Product Hunt is for vanity. Reddit is for users. But Reddit hates 'launches'. If you walk into a bar and scream 'Buy my stuff!', you get kicked out. You need a strategy. This guide covers the exact 3-phase protocol for a safe, viral launch.
Phase 1: The 'Soft Launch' (Beta Recruitment)
Do not announce a 'Launch'. Ask for 'Help'. The psychology is different. People love to correct you, and they love to feel like experts.
The Script (Copy This):
- Title: 'I built a tool to solve [Problem]. It's ugly, but it works. Roast my MVP.'
- Body: 'I spent 3 montsh building this because I was tired of X. It's free. I just need 10 people to tell me why it sucks. Be brutal.'
- The Venue: r/SideProject, r/AlphaandBetaUsers, and niche subreddits (e.g., r/marketing for a marketing tool).
Phase 2: The 'Hard Launch' (The Hero's Journey)
Once you have polished the product based on Beta feedback, you go big. But you don't pitch the *product*; you pitch the *journey*.
The 'I Built This' Meta Template:
- The Pain (The Villain): 'I spent 3 years trying to manage ads and lost $50k. The existing tools were too complex.'
- The Epiphany (The weapon): 'I realized the problem wasn't the ads, it was the tracking. So I built a simple script.'
- The Solution (The Victory): 'Accidental success. My friend asked to use it, creating $5k in revenue.'
- The Offer (The Reward): 'It's free for the first 100 users. Tear it apart.'
