When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Launch a new product on GitHub, Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, or other platforms
• Write launch announcements that clearly communicate value and generate interest
• Create compelling copy for product releases, feature launches, or updates
• Draft launch emails to customers, users, or followers
• Prepare social media posts for product launches across multiple platforms
• Structure launch messaging for maximum impact and clarity

Core Concepts

Effective Launch Announcements

A great launch announcement does three things:

1. Grabs attention immediately with a compelling hook
2. Communicates value clearly - what problem does it solve?
3. Motivates action - try it, share it, buy it, or provide feedback

Anatomy: Headline → Hook → Solution → Key features (2-3) → Proof → CTA

Platform-Specific Approaches

Different platforms require different approaches:

• GitHub: Technical value, code quality, setup instructions
• Product Hunt: Hook-driven, visual, benefit-focused, discussion engagement
• Indie Hackers: Behind-the-scenes story, revenue/metrics, community feedback
• X (Twitter): Thread-based, engaging, hashtag-rich, viral potential
• Threads: Conversational, community-focused, discussion-driven
• LinkedIn: Professional tone, business value, industry context
• Email: Personal, detailed, exclusive insights or offers

Step-by-Step Process

Phase 1: Information Gathering

Ask these questions to gather essential information:

Product Basics

1. What is your product name?
2. What problem does it solve? (Be specific)
3. Who is your target audience?
4. What platform(s) are you launching on?

Value Proposition

5. What is the main benefit? (e.g., "Saves 10 hours per week")
6. What makes it different from alternatives?
7. Can you share any metrics or early results?

Product Details

8. What are the top 3 features? (Prioritize impact over quantity)
9. Is there a demo, video, or screenshots?
10. Is it free, paid, or freemium? (If paid, what's the pricing?)

Source Material

11. Do you have a GitHub repo? (Provide URL for technical details)
12. Do you have a website/landing page? (Provide URL for positioning)
13. Any existing descriptions or copy? (About page, tagline, pitch)

Launch Context

14. Is this a public launch, beta, or pre-launch?
15. What's the primary call-to-action? (Star, sign up, buy, share)
16. Any launch offer or incentive?

Additional Context

17. Any interesting backstory? (Why you built it, how long it took)
18. Tech stack or technical details?
19. What's next after launch? (Roadmap, plans, goals)

If user provides a GitHub repo or homepage:

Use available web search and page-reading tools to analyze:

• Repos: README, features, installation, examples
• Homepages: Headline, value proposition, features, testimonials
• Extract key messages, taglines, positioning, technical details

Phase 2: Analyze and Structure

Based on gathered information, determine:

Angle and Tone

• Platform-appropriate tone: Professional (LinkedIn), casual (X/Threads), technical (GitHub), community-focused (Indie Hackers)
• Story angle: Problem-solution, behind-the-scenes, technical, success
• Key differentiator: Speed, simplicity, power, price, quality, innovation

Messaging Priority

Rank by impact:

1. Primary benefit (headline promise)
2. Supporting proof (metrics, testimonials, demo)
3. Secondary benefits (additional value)
4. Technical details (for technical audiences)
5. Backstory (if compelling and relevant)

Platform Adaptation

Create platform-specific variations:

• Short (X/Threads): 1-2 sentences + link + hashtags
• Medium (LinkedIn, Product Hunt): 2-3 paragraphs, structured
• Long (GitHub, blog): Detailed, comprehensive
• Email: Personalized, detailed, with clear CTA

Phase 3: Draft the Announcement

Headline/Hook Templates

Problem-focused:

• "Finally, a way to [solve problem] without [pain point]"
• "Tired of [problem]? Meet [product name]."
• "I built [product] because I couldn't find [solution]."

Benefit-focused:

• "[Product name] helps you [benefit] in [timeframe]."
• "How I achieved [result] using [product name]."
• "Announcing [product name]: [key benefit] for [audience]."

Story-focused:

• "After [time period] of building, I'm finally launching [product]."
• "The story of how I built [product] to solve [problem]."
• "Why I built [product] and how it helps [audience]."

