Community Launches: Indie Hackers, Hacker News, Reddit

Indie Hackers Launch Strategy

Indie Hackers is the premier community for bootstrapped founders and indie makers. With over 100,000 active members, it is one of the most valuable platforms for launching a startup to a highly engaged, supportive audience.

Understanding the Indie Hackers Community

Before launching, understand what makes IH unique:

• Founder-focused: Members are other founders, not just users. They appreciate the journey.
• Transparency valued: Revenue numbers, failures, and honest struggles resonate well.
• Anti-marketing: Overly polished marketing speak is rejected. Be genuine.
• Long-term relationships: IH is a community, not a billboard. Engage beyond your launch.
• Bootstrap culture: VC-backed startups can participate but the culture celebrates bootstrap success.

Building Your Presence Before Launch

Don't make your first IH interaction your launch post. Build presence first:

Launch Post Strategy

Your launch post should tell a story, not just announce a product.

**Title:** [Compelling hook] - [What you built] [Optional: milestone or traction]

Example: "I quit my $200k job to build a tool that does X - just hit $5k MRR"

---

**Post Structure:**

Hey IH!

[Opening hook - 1-2 sentences that grab attention]

**The Problem**
[2-3 sentences about the problem you're solving. Make it relatable.]

**My Story**
[Brief personal context - why you built this, your background, what led here. 3-4 sentences.]

**What I Built**
[Product name] is [one-sentence description].

Key features:
- [Feature 1 + benefit]
- [Feature 2 + benefit]
- [Feature 3 + benefit]

**Traction So Far** (if applicable)
- [Metric 1: users, revenue, etc.]
- [Metric 2]
- [What you learned]

**Tech Stack** (IH loves this)
- Built with: [technologies]
- Took: [timeframe] to build

**What's Next**
[Your roadmap or goals - 2-3 bullet points]

**Ask**
I'd love your feedback on [specific question]. Also happy to answer any questions about [topic].

[Link to product]

---

Thanks for reading! Feel free to AMA.
              

Indie Hackers Best Practices

Best IH Groups for Launches

Hacker News (Show HN) Guide

Hacker News is notoriously difficult to crack, but a successful Show HN can drive thousands of visitors in hours. The key is understanding HN's unique culture and expectations.

Understanding HN Culture

HN is not like other communities. What works elsewhere often fails here.

• Technical depth valued: HN users appreciate technical innovation and clever solutions
• Marketing skepticism: Anything that smells like marketing gets downvoted fast
• Intellectual curiosity: Members want to learn something, not be sold to
• Direct communication: Get to the point. No fluff.
• Open source love: OS projects get more goodwill than commercial ones
• Privacy conscious: Excessive tracking or data collection will be criticized

Show HN Format and Rules

Show HN is the appropriate format for launching your product. Follow these rules exactly:

Show HN Post Template

Hi HN,

I'm [name], and I built [product] to solve [specific problem].

**The problem:** [2-3 sentences explaining the pain point - be specific and technical]

**What I built:** [Product] is [brief technical description]. It [key differentiator].

**How it works:** [Technical overview - this is what HN cares about. Include architecture choices, interesting technical challenges you solved, why you made certain decisions]

**Tech stack:** [Be specific - HN loves this]
- Backend: [technology]
- Frontend: [technology]
- Database: [technology]
- Hosting: [where]

**What makes it different:** [1-2 unique technical or approach differences from alternatives]

**Current status:** [Beta/launched/revenue if applicable]

**Roadmap:** [What you're working on next]

I'd love feedback, especially on [specific technical question or concern].

Happy to answer any questions about the architecture/approach.
              

What NOT to Do on HN

HN Launch Timing

Building HN Karma

Having karma helps your posts get visibility. Build it genuinely over time:

• Comment thoughtfully on topics you know well
• Share interesting articles (not your own) that HN would appreciate
• Answer technical questions helpfully
• Participate in "Ask HN" discussions
• Avoid low-effort comments like "This is great!"

Reddit Launch Strategy

Reddit can drive massive traffic, but it is also the platform most hostile to obvious self-promotion. Success requires understanding subreddit cultures and providing genuine value.

