The launch checklist

You picked a date. Then at 11:40 the night before, you remembered the OG image, the mobile signup, and that one subreddit that bans self-promo if you get the tone wrong. Nineteen checks for before, during and after, so launch week is a plan instead of a panic.

If you have not talked to people with the problem yet, pause and read how to validate a SaaS idea before you build — a quiet launch is expensive when the promise was never tested.

Before launch

Do these while nobody is watching. The quiet prep is what makes launch day feel calm.

One-sentence promise on the landing page
One clear signup or call-to-action button
Analytics installed (a free tier is fine)
Working signup flow, tested on mobile
An email capture for people who aren't ready yet
OG image, title and meta description
A list of 10 communities with their posting rules

Launch week

Pick the rooms that fit your product. Reply like a human. Skip the upvote asks.

Post a Show HN · how-to guide
Launch on Product Hunt (Tue to Thu)
Post a native story on 2 or 3 relevant subreddits · which ones
Post a build-in-public thread on X
Submit to 10 free directories · the list
Reply to every comment within an hour

After launch

Day one can be quiet. The builders who keep going treat that quiet as a clue, not a verdict.

Email every new user personally
Log where each signup came from
Fix the top 3 friction points within 7 days
Publish a numbers recap post
Submit to the remaining directories over 2 to 4 weeks
Double down on the best channel

FAQ

When is the best day to launch?

Tuesday to Thursday for Product Hunt and Hacker News. For Reddit, weekday mornings in US Eastern time usually get more eyes than a Friday night ghost town.

What do I need before launching?

A one-line promise someone can repeat, a signup that works on a phone, analytics so you know where people came from, and a short list of rooms where your users already hang out.

What if launch day is quiet?

Most launches are. Reply to every comment anyway, email the people who did show up, and keep submitting directories for weeks. The quiet day is data, not a verdict.

Want help with your launch?

Tell us what you built and who it's for. The first 10 indie builders get a free launch plan: the rooms where your users already gather, and posts written in their words.

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