Body Structure

Paragraph 1: The Hook - State the problem/opportunity, make it relatable, create curiosity/urgency

Paragraph 2: The Solution - Introduce product, explain how it solves the problem, include key benefit

Paragraph 3: Key Features (2-3 bullet points) - Feature 1 → Benefit, Feature 2 → Benefit, Feature 3 → Benefit

Paragraph 4: Social Proof (if available) - "Already used by [number] people", "In beta, we saw [result]", "Users are saying [quote]"

Paragraph 5: Call-to-Action - Clear next step (try it, share it, sign up), link to product, optional: request for feedback

Phase 4: Platform-Specific Optimization

Product Hunt

Structure: One-line hook → Problem → Solution + 3 features → Who it's for → CTA → Gallery

Best practices: Start with "Introducing" or "I built", keep conversational, engage with every comment in first hour, include demo video/GIF

GitHub Release

Structure: Headline → Overview → Key features → Installation → Migration → Contributors → Links

Best practices: Use semantic versioning, link to issues/PRs, include code examples, add visuals

Indie Hackers

Structure: Catchy title → Backstory → Problem → Solution → Revenue/metrics → What's next → Ask the community

Best practices: Share the journey, include revenue numbers (even if small), be transparent about challenges, ask for specific feedback

X (Twitter)

Structure: 8-tweet thread (hook → problem → gap → solution → features → proof → CTA → engagement)

Best practices: Use threads for storytelling, include visuals in every tweet, use 2-4 hashtags, tag relevant accounts, post at 9-11am or 6-8pm ET, engage with every reply

Thread template: See references/social-thread-templates.md

Threads

Structure: 8-post thread (hook + visual → problem → aha moment → solution → features → behind the scenes → feedback → CTA + discussion)

Best practices: More conversational than X, first post needs strong visual, write like talking to friends, encourage discussion with questions, link in bio strategy

Thread template: See references/social-thread-templates.md

LinkedIn

Structure: Professional hook → Solution → Business impact → Who it's for → Personal story → CTA

Best practices: Professional but authentic tone, focus on business value, tag relevant companies/people, include clear headline image

Email Launch

Structure: Subject line → Opening → Problem → Solution → Demo → Offer → CTA → P.S.

Best practices: Make it personal not promotional, include clear single CTA, add scarcity/urgency, mobile-friendly formatting

Phase 5: Review and Refine

Review checklist:

• Clear headline that communicates benefit
• Problem statement resonates with target audience
• Solution is clear and differentiated
• 2-3 key features highlighted (not feature dump)
• Social proof or evidence included (if available)
• Strong call-to-action with clear next step
• Platform-appropriate tone and format
• Link included to product/repo/landing page
• Visuals mentioned or embedded (if applicable)
• Typos and grammar checked

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Feature Dumping - Listing 10+ features overwhelms readers. Focus on 2-3 high-impact features with clear benefits.

Mistake 2: No Clear Problem - Launching with "here's what I built" instead of "here's why it matters." Always start with the problem or opportunity.

Mistake 3: Weak Call-to-Action - "Check it out" is vague and passive. Use specific, active CTAs ("Try it free," "Star the repo," "Join the waitlist").

Mistake 4: One-Size-Fits-All - Using the same copy across all platforms. Adapt tone, format, and length for each platform.

Mistake 5: No Social Proof - Launching without evidence of value. Include metrics, testimonials, early user feedback, or demo.

Mistake 6: Technical Jargon - Using niche terminology that alienates broader audiences. Use simple, benefit-focused language (unless targeting technical audiences only).

Mistake 7: Buried Lead - Important information is in paragraph 5 instead of paragraph 1. Lead with the most compelling benefit or hook.

Output Format

After gathering information and analyzing the product, provide:

1. Platform-specific drafts for each selected platform
2. Headline variations (3-5 options) for A/B testing
3. Feature breakdown prioritized by impact
4. Social proof suggestions (metrics, testimonials to gather)
5. Visual recommendations (screenshots, GIFs, videos to create)
6. Launch tips for each platform (timing, engagement, follow-up)

For complete platform-specific templates, see:

• references/platform-templates.md - Product Hunt, GitHub, Indie Hackers, LinkedIn, Email
• references/social-thread-templates.md
  • X (Twitter) and Threads thread templates

Next Steps

After writing the launch announcement:

1. Use community-growth-specialist skill - Plan launch day engagement, community outreach, and follow-up strategy
2. Use technical-automation-architect skill - Set up automated launch workflows, notifications, or landing page optimization
3. Use lead-research-assistant skill - Identify and reach out to influencers, press, or early adopters for launch amplification

Sources

• Product Hunt Launch Guide
• How to Launch on Product Hunt
• Managing releases in a repository | GitHub Docs
• Reddit Content Policy