How to Create a Launch Video for Product Hunt

Product Hunt shows a video above the fold on every product page if one is provided. A listing with a video gets more time on page than a listing without one. The video plays in the gallery alongside the screenshots and is the first thing visitors see before they read the description.

Why a Product Hunt launch video matters

Most Product Hunt listings use static screenshots. A video makes a listing stand out in the gallery and communicates the product faster than reading the tagline and description. Visitors who understand the product in the first ten seconds are more likely to upvote and less likely to bounce.

Product Hunt also surfaces the media gallery in social shares. When someone shares a PH listing link on X or LinkedIn, the OG preview shows the first gallery asset. If that asset is a video thumbnail, it draws more attention than a static screenshot.

What Product Hunt accepts

Product Hunt accepts MP4 video in the media gallery. There is no strict aspect ratio requirement; the gallery displays video in a player that fits within the layout. Square 1080×1080 video works well because it fills the player without letterboxing on the left and right, and the same file works for the X and LinkedIn posts on launch day.

Keep the video under two minutes. For a launch video, 8–30 seconds is the right range. PH visitors are browsing the leaderboard; they will not watch a two-minute explainer during voting hours.

What a good Product Hunt launch video looks like

A Product Hunt launch video covers three things: the problem, the product, and the call to action. In 10–14 seconds, that means:

• First two seconds: the problem or the hook. One sentence.
• Next six to eight seconds: what the product does, with a screenshot or UI shot.
• Last two seconds: the CTA and the product name.

No intro animation, no logo reveal, no “hi I’m the founder” talking head. PH visitors are moving fast. A video that shows the product immediately performs better than one that builds up to it.

Generating a Product Hunt launch video from a URL

saasclips builds a launch video directly from a landing page URL. Paste the URL and the tool reads the headline, features, screenshot, and brand color from the page. Pick the Launch style for the full announcement arc, or Carousel for a three-feature walkthrough. The render returns a 1080×1080 square MP4 in 20–40 seconds.

Upload that MP4 to the Product Hunt gallery. The same file goes into the launch tweet and the LinkedIn post. One render, three placements.

When to add the video to the PH listing

Add the video before the listing goes live. Product Hunt does not auto-publish media added after launch, and updating the gallery during voting hours risks losing gallery position. Generate the video 24 hours before the planned launch time and upload it during the listing setup.