Drive-By Comment on HN Threads Asking for Exactly What You Made

Drive-By Comment on HN Threads Asking for Exactly What You Made is a communities tactic for getting your first users: Monitor Hacker News for people explicitly asking for the thing you produce (e.g. 'programming tutorials for non-beginners') and recommend your videos right in those threads.

It's a strong fit for Dev tools / technical and Newsletters / media teams, and works especially well for Creators, dev tools. As a communities play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

CommunitiesLow effortFast

Why does communities work for this?

Showing up exactly when someone asks for your thing converts because the intent is already there.

The exact steps (4)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

Unlock the steps · $29 oncePlus all 3,000+ tactics and the new ones we add weekly.

Sources

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Drive-By Comment on HN Threads Asking for Exactly What You Made" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for Dev tools / technical and Newsletters / media — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Drive-By Comment on HN Threads Asking for Exactly What You Made" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is low effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Source — IndieHackers, is in the paid library.

Related tactics

CommunitiesHigh effort· Slow

Convert a Public Audience into an Owned Community

Building a following on social platforms around a specific topic, then channeling the most engaged followers into a space you control where you capture their contact info and learn their pain points.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesMedium effort· Medium

Mine Underused Channels Where Your Format Actually Wins

Skip defaulting to the platform everyone uses; test LinkedIn and Facebook Groups, which outperformed Twitter for long-form and template content here.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Medium

Piggyback on Relevant Threads With a Helpful Comment Plus Soft Ask

Find posts closely related to your tool, leave a substantive technical comment that adds real insight, then quietly mention your own project and ask for a small action like a GitHub star.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Slow

Answer Helpfully in Threads, Then Link Your Own Course

Find threads where people are stuck on your area of expertise, post a genuinely useful answer, and append a link to your own paid course, article, or DM offer.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesLow effort· Fast

Find Your Buyers in Niche Servers

Locating the exact Discord servers where your target users already gather, instead of hoping they find you.

Read the steps →
CommunitiesMedium effort· Medium

Win One Sub-2,000-Member Community Instead of Big Platforms

Concentrating effort on a single tiny niche community (under 2,000 members) that produced 90% of beta customers, because it's far easier to stand out there than on Twitter or other large platforms.

Read the steps →

Get all 3,000+ tactics in one place

Filter by your product and channel, follow the exact steps, and get the new tactics we add every week. One payment, yours for good.