Launch Day Checklist

The step-by-step playbook for a coordinated SaaS launch. Run this the morning of launch.

The Launch Philosophy

A good launch is not one moment — it's a 72-hour coordinated effort across multiple channels. Your goal is to create enough initial signal (signups, engagement, comments) that the platform algorithms amplify your reach, creating a compounding effect.

Coordinate the timing: get everything ready before you press publish anywhere. When you launch, launch everywhere at roughly the same time.

T-48 Hours: Pre-Launch Prep

48 hours before launch, verify:

Product

Signup flow works end-to-end (test it yourself, then have someone else test it)
Payment flow works (test with Stripe test card)
Onboarding sequence sends correctly
All CTAs on landing page point to the right destination
Error states show useful messages (not blank screens)
Mobile experience works on iOS and Android
Page load time under 3 seconds (test on Vercel)
SSL certificate active
Custom domain live and working

Analytics

PostHog tracking key events
Vercel Analytics installed
Google Search Console verified
Sitemap submitted to GSC
UTM parameters on all external links

Content

Landing page copy final
Pricing page final
Blog posts published
Social profiles optimized and updated
Launch announcement posts drafted (don't publish yet)
Email sequences loaded in your email platform

Distribution

Community accounts have established presence (Phase 2 contributors in relevant communities)
HN "Show HN" post drafted
Press list finalized with personalized outreach ready
Partner notifications ready (if any partnerships are live)
Waitlist email ready to send if you have one

T-1 Hour: Final Checks

One hour before launch:

Do a final end-to-end test (sign up, activate, test all features)
Check your email platform is set up correctly
Confirm your analytics is live
Have your social content queued and ready (but not published)
Clear your schedule for the next 6 hours
Eat something. This will be intense.

Launch Hour: The Sequence

Execute in this order. The first 2 hours set the tone.

Hour 1: Ship the core launch

0:00 — Publish your landing page / flip the switch
0:05 — Send waitlist announcement email (if you have a list)
0:10 — Post to Twitter/X (personal account + product account)
0:15 — Post to LinkedIn (personal account)
0:20 — Submit to Hacker News ("Show HN: [Product] — [one line description]")
0:30 — Post to Indie Hackers (both the main feed and relevant groups)
0:35 — Post to Reddit (most relevant subreddit first)
0:45 — Post to any Discord communities you're active in
0:50 — Notify personal network (email or direct message to people who'd genuinely care)
1:00 — Check all channels: respond to every early comment, question, or reply

Hour 2-4: Engage and amplify

2:00 — Respond to all HN comments (this is crucial — HN rewards engagement)
2:30 — Respond to all Reddit comments
3:00 — Send personal DMs to 10-15 people in your network with "I just launched — would love your honest take"
3:30 — Check analytics: signups, traffic sources, which channel is driving most
4:00 — Post a "2-hour update" thread on Twitter/X (building in public — this gets secondary engagement)

Hours 4-6: Secondary amplification

4:00 — If HN is gaining traction, post a follow-up comment with more context
4:30 — Reach out to any journalists / creators you pitched
5:00 — Post in secondary communities (second subreddit, second Discord)
5:30 — Share the day's results with your personal network via update post
6:00 — Write a "Launch Day" blog post (your experience so far) — publish it

Launch Day: What to Monitor

Open these tabs and check every 30 minutes:

Analytics Dashboard:

Unique visitors (real-time)
Signups (how many, from which source)
Activation events

HN:

Comment rank (your submission)
New comments (respond to all)

Reddit:

Post upvotes
New comments (respond to all)

Twitter/X:

Mentions and replies
Retweet amplification

Email:

Opens and clicks on your launch email

The Building-in-Public Update

Throughout launch day, post updates on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. People follow along with founder launch stories — it creates secondary engagement and humanizes your product.

Write a "Building in Public" launch update post for hour 2 of [product]'s launch.

Format: Twitter thread or LinkedIn post
What to include:
- Real-time update (how it's going, specific numbers if you have them)
- One thing that surprised you
- One thing you're grateful for
- What you're focused on right now

Tone: [brand voice adjectives] — honest, direct, human
Don't: make it a pitch. Make it a story.

Post these updates at:

Hour 2 (first real data)
Hour 6 (end of first day)
Hour 24 (next morning update)
Hour 48 (end of first weekend if you launched midweek)

Handling Criticism

You will receive negative comments. Plan for this now so you're not caught off guard.

The categories:

1. Genuine criticism of the product → Thank them, acknowledge the specific issue, note that it's on your roadmap (if it is)

2. Price criticism ("too expensive") → Acknowledge the concern, explain the value, mention the trial. Don't apologize for your price.

3. "X already does this" → Acknowledge competitors graciously, explain your differentiation calmly, without disparaging them

4. Generic negativity / trolling → Don't engage. On HN, sometimes a thoughtful non-defensive response is right. On Twitter, ignore.

5. Feature requests → Thank them, note the feedback, don't promise timelines

Never argue. Never be defensive. Criticism is a gift — treat it that way publicly, process your feelings privately.

Launch Day: The Non-Negotiables

Respond to every comment on launch day. No exceptions. Early community engagement is the algorithm signal that drives continued amplification.

Don't disappear after posting. Some founders post and go silent. This kills momentum. You need to be present and engaging for the first 6 hours.

Track every signup's source. When signups come in, note which channel they came from. This tells you where to invest more energy.

Screenshot everything. Your HN rank, your first signups, your first Twitter mention. You'll want this for the launch retrospective and future content.

Deliverable

Launch day executed with all channels coordinated
All comments responded to within first 6 hours
Building-in-public updates posted at hours 2 and 6
Real-time metrics tracked in dashboard
Launch day screenshots saved

What's Next

Move to Indie Hackers and Community Launch — the strategy for sustained community traction beyond launch day.