Let's have a discussion on the "Streak" system of Product Hunt
Gaurav Singhal
5 replies
Hey, Product Hunt community 👋
As both a maker and data scientist, I've been analyzing engagement patterns on Product Hunt, and something about the streak system has been bothering me. Let me share my thoughts, and I'd love to hear yours.
The current streak system seems to be an oversimplified metric that might actually be counterproductive to genuine community engagement. Here's why:
Translating This to The Data Problem:
1. A user with a 365-day streak might just be logging in daily without meaningful interaction
2. Someone with a broken streak could be writing detailed reviews and launching successful products
3. The binary nature (streak/no-streak) doesn't capture the quality of engagement
The Psychology Impact:
When a high-value community member loses their 300-day streak due to a personal emergency or technical issue, they face a demotivating "start from zero" situation. Should a year of valuable contributions be nullified by one missed day?
Questions for the Community:
I hope someone from ProductHunt also says something here.
What if we had a weighted point system that considered:
- Quality of comments/discussions
- Product launches
- Successful hunts
- Community help
I see they have a KittyPoint system which I think should be the main highlight of the profile and not the streak.
Could we implement a "streak pause" feature for verified emergencies?
What metrics would YOU consider more meaningful for measuring community contribution?
As someone who works with data, I believe we can create a more nuanced system that truly reflects and encourages valuable community participation.
What are your thoughts? I especially want to hear from long-time PH users and the Product Hunt team!
Replies
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I partially agree because I have seen the pattern that as soon as people had to start again – they lost the interest attend the platform again.
Kitty points could be another metric for engagement but do anybody knows how those points work? 🤷♀️
Does it also count points from the discussion contribution made by AI?
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Honestly - I agree - there should be a Streak Pause button (Streaks make me a bit anxious) - on any platform, but I have seen some people find it very motivating
Launching soon!
@shabb_katoch Yes that is exactly what I want to learn, what is so motivating with streak.
Launching soon!
There is finally someone who has spoken about it.
Maintaining a streak just for the sake of maintaining a number can be exhausting mentally.
One missed day, and all your efforts are gone!
I am not much of a data person, but of course the Kitty Points or how much one contributes should be something that needs to be considered.
Or maybe give us an option to freeze up streaks if we have maintained a few days streak or have made valuable contributions.
I agree! Streaks can feel demotivating when life gets in the way, and they don’t always reflect meaningful contributions. Shifting focus to metrics like KittyPoints, quality comments, and impactful launches would better highlight genuine engagement. Curious to hear others’ thoughts! 🚀