Before launch (T-7 days)
Most AI SaaS launches fail before launch day. Not because the product is bad, because the founder skipped the boring prep work. Do these in the week leading up to your launch.
01
Lock your one-line pitch
“[Product] helps [audience] [outcome] without [pain].” If you can't fit it on one line, your landing page won't either.
02
Define your ICP narrowly
“AI for marketers” is dead. “AI agent that drafts LinkedIn posts for B2B founders” converts.
03
Pick one wedge feature
Launch around the one feature only you do. Hide the rest until v2.
04
Set a measurable launch goal
Not “go viral.” Pick one: 100 signups, 50 feedbacks, 20 paid trials, 10 demo calls.
Launch assets you actually need
You don't need a 60-second hype video. You need assets that work in feeds, search results and DMs. Build these once, reuse everywhere.
- Logo, square, transparent PNG, readable at 32px.
- Hero screenshot, your product doing the one thing it's best at.
- 30-second demo, silent, captioned, vertical and horizontal.
- One-paragraph description, for Reddit, IndieHackers, Slack groups.
- 3 tweet drafts, problem, solution, proof.
- Founder face, yes, your face. Personal posts outperform brand posts 8x.
Distribution channels that still work in 2026
Product Hunt is no longer the cheat code. The real traction comes from a mix of founder-led platforms and niche communities. Pick three, not ten.
Tier 1, High intent
- LaunchLoop, AI SaaS founders only, real feedback, no fake upvotes.
- Hacker News “Show HN”, technical audience, high standards, brutal feedback.
- Reddit (niche subs only), pick subs where your ICP already complains.
Tier 2, Founder-led
- X / Twitter, build in public, ship the launch as a thread with metrics.
- LinkedIn, long-form post + carousel of the demo.
- IndieHackers, milestone post with revenue/users data.
Launch day, hour by hour
01
06:00, Soft publish
Push to LaunchLoop and Show HN at 6am PT. Quiet hours = better visibility window.
02
08:00, Personal channels
Tweet, post on LinkedIn, send to your newsletter. Tag people who helped, they reshare.
03
10:00, Communities
Drop in 3 relevant Slack/Discord groups. Don't paste, share the story.
04
14:00, DM round
Personal DMs to 20 people who'd genuinely benefit. Ask for feedback, not upvotes.
05
20:00, Recap thread
Post your day-1 numbers publicly. Transparency = compounding distribution.
After launch, the loop
Launch day isn't the end, it's day 1 of the loop. The founders who win ship a “relaunch” every 4–6 weeks, new feature, new wedge, new audience.