Launch day is the worst day to judge a product

When a product is launched, the first day is often the worst for judging its quality. A screenshot, a brief description, and a link are usually all that's available. During this initial phase, many features are incomplete, with onboarding consisting of a single paragraph and vague promises about future enhancements. However, by the end of the third week, the product usually improves significantly.

Bugs reported in the comments are fixed, placeholder states are replaced with real examples, and any lingering issues are resolved. By this point, the launch post has likely been forgotten, and the listing still displays the original day-one screenshot and description. Consequently, anyone discovering the product months later is judging the version that is far from its final form.

To avoid this issue, it's recommended to write the listing as a changelog entry rather than a promotional piece, stating what the product does and what it doesn't do yet. Additionally, it's crucial to verify the accuracy of screenshots by revisiting them after a month. Updating the listing to reflect any changes since launch can also be beneficial, as it provides a more accurate representation of the product.

This approach is not particularly innovative but rather a recognition that a launch is simply a timestamp, not an evaluation of the product's quality. The author is currently working on LaunchSignal, a platform for publishing new products, and this perspective is guiding their efforts to maintain the integrity of listings beyond the initial launch day.