Find relevant community threads (Reddit, Hacker News, ProductHunt) and draft contextual, value-first responses. NOT spam — genuine helpful answers that naturally mention the product.
# /community-outreach
Find relevant community threads (Reddit, Hacker News, ProductHunt) and draft contextual, value-first responses. NOT spam — genuine helpful answers that naturally mention the product.
## MCP Tools (use if available)
- `web_search(query, engines, include_raw_content)` — search Reddit, HN, web
- `kb_search(query)` — find related methodology
- `project_info(name)` — get project details
If MCP tools are not available, use WebSearch/WebFetch as fallback.
## Steps
1. **Parse project** from `$ARGUMENTS`.
- Read PRD/README to understand: problem, solution, ICP, key features.
- If empty: ask via AskUserQuestion.
2. **Extract search keywords:**
- Problem keywords (what users complain about)
- Solution keywords (what users search for)
- Category keywords (the market/niche)
- Competitor names (for "vs" and "alternative" threads)
3. **Search communities** (run searches in parallel):
### 3a. Reddit
For each keyword group, search via MCP `web_search(query)` or WebSearch:
- `"{problem} reddit"` — pain point threads
- `"{solution category} recommendations reddit"` — recommendation requests
- `"{competitor} alternative reddit"` — competitor frustration
- `"{competitor} vs reddit"` — comparison threads
For each result, extract: subreddit, title, URL, post date, comment count.
Filter: prefer threads < 6 months old, > 5 comments (active).
### 3b. Hacker News
Search via `site:news.ycombinator.com`:
- `"Show HN: {similar product category}"` — similar launches
- `"Ask HN: {problem domain}"` — questions in the space
- `"{competitor name} site:news.ycombinator.com"` — competitor mentions
Extract: title, URL, points, comment count.
### 3c. ProductHunt
Search via `site:producthunt.com`:
- `"{product category} site:producthunt.com"` — similar launches
- `"{competitor} site:producthunt.com"` — competitor pages
Extract: product names, launch dates, upvote counts, taglines.
### 3d. Other Communities (optional)
- `site:indiehackers.com "{problem}"` — Indie Hackers
- `site:dev.to "{solution category}"` — Dev.to (if technical product)
4. **Forced reasoning — outreach strategy:**
Before drafting, write out:
- **Best 5 threads** to engage with (highest relevance + activity)
- **Tone per community:** Reddit (casual, self-deprecating), HN (technical, data-driven), PH (enthusiastic, builder)
- **Value-first angle:** What genuine help can we offer BEFORE mentioning the product?
- **Red lines:** No astroturfing, no fake accounts, always disclose you're the builder
5. **Draft responses** for top 5 threads:
For each thread:
```markdown
### Thread: {title}
**URL:** {url}
**Subreddit/Community:** {community}
**Why relevant:** {1 sentence}
**Draft response:**
{2-4 paragraph response that:
- Directly addresses the question/problem
- Provides genuine value (tips, experience, data)
- Mentions the product naturally (last paragraph)
- Includes "disclaimer: I'm the developer" for transparency
}
```
6. **Generate ProductHunt launch checklist:**
```markdown
## ProductHunt Launch Checklist
### Pre-Launch (1 week before)
- [ ] Hunter identified (or self-hunting)
- [ ] Tagline ready (< 60 chars): "{tagline}"
- [ ] Description ready (< 260 chars)
- [ ] 5+ screenshots/GIF prepared
- [ ] Maker comment drafted (story + problem + solution)
- [ ] Launch day scheduled (Tuesday-Thursday, 00:01 PST)
### Launch Day
- [ ] Post live and verified
- [ ] Maker comment posted immediately
- [ ] Share in relevant communities (not vote-begging)
- [ ] Respond to all comments within 1 hour
- [ ] Share progress on Twitter/LinkedIn
### Post-Launch
- [ ] Thank supporters
- [ ] Collect feedback from comments
- [ ] Update product based on feedback
```
7. **Write outreach plan** to `docs/outreach-plan.md`:
```markdown
# Community Outreach Plan: {Project Name}
**Generated:** {YYYY-MM-DD}
**Product:** {one-line description}
**ICP:** {target persona}
## Target Communities
| Community | Relevant Threads Found | Priority |
|-----------|----------------------|----------|
| r/{subreddit} | N | high/medium/low |
| Hacker News | N | high/medium/low |
| ProductHunt | N | high/medium/low |
## Top Threads to Engage
{5 thread drafts from step 5}
## ProductHunt Launch Checklist
{checklist from step 6}
## Search Keywords Used
- {keyword1}: N results
- {keyword2}: N results
---
*Generated by /community-outreach. Review all drafts before posting.*
```
8. **Output summary** — communities found, top 3 threads to engage, PH readiness.
## Critical Rules
1. **Value first, product second** — every response must genuinely help the person
2. **Always disclose** — "I'm the developer" or "disclaimer: I built this"
3. **No vote manipulation** — never ask for upvotes
4. **No astroturfing** — never pretend to be a user
5. **Respect community rules** — check subreddit rules before posting
6. **Quality over quantity** — 5 great responses > 50 generic ones
## Gotchas
1. **Reddit shadowban triggers** — posting links in your first comment on a subreddit, multiple self-promotional posts in 24h, or using shortened URLs. Always build comment karma in a subreddit before mentioning your product.
2. **Subreddit self-promotion rules vary wildly** — r/SaaS allows Show posts, r/startups requires flair, r/webdev bans affiliate links. Always check sidebar rules before drafting. Some require 10:1 comment-to-promotion ratio.
3. **PH vote manipulation detection** — ProductHunt detects coordinated upvotes from same IP/network/timing. Never share direct PH links in Slack/Discord asking for upvotes. Share on social media with context instead.
4. **Old threads are locked** — Reddit threads >6 months old are archived (can't comment). Filter by date, not just relevance. HN threads don't lock but old ones get zero visibility.
5. **"I built this" disclosure backfires if too early** — lead with value (3-4 sentences of genuine help), THEN disclose. Opening with "disclaimer: I'm the dev" makes the entire comment read as an ad.
## Common Issues
### Web search not available
**Cause:** MCP web_search tool not configured or WebSearch not accessible.
**Fix:** Use WebSearch/WebFetch as primary. For better results with engine routing (Reddit, HN), set up [SearXNG](https://github.com/fortunto2/searxng-docker-tavily-adapter) (private, self-hosted, free) and configure solograph MCP.
### No relevant threads found
**Cause:** Niche too small or wrong keywords.
**Fix:** Broaden search terms. Try competitor names, problem descriptions, or adjacent categories.
### Responses sound promotional
**Cause:** Product mention too prominent or lacks genuine value.
**Fix:** Rewrite with value-first approach: 80% helpful answer, 20% product mention. Always include builder disclosure.