How to launch a startup on Hacker News

Hey, it’s Marc

When I started Twitter in November 2021, I experienced the void. 0 likes for months.

After a post on Hacker News, I got my first customers, and I started to get traction on Twitter.

Here’s what I’ve learned after 5 viral posts and 25,000 visitors from Hacker News.

Estimated reading time: 3 min 18 sec

Show HN

There are many categories in Hackers News. Only one matters to us, makers: Show Hacker News.

It’s a dedicated space for users to share their side projects. That’s where you want to launch.

When you submit a post, add Show HN: to the title. The post will automatically appear in the /newest category.

• Posts getting traction in /newest will be moved to /new for more visibility.

• Posts getting traction in /new will be moved to / for maximum visibility.

I made…

People don’t care about a big corporation getting richer. People care about you, side hustler, shipping apps after your 9 to 5.

Make it personal. Start your post with I made or After 6 months coding…

The spirit

Developers and tech enthusiasts use Hacker News. Speak the language: I made an SEO-optimized site entirely with GPT-4

Anything else will be ignored (course, coaching, e-commerce). Unless… you make it techy. For instance, a habit tracker stands no chance—but a gamified habit tracker does.

That’s how I got 11,000 visitors for my first startup (Habit Garden) and the first customers.

Tell the outcome

Look at the list of the best Show HN posts of 2023. They all share one thing: You know what you’ll get by clicking on it.

What makes your product/service special? Why is it worth my time?

Contribute

There’s a lot of spam and people trying to promote themselves without contributing.

Add a comment to your post. Explain briefly who you are and why you built the product. Ask for feedback.

Engage with users who comment. People say Hacker News is full of negativity, but once you show you’re a real person, users are much more friendly.

Don’ts

Don’t ask for upvotes.

At least not directly. I believe there’s a real person who decides which posts get featured. They know when a user arrives from a direct link to your submission.

If you want support from your friends, tell them to find your submission by browsing Hacker News, not by sending a direct link. Keep in mind that multiple upvotes from accounts with 0 karma look suspicious.

Don’t overthink it.

Hacker News is very random. Unlike Product Hunt, there isn’t much you can do to influence the success of a post.

Don’t use emojis.