HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Launch a Free Side-Project on Product Hunt to Feed the Paid Product

Launch a Free Side-Project on Product Hunt to Feed the Paid Product is a launches & ph/hn tactic for getting your first users: Spin off a free, standalone mini-version (a free template pack, video library, or single-purpose tool) and launch that on Product Hunt to harvest thousands of users you then route to the real product.

It's a strong fit for teams of almost any kind, and works especially well for products that can split off a free, shareable artifact. As a launches & ph/hn play, plan for medium effort and expect results to arrive at a steady pace, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Launches & PH/HNMedium effortMedium

Why does launches & ph/hn work for this?

Free side projects clear PH's 'is it free?' objection and pull a large top-of-funnel you can monetize later.

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.

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Sources

Works for
Any / universal

Frequently asked

How is the "Launch a Free Side-Project on Product Hunt to Feed the Paid Product" 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 medium effort, and results tend to be medium.
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.

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