Here’s a detailed run-through of my Product Hunt launch. What flopped the first time, what paid off the second time, and tips if you’re on a shoestring budget. I built a macOS menubar app called Chunk, a visual time-blocking tool for folks who need an ADHD-friendly way to map out their day. Since I’d never marketed anything before, I spent some time Googling launch strategies and kept seeing Product Hunt everywhere. So I decided to give it a go. Chunk First launch: totally thrown together • No video demo• Ugly, unedited screenshots• Zero branding or polish Outcome: 10 upvotes. I thought ten clicks from strangers sounded pretty cool at first but I also knew I’d half-hearted it. A week later I realized how much I’d cheaped out. The page didn’t show off any of the work I’d poured into the app. It felt like I’d invited people to a rough draft rather than the finished thing. Second launch: actually serious this time Total out-of-pocket cost: one Canva subscription. Competitive research
For three days I watched the top three launches on Product Hunt every morning. I took screenshots of their slide decks, teaser images, and any special formatting they used. I figured that even if they had full design teams, I could borrow the layout ideas.


Slide deck creation
I picked a simple gradient background in Canva, added my logo to every slide, and kept all text short and factual—just the points I’d want if I was skimming someone else’s post.


Demo video workflow
• Planned the features I most wanted to highlight• Recorded myself using the app over and over till I got a clean run-through• Wrote a short voiceover script, then asked ChatGPT to reshape it into a clear, friendly ad• Generated narration with ElevenLabs (voice “Brian,” free tier)


Launch checklist
I put together a teaser image, drafted my first comment so it would post instantly, and scheduled everything according to Product Hunt’s recommendations. Competitive research
For three days I watched the top three launches on Product Hunt every morning. I took screenshots of their slide decks, teaser images, and any special formatting they used. I figured that even if they had full design teams, I could borrow the layout ideas. Competitive research For three days I watched the top three launches on Product Hunt every morning. I took screenshots of their slide decks, teaser images, and any special formatting they used. I figured that even if they had full design teams, I could borrow the layout ideas. Slide deck creation
I picked a simple gradient background in Canva, added my logo to every slide, and kept all text short and factual—just the points I’d want if I was skimming someone else’s post. Slide deck creation I picked a simple gradient background in Canva, added my logo to every slide, and kept all text short and factual—just the points I’d want if I was skimming someone else’s post. Demo video workflow
• Planned the features I most wanted to highlight• Recorded myself using the app over and over till I got a clean run-through• Wrote a short voiceover script, then asked ChatGPT to reshape it into a clear, friendly ad• Generated narration with ElevenLabs (voice “Brian,” free tier) Demo video workflow • Planned the features I most wanted to highlight• Recorded myself using the app over and over till I got a clean run-through• Wrote a short voiceover script, then asked ChatGPT to reshape it into a clear, friendly ad• Generated narration with ElevenLabs (voice “Brian,” free tier) Launch checklist
I put together a teaser image, drafted my first comment so it would post instantly, and scheduled everything according to Product Hunt’s recommendations. Launch checklist I put together a teaser image, drafted my first comment so it would post instantly, and scheduled everything according to Product Hunt’s recommendations. When I relaunched, upvotes shot to 300 in a few hours (#3 product of the day). It felt unreal compared to the first try. That same day I got about ten LinkedIn messages from “tech influencers” in India asking for paid promotions. I sent each an affiliate link and told them to go for it if they liked how it performed. None did—they wanted cash up front and seemed sketchy, so I passed. Meanwhile, fellow makers pinged me about comment swaps. I didn’t reach out, but I said yes to every request I got, and left upvotes and genuine feedback for them in return. It’s easy to forget there’s a new Product Hunt launch every day. But for me, the real win came in the weeks after when my downloads nearly doubled. Key takeaways if you’re indie and broke Key takeaways if you’re indie and broke Watch the top products and borrow their slide formats
Build on-brand, minimal slides with clear messaging
Record a real demo video: plan each shot, batch takes, polish the script
Use free or cheap tools: ElevenLabs for voiceovers, Canva for graphics
Schedule every step—teaser, first comment, launch time Watch the top products and borrow their slide formats Build on-brand, minimal slides with clear messaging Record a real demo video: plan each shot, batch takes, polish the script Use free or cheap tools: ElevenLabs for voiceovers, Canva for graphics Schedule every step—teaser, first comment, launch time Perfection isn’t required but just enough polish to stand out. Feel free to ask me anything I learned the hard way. ask me anything

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I Turned a Failed Product Hunt Launch Into a Top 3 Win on a Budget

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