sunday as the days of your launch.
Time spent vs. results — is Product Hunt worth it?
Getting 1,000 or even 10,000 users after launch is impressive, but would you still consider the launch a success if your team spent 250 hours preparing for it?
We didn’t specifically ask respondents about the ROI of their Product Hunt launch, but we did ask two typical "NPS" questions:
- How would you rate your overall experience with launching on Product Hunt?
- How likely will you recommend launching on Product Hunt to other startups or product creators?
56% of respondents rated their experience as very satisfied.
And 61% said they would definitely recommend launching on Product Hunt.
Maria Ivashchyshyn from Newoldstamp:
Launching on Product Hunt the right way requires a lot of preparation. And if you do it honestly, there’s an 80% chance you’ll get overshadowed by those who pay bots and farms to boost their votes and comments.
Final thoughts
Overall, our respondents say a Product Hunt launch is usually worth it. Product Hunt is great for building brand awareness, but don’t expect a ton of signups. Think of it as a chance to create some buzz and get noticed. Plus, you’ll snag a valuable link for SEO — who doesn’t want a little extra boost for their rankings?
Given that big companies like OpenAI and Miro are launching on Product Hunt, Google will consider links and traffic from PH to be very reliable for your SEO.
Oleksandr Buratynskyi, founder of tTravel.me / the Ukrainian PH local community.
That said, keep in mind the time and resources you'll need to invest. Even if you don’t expect a lot of traffic and sales from Product Hunt, it’s important to consider these factors when planning your launch strategy.
Have you launched on ProductHunt recently? What is your experience?
Disclaimer:
Here are part of the services that participated in the survey and would like to be mentioned:
ROI4Presenter, PlagiarismCheck, YouScan, Speechy, Transcript, NewOldStamp, Spikes, DevRain, Sembly, ConciseCopy, ByAnicaCreations, Respeecher, Reply, WhitePay, Ioni, AskMore, Plerdy, AsoBot, CMNGSN, BlueDotHQ, MilestoneFlow, Microns, IntelSwift, NimbusWeb, Aiter, Amploo, Videco, TheySaid, PaperGuide, AGSoftWorks, CrustData, GoMarble, CarrotCare, UpMetrics, SuperJoin, Pathway, Epsilla, NodeLand, Zeacon, Arc, BuzzAbout, Jogg, Fibery, OhaPotato, Waxwing, Zivy, OpenBB, KomodoDecks, SalesPopup.