Relevant Subreddits for Startups

Reddit Karma and Account Age

Most subreddits have minimum requirements for posting:

• Account age: Many require 30-90 day old accounts
• Karma threshold: Often 50-500 combined karma minimum
• Subreddit-specific karma: Some require participation in that sub first

Reddit Post Template

**Title:** [I built X] - [What it does] [Optional: timeframe or interesting detail]

Example: "I built a free tool that finds the best flight deals - 6 months of solo development"

---

**Post Body:**

Hey r/SideProject!

After [timeframe/context], I finally launched [product name].

**What it does:**
[2-3 sentences explaining the core functionality]

**Why I built it:**
[Personal story - what problem were you facing? Keep it relatable]

**How it works:**
[Brief technical or functional explanation]

**Features:**
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Feature 3]

**Tech used:** [Stack - Reddit devs appreciate this]

**What I learned:**
[1-2 insights from building this - makes it valuable content, not just promo]

**What's next:**
[Future plans]

Link: [URL]

Would love any feedback! Especially interested in [specific question].

---

Feel free to roast it or ask questions about the build process!
              

Niche Subreddits Strategy

Beyond general startup subreddits, find niche communities where your target users hang out:

• Developer tools: r/webdev, r/programming, r/javascript, r/python, etc.
• Marketing tools: r/marketing, r/SEO, r/socialmedia, r/PPC
• Productivity: r/productivity, r/GetMotivated, r/getdisciplined
• Design: r/web_design, r/UI_Design, r/userexperience
• Specific industries: r/realestate, r/personalfinance, r/fitness, etc.

Twitter/X Launch Playbook

Twitter (now X) remains one of the best platforms for startup launches, especially for B2B and developer-focused products. The key is building an audience before your launch.

Building Your Twitter Presence

Start building your presence 1-3 months before launch:

Launch Day Tweet Thread Template

**Tweet 1 (Hook):**
I just launched [product name]!

After [X months] of building, it's finally live.

[Product] helps [target audience] [achieve outcome].

Here's the story + what I learned:

---

**Tweet 2 (Problem):**
The problem I was trying to solve:

[Describe the pain point in relatable terms]

I tried [existing solutions] but [why they didn't work].

So I decided to build my own solution.

---

**Tweet 3 (Solution):**
What [product] does:

- [Feature/benefit 1]
- [Feature/benefit 2]
- [Feature/benefit 3]

[Screenshot or GIF]

---

**Tweet 4 (Traction/Validation):**
Early results:

- [Metric 1: beta users, signups, revenue]
- [Metric 2]
- [Testimonial or feedback quote]

---

**Tweet 5 (Learnings):**
What I learned building this:

1. [Insight 1]
2. [Insight 2]
3. [Insight 3]

---

**Tweet 6 (Ask):**
If this sounds useful, check it out:

[Link]

I'm offering [special offer] for my Twitter community.

Would love your feedback - reply or DM me!

---

**Tweet 7 (Engagement hook):**
What's the biggest [problem in your space] you face?

Reply and I'll share how I'd approach it.

(And RT to help spread the word!)
              

Twitter Launch Best Practices

Optimal Twitter Timing

• Best days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• Best times: 8-10 AM and 12-1 PM in your target timezone
• For US audience: Post 8-9 AM EST to catch morning scrollers
• Avoid: Weekends, Friday afternoons, late evenings

Discord Communities

Discord has become a hub for maker and startup communities. These tight-knit groups can provide early adopters, feedback, and genuine support.

Top Discord Communities for Launches

Discord Launch Strategy

Multi-Platform Coordination

For maximum impact, coordinate your launch across multiple platforms. But don't launch everywhere on the same day - stagger for sustained momentum.

Recommended Launch Schedule

Cross-Platform Content Adaptation

Don't copy-paste the same content everywhere. Adapt for each platform's culture:

Optimal Timing Guide

Timing matters significantly for community launches. Here's a comprehensive timing guide:

Best Days by Platform

When NOT to Launch

• Major holidays: Christmas week, Thanksgiving, July 4th
• Big tech events: Apple WWDC, Google I/O, AWS re:Invent days
• Major news days: Elections, major breaking news
• Friday afternoons: People check out for the weekend
• End of month/quarter: For B2B, people are busy closing deals

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others' failures to maximize your launch success.