Launch templateChecklists and process
Launch week checklist
Launch week goes better when every task has a day. This checklist runs from five days before to three days after, covers the launch boards, emails and posts, and ends with the search work that keeps visitors coming once the boards reset. Copy it into your task tool and assign names.
Use it for
- The week of any public launch.
- Major releases.
- Relaunches after a big change.
Limits and rules
The template
Copy it, then replace everything in [BRACKETS]. Delete lines that don't apply rather than leaving them vague.
LAUNCH WEEK CHECKLIST - [PRODUCT] - launch day: [DATE] D-5 [ ] Feature freeze [ ] Test signup, payment and onboarding on a clean account [ ] Analytics + conversion events verified [ ] Sitemap submitted; key pages inspected in Search Console D-3 [ ] Product Hunt / LaunchRanked listings drafted and scheduled [ ] Gallery images (1270x760), tagline (<60 chars), maker comment ready [ ] Waitlist email written and tested [ ] Social posts + demo video ready D-1 [ ] Status/incident plan: who fixes what, where you'll post updates [ ] Support inbox and replies ready [ ] Tell beta users and friends the time (ask for feedback, not votes) LAUNCH DAY [ ] 12:01 a.m. PT: launch goes live; post maker comment [ ] Send waitlist email [ ] Post on X / LinkedIn / communities (following each one's rules) [ ] Show HN if people can try it without signup [ ] Hourly: errors, signups, costs [ ] Reply to every comment and email D+1 [ ] Thank-you post with what you learned [ ] Fix top 3 issues reported [ ] Log every question for FAQs D+3 [ ] Submit to directories in your niche [ ] Write comparison / FAQ pages from launch questions [ ] Request indexing for new pages [ ] Schedule a retro
How to fill it in
[DATE]
Pick a day you and anyone on call can be online for 12+ hours.
Incident plan
Who's on call, and where you'll post status.
D+3 directories
Use directories by niche or our directory submission service.
Filled example
Fictional example. Paperlark is a fictional product we made up for these examples: an invoice-reminder tool for freelancers that sends polite follow-ups when a client pays late. Names, prices and details are invented to show the template filled in; they aren't a real company or real results.
LAUNCH WEEK CHECKLIST - Paperlark - launch day: Tuesday D-5 [x] Feature freeze [x] Tested signup + Stripe checkout on a clean account [x] Signup and first-invoice events firing [x] Sitemap submitted; home, pricing, /vs pages inspected D-3 [x] LaunchRanked week booked; Product Hunt scheduled [x] 4 gallery images, tagline "Polite reminders for late invoices" [x] Waitlist email tested in Gmail and Outlook LAUNCH DAY [x] 12:01 a.m. PT live; maker comment posted [x] Waitlist email sent 7 a.m. ET [x] r/freelance post (rules checked: links in comments only) [ ] Show HN skipped: demo needs login D+3 [ ] Submit to 15 finance/freelance directories [ ] Write "Paperlark vs built-in invoice reminders" page (Fictional example.)
Do
- Assign an owner to every line.
- Protect launch day from other work.
- Keep a single log of questions and bugs.
- Plan the D+3 search work before launch day.
Don't
- Don't ship new features on launch day.
- Don't ask for upvotes.
- Don't stop after launch day; the D+3 work compounds.
FAQ
What should I do the day before launch?
Confirm the incident plan, prepare support replies and tell beta users the time, asking for feedback rather than votes.
What time does a Product Hunt launch start?
Product Hunt days run on Pacific time, and posts go live at 12:01 a.m. PT.
What should happen after launch day?
Fix the top issues, turn questions into FAQ and comparison pages, submit to niche directories and request indexing.
Launch guides that use this template
Sources
Checked . Platforms change their rules; open the source before you rely on a number.
Related templates
- Post-launch retroA post-launch retrospective: goals vs results, channel by channel, what worked, what didn't, surprises and next steps, with a filled example.
- Maker commentA maker comment template for Product Hunt and other launch boards: who you are, why you built it, what's in it, pricing and a request for feedback.
- Launch email to your waitlistA launch email for people who joined your waitlist: one link, one ask, a reason to act now, and the sender rules that keep it out of spam.