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How to make a Product Hunt launch video
On launch day, your gallery has seconds to convince a visitor your product is worth an upvote and a try. A short video that shows the real product working beats any number of screenshots. Here's how to make a Product Hunt launch video in an afternoon: a structure that works, a script template, and how to record and polish it without hiring an editor.
The 60-second structure
| Time | Beat | On screen |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 s | Name + promise | Title card: product name and one-line benefit |
| 3–10 s | The problem | The painful "before", quickly |
| 10–45 s | The product working | One workflow, end to end, zoomed in on each step |
| 45–55 s | The result | The "after" — the outcome the user gets |
| 55–60 s | The ask | Outro card: URL and a launch offer |
Script template
Open: "[Product] [does outcome] for [who]."
Problem: "Normally, [painful task] takes [time / steps]."
Demo: "With [Product], you [step one]… [step two]… and [step three]."
Result: "That's [outcome] in [short time]."
Ask: "Try it free at [url] — [launch offer] today."
Recording it
- Prepare demo data that makes the product look alive — realistic names, filled dashboards, no "test test".
- Rehearse the click path twice. Your hand should know the route.
- Make text big (125% zoom) and clean the screen: no other apps, no notifications.
- Record a 16:9 area for the gallery. If you'll post vertical clips on social too, record a 9:16 version separately, or let the export re-frame.
- Record silently if you're nervous about talking; you can narrate afterwards.
Polishing it (in ScreenToast)
- Zooms and cursor are done when you stop recording — check that each zoom lands on the step you're describing.
- Trim and speed: cut the waiting; speed up anything over two seconds that isn't the point.
- Intro and outro cards with your colours. Adding them never shifts your zooms.
- Narration: ScreenToast drafts a script from what you did on screen, timed to the footage. Edit the words into your template above, then have it read in a free macOS voice or an ElevenLabs voice — or record your own.
- Captions so it works muted.
- Background and device frame to make it look deliberate.
Export
Use the Product Hunt preset, then export the same project with the X, LinkedIn and Reels presets for your launch posts. A looping GIF of the key moment is handy for your first comment and tweets.
Launch-day checklist
- Product named in the first 3 seconds
- Real product, real workflow, no mock-ups
- Under 90 seconds
- Makes sense with sound off
- Ends with a URL and an offer
- Versions for each channel exported
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Product Hunt video be?
Aim for 30 to 90 seconds. Visitors decide in the first few seconds whether to keep watching, so show the product early.
Does Product Hunt need a video?
It isn't required, but a short demo in your gallery shows the product working, which screenshots can't.
Should my launch video have sound?
Make it work without sound — many people browse muted — then add narration or music for those who unmute. Captions bridge both.
Try ScreenToast free.
Record and edit as much as you like, with no sign-in and no trial clock. Pro is $4.92 a month, billed yearly, when you're ready to export.
macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon and Intel · Under 10 MB