3 ms·

The myth of launch PR

17 points by bdfh42 18y ago

swombat 18y ago
Launch PR can also hurt as well as help... consider Cuil... Great splash, but who cares about them now?
- dmix 18y ago
  Cuils had a very well orchestrated launch that most start-ups could never get. They received tons of quality press through out the world, not just on tech-sites. They had over 2 million visitors in the first month... 2 million. The media ate up the Google-killer angle but the product couldn't back up the marketing. If they didn't over sell the product then everyone would look back at how great they launched, but instead if backfired.
  - josefresco 18y ago
    Agreed, I would have loved to have had Cuil's PR for my startup (even if it crashed and burned under the stress).
partoa 18y ago
I think the way to go for a most startups, save the likes of Amazon and Ebay, is a small quiet and private launch during which their product can be refined and tested. It's easier to handle feedback from small number of, mostly, tech savvy users than from tens of thousands of, mostly, non-tech savvy users. And the feedback would be of greater quality. Launch PR can always be done afterward, say when the site moved from private Beta, when the product is worth hyping up, by then the tech savvy won't give too much criticism.
shafqat 18y ago
OK, I completely disagree with this. Sure, private alpha or private testing is necessary, but there is a time for a launch PR. We just had a fairly big launch when we went public, and we spent a lot of time and effort (not money) on it. I wouldn't have done it any other way - we now have thousands of visitors a day, and it's a steady stream. Without the big push, I'm not sure where we'd be today. I dont think you can depend on the 'build it and they will come' attitude. I prefer the "relentlessly focus on acquiring users" approach. Still have to share the inside details on our launch. Will do so ASAP and hopefully other's can benefit or user some of our tips. we owe a lot to this community!
- DenisM 18y ago
  You see this rock? It keeps lions away...

17 points by bdfh42 18y ago

swombat 18y ago

Launch PR can also hurt as well as help... consider Cuil... Great splash, but who cares about them now?

dmix 18y ago
Cuils had a very well orchestrated launch that most start-ups could never get. They received tons of quality press through out the world, not just on tech-sites. They had over 2 million visitors in the first month... 2 million. The media ate up the Google-killer angle but the product couldn't back up the marketing. If they didn't over sell the product then everyone would look back at how great they launched, but instead if backfired.
- josefresco 18y ago
  Agreed, I would have loved to have had Cuil's PR for my startup (even if it crashed and burned under the stress).

partoa 18y ago

I think the way to go for a most startups, save the likes of Amazon and Ebay, is a small quiet and private launch during which their product can be refined and tested. It's easier to handle feedback from small number of, mostly, tech savvy users than from tens of thousands of, mostly, non-tech savvy users. And the feedback would be of greater quality. Launch PR can always be done afterward, say when the site moved from private Beta, when the product is worth hyping up, by then the tech savvy won't give too much criticism.

shafqat 18y ago

OK, I completely disagree with this. Sure, private alpha or private testing is necessary, but there is a time for a launch PR. We just had a fairly big launch when we went public, and we spent a lot of time and effort (not money) on it. I wouldn't have done it any other way - we now have thousands of visitors a day, and it's a steady stream. Without the big push, I'm not sure where we'd be today. I dont think you can depend on the 'build it and they will come' attitude. I prefer the "relentlessly focus on acquiring users" approach. Still have to share the inside details on our launch. Will do so ASAP and hopefully other's can benefit or user some of our tips. we owe a lot to this community!

DenisM 18y ago
You see this rock? It keeps lions away...