Do you launch on other platforms too? For example, Kickstarter or IndieGogo
Possible platforms where you can launch have been discussed here several times.
Of course, it brings benefits for SEO (backlinks), visibility (more content, awareness),...
But how do you view crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo ?
What is your strategy for going to such a platform, and how does the preparation for them differ from ProductHunt?
I would be happy if you share your experiences or launched projects on these platforms.
Personally, I have always seen them as a means to launch physical products.
We are currently preparing to launch funding apps on them, and I think we have never had such extensive preparations for any platform, because we promise a lot from it. As soon as we count on some financial goal, we are more committed.
For these purposes, we do:
email sequences
tracking
we hired professional video editors
an extensive social media plan
advertisements
I think that the Product Hunt previous experience has helped us to prepare better and also the badge serves as a good social proof/milestone to show up in the campaign.
Replies
Oh, awesome topic! This is one of my absolute favorites.
Since I have experience with Kickstarter, hereâs what I can say:
There are a lot of similarities with Product Hunt. You have an active community, you have rewards⊠and 95% of your success is from preparation.
We failed spectacularly, and now I can say this:
Focus on the first few hours. Those are 90% of your campaignâs success.
Try to find âmarket makers.â It doesnât matter if itâs your grandma, VCs, or angel investors. Secure the funding for your goal amount in advance. For example, if your target is $10,000 and youâve already lined up those $10,000 beforehand, everything on top will be a bonus. So from day one, hit your goalâthen youâll be featured through their channels and raise much more than your initial target.
Start building your community as early as possible. Share even just the idea.
@byalexai Another topic you are experienced in (of course, I remember, you told me on the call) :D
Have you ever met with a scenario where makers boosted their own launch with money so it looked like they had already been donated? (to push that things)
@busmark_w_nika Yes. A friend of mine was launching a board game on Kickstarter. He has an aunt who lives in the US, and she paid $7,000, while the total amount they were aiming for was $13,000. This way, they had an initial boost on the platform, it looked like the project was going well, and they had a better chance of being mentioned by Kickstarter in their channels, making it easier to raise the rest.
I know it sounds like hacking the idea. And Iâm against such âhacksâ in general, but if youâre not using the money to scam people, but genuinely want to make something happen, itâs a way to get attention at the very start.
Because with our own launch on Kickstarter, we were in every possible news site. Even local influencers mentioned us (2017). We wrote to all our friends on Facebook. We even used some tool to get all our followers and friends to write a message on their wall on launch day, calling for people to back our campaign. Weâd been preparing for over two months⊠But this probably brought us only $500. In the end, we raised $4,000 out of a $27,000 target. And after I saw how my friend did it, I realized that this type of âhackâ is actually much more practical than all our efforts.
In any case, he really produced the product and I even have 2-3 versions of his board game at home. :lol:
@byalexai That is a cool story. Now, I am a little bit scared we will not make it. đ«Łđ
@busmark_w_nika ping me a message and can help you
Great question, Nika! Iâve always seen Product Hunt as a place to build momentum and get early feedback, while platforms like Kickstarter/Indiegogo feel more like full-blown campaigns, with much higher stakes and prep.
Totally agree that PH experience helps sharpen your messaging and build early trust.
@borja_diazroig Kickstarter sounds more serious because there is a chance to get money directly :D
Yes, many founders launch on platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Theyâre great for funding, early validation, and building a community around your product.
@john__davis Have you seen any good launch I could inspire from? đ
Phygital+
Weâre excited to share that weâll be launching on AppSumo next month! Iâll keep you updated once we start getting results. So far, most of the work has been focused on technical preparation, like integrating with their systems. As for visuals and videos, they handle those themselves using the materials we provide
@olga_zueva aren't you afraid of AppSumo? I have heard that users of that platform are still complaining and it is not so profitable.
Phygital+
@busmark_w_nika I know personally several founders who launched there and had positive feedback. If you could share more of your concerns, I would appreciate! We try to regulate our risks by carefully choosing what plans to offer on AppSumo and also considering these costs as marketing costs to increase awareness.
@olga_zueva It is only something I have heard; it is not my personal experience. I read these things in discussions about the platform.
Yes, we also launch on platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGogo to reach more supporters.
@karthick_karthick6 What strategies for getting support did you try?
FastMoss
I also explored Peerlist, which features a section called Launchpad where many newcomers announce their launches.
@qiwap Have you launched there yet?
FastMoss
@busmark_w_nika Not yet, I'm still building my product for next launch :)
Hey! This is such a fun idea. Will you also be using platforms like Kickstarter or IndieGogo for the launch?
@new_user___2022025e8369df0e404b20a We are going to ;)
Yes, I have explored both Kickstarter and Indiegogo in the past. I initially attempted a Kickstarter campaign for one of my projects but didnât move forward with it. Later, I tried launching on Indiegogo. At the time, I was completely new to crowdfunding and it was more about learning than raising funds.
Honestly, even though we didnât hit our funding goals, the experience was incredibly valuable. We learned so much about our potential customers, what messaging resonated, and how people responded to our product. That insight alone made it worth it.
I still associate crowdfunding mostly with physical products, but I see more and more teams launching apps or platforms, especially when they come with a strong vision or community element.
@nishargo what was the product you wanted to fund?
PopPop AI Vocal Remover
I only launched on Product Hunt so far. Sames as you, I think Kickstarter is for physical goods that are sold on Amazon.
@charlenechen_123 What and when are you about to launch again here (on PH)?
I knew that Kickstarter is more for card/table games, but that thing about Amazon is new information to me. :D
PopPop AI Vocal Remover
@busmark_w_nika My launch goes live on July 24 and will be available half an hour later. My previous company has successfully listed a hardware product on Kickstarter before.
@charlenechen_123 Cool! I hit the "Notify me" button :)
PopPop AI Vocal Remover
@busmark_w_nika You are great and kind, Nika. Thank you for your support.