Promotion Tips for Vibe-Coded Apps

You've built something with AI—now how do you get users? Here's a practical guide to launching your vibe-coded creation.

Before Launch

1. Polish the Core Experience

Fix the obvious issues before showing anyone:

• Test on mobile devices
• Fix any console errors
• Ensure loading states work
• Handle error cases gracefully

2. Create a Landing Page

Use v0 or similar to create a compelling landing page:

Essential elements:

• Clear headline explaining what it does
• Screenshot or demo video
• Call-to-action button
• Social proof (if any)

3. Record a Demo

A 60-second video is worth 1000 words:

• Use Loom or Screen Studio
• Show the key workflow
• Keep it under 2 minutes
• Add captions for accessibility

Launch Strategies

Build in Public

Share your journey on Twitter/X:

Week 1: "Started building a [product] with Cursor. Here's my progress..."
Week 2: "Hit my first major bug. Here's how I fixed it..."
Week 3: "Added [feature]. Getting close to launch!"
Launch: "It's live! Built this in 3 weeks using AI tools. Try it free:"

Why it works:

• Builds anticipation
• Creates accountability
• Attracts early feedback
• Shows authenticity

Product Hunt Launch

Preparation:

1. Create a maker profile
2. Prepare assets (logo, screenshots, video)
3. Write a compelling tagline
4. Draft your first comment
5. Schedule for Tuesday-Thursday

Launch day:

• Post at 12:01 AM PT
• Engage with every comment
• Share on social media
• Ask friends to upvote (genuinely)

Hacker News

Best for developer tools or technical products:

Show HN: [Product Name] – [One-line description]

I built this because [problem you had].

Tech stack: Next.js, Supabase, Solana
Built with: Cursor, Claude

Try it: [link]
Feedback welcome!

Tips:

• Be genuine about AI assistance
• Focus on the problem solved
• Respond to all comments
• Don't ask for upvotes

Indie Hackers

Great for getting feedback and connecting with builders:

• Share your revenue/user numbers
• Be transparent about challenges
• Ask specific questions
• Engage with others' posts

Growth Tactics

1. SEO Basics

Even AI-built apps need SEO:

// Add metadata to pages
export const metadata = {
  title: 'Product Name - Solve X Problem',
  description: 'A clear description of what your product does...',
  openGraph: {
    images: ['/og-image.png'],
  },
};

2. Content Marketing

Write about problems you solve:

• "How to [solve problem your app solves]"
• "Why [old way] is broken"
• "I built [product] in [time] with AI"

3. Community Engagement

Find where your users hang out:

• Reddit subreddits
• Discord servers
• Slack communities
• Facebook groups

Don't spam. Provide value first, mention your product when relevant.

4. Referral Program

Encourage word-of-mouth:

"Share [Product] with a friend and you both get [benefit]"

Handling the "AI-Built" Question

Be honest about using AI tools:

Good framing:

• "Built with AI assistance to ship faster"
• "Leveraged Cursor to focus on the product, not boilerplate"
• "AI helped me prototype, I refined for production"

Avoid:

• Hiding that you used AI
• Over-claiming AI capabilities
• Dismissing concerns about AI code quality

Metrics to Track

Launch metrics

• Visitors
• Sign-ups
• Conversion rate
• Traffic sources

Growth metrics

• Daily/weekly active users
• Retention rate
• Feature usage
• User feedback

Common Launch Mistakes

1. Launching too early - Fix critical bugs first
2. No landing page - People need to understand what it does
3. Ignoring feedback - Early users are gold
4. One-and-done launch - Keep promoting after day one
5. Comparing to established products - You're new, be humble

Need technical help before launch? Find a developer on CoderVibez.