Why it matters
On Product Hunt the maker comment is the most read text on the page after the tagline. On Hacker News, a Show HN without a first comment from the maker looks like a drive-by link. It is where visitors decide whether the person behind the product is worth talking to, and it starts the conversation that keeps a launch visible.
What a good one contains
Who you are, in one line. The problem, and why you were the one to solve it. What the product does and how it differs from what people use now. On Hacker News, how it works technically. What it does not do yet. One specific question for readers, which gets more replies than a general request for feedback.
Leave out marketing language and requests for upvotes. Platforms discourage asking for votes, and readers notice.
Writing it ahead
Draft the comment the week before, read it aloud and cut anything that sounds like an advertisement. Post it the moment the launch goes live.
Replying after the first comment
The first comment opens the conversation; the replies keep it going. Answer each question specifically, thank critics for what they noticed, and say what you will change. A maker who replies within minutes for the first hours of a launch makes the listing look alive, which encourages more visitors to join in.
Example
"Hi, I'm the developer of Quill. I write on trains and every Markdown editor I tried needed a connection to sync. Quill keeps plain files on disk. No mobile app yet. I'd love feedback on the merge view."
Questions people ask
- How long should a maker comment be?
- Short enough to read in under a minute: a few short paragraphs. Say why you built it and ask one specific question.
- Should the maker comment include a discount?
- If you have a launch offer, mention it in one line near the end. Keep the focus on why you built the product and what you want to learn.
Related terms
- Product Hunt launchA Product Hunt launch is publishing your product on Product Hunt for one day, starting at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, where it competes with that day's other launches for upvotes and a spot on the leaderboard.
- Show HNShow HN is a post type on Hacker News for sharing something you made that other people can try. The title starts with "Show HN:" and the community votes and comments on it.
- Launch dayLaunch day is the day a product is first presented publicly on a launch platform or to its audience, when the maker shares it widely and answers questions as people try it.
- TaglineA product tagline is the short line that says what a product is or does and who it is for, shown next to its name on launch platforms, app stores and directories.
- UpvoteAn upvote is a vote of approval on a launch platform or forum. Upvotes decide a launch's position in rankings and leaderboards, and with it how many people see it.