Ask HN: How do solid products get noticed once the launch hype is gone?

3 pointsby skicoachapp5 mesi fa2 comments

I’m asking this as a builder, not looking to promote anything.

I’ve built a product that actually works. It’s live, people use it, and a few even pay. Nothing viral, nothing explosive — just something solid that solves a real problem.

What I didn’t expect is how quiet everything gets after that.

No launch spike. No obvious moment where things “take off”. Just slow progress and very little external signal.

I’m deliberately not doing growth hacks, paid ads, or aggressive self-promotion. I’m also not chasing VC or hype cycles. I’m trying to understand something more basic:

For those of you who’ve been here before — what actually helped your product get noticed by the right people once it was already live but quiet?

Not “how to get more users fast”, but:

how did it start getting mentioned?

reviewed?

talked about outside your own bubble?

Was it writing? Direct outreach? Time and consistency? Something unexpected?

I’m genuinely curious about real experiences, not theory.

Thanks.

3 comments

SouravInsights5 mesi fa

I'm in a similar phase and this question resonates.

One thing I’m slowly realizing: after launch, distribution becomes a separate craft from building. The product can be good, but if no natural channel exists where your users already hang out, growth feels silent.

Curious if others found that identifying a repeatable distribution channel mattered more than polishing the product at this stage.

skicoachapp5 mesi fa

That’s a good way to put it — distribution really does feel like a different craft.

What I’m struggling with is that many products don’t have a “natural hangout” early on. Curious whether people here found one channel worth committing to, or if it was more about stacking small signals over time.

TFSFVentures5 mesi fa