Ask HN: How do I open up my side project to the world?
Hi HN,
I’ve been working on a small side project for a few weeks. It solves a personal pain point and I really enjoy building it. I’m now reaching the point where I’d like to open it up to the world — not necessarily to turn it into a startup, but to share it and maybe get feedback or users.
The thing is, I’m quite new to all this. I’ve never really launched anything before. I don’t know how to "put it out there" without sounding too self-promotional or spammy. I really want people to tell me what's wrong with it.
What’s the best way to do this?
I’d love to hear your experience, or what’s worked for you in the past.
Thanks a lot!
(P.S. If it’s OK I’d be happy to share a link when it will be ready, but right now I’m just asking for advice.)
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Ideas:
Here's a YC Startup School video called How to Launch (Again and Again) wiht Kat Manalac (YC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u36A-YTxiOw&list=PLQ-uHSnFig5M9fW16o2l35jrfdsxGknNB&index=9 ↗
Figure out where people who would want to use your project hang out online. Share it there (if those places allow sharing projects and don't have a policy against it).
Offer helpful advice in subreddits, Discords, Telegram, and other channels where people who would like your project hang out. Don't spam your project, but do keep your project link in your profile, so that people who are really impressed by your helpfulness check it out, they will see it.
If you have $, maybe see what people search for who would be interested in your project, and experiment with Google, Meta, or other (AI?) ad platforms. But start small, it is easy to spend a lot.
Or else just write prolifically about it. Once a day/week/month, make sure your log gets indexed by search engines and gets back links.
Put your project on Product Hunt if it is made into a product and launches.
Always be launching.
Give informational content that is succinct and helpful, and better than other educational content on the topic, and put that on YouTube. Incorporate your product or at least link to it in the Description if it is indeed related, which it should be for this.
Try a "Show HN" for starters. Whatever you do don't post an Ask HN with a link in it because that's a classic rookie mistake -- links don't work in an Ask HN post!
If you say "people won't understand my product if they just visit the landing page" you're doing it wrong! The expectation is that people will visit your landing page with zero context so your landing page must say enough about your product that it stands on its own. If you really want to explain a bit it is OK to post a comment on your own "Show HN"