Can I go viral on Hacker News overnight?

Hey, that's a great question, one that many tech and product friends have pondered. I've been active on HN for many years, so let me put it this way: Going viral on Hacker News is like winning thunderous applause at a gathering of top-tier experts. It's difficult, but absolutely possible, and once successful, the rewards are immense.

Don't overthink it; let's break it down, and you'll understand.

First, you need to understand what Hacker News is.

Imagine this place isn't just an ordinary forum; it's more like a hardcore tech bar located next to a university, open only to a specific crowd.

• The 'patrons' inside are mostly the smartest, most discerning programmers, entrepreneurs, tech gurus, and VCs in the world. They are tech purists and have a natural dislike for marketing fluff.
• What they talk about: No gossip, just 'substance.' For example, a novel algorithm, an open-source project that solves a big problem, an in-depth technical analysis, a founder's true startup story (especially failure stories), or little-known tech insights from a big company.
• The rules: Simple and blunt. For good stuff, people 'upvote' you with a small upward arrow; for bad stuff or ads, no one pays attention, and some might even 'downvote' you. Everything comes down to content quality.

So, to 'go viral' here, you can't use the TikTok or Weibo playbook. You have to speak their language and give them something they're genuinely interested in.

So, what kind of things tend to 'go viral'?

Based on my experience, there are roughly these categories:

1. 'I made this' (Show HN): This is the classic type. You've built a small tool that solves a specific problem, an interesting open-source project, or a website. The key is:

   • Solves a real problem: Even if it's a small one, but solved elegantly.
   • Is novel: Not just reinventing the wheel.
   • Simple and direct: You can explain what it does in one sentence. For example, "I made a tool that converts web articles into clean PDFs."

2. In-depth technical articles:

   • 'This is how it actually works': For instance, an article that deeply explains the TCP/IP protocol or how CPU caches function. This satisfies engineers' curiosity.
   • 'The big pitfalls I've encountered': Sharing a painful production incident or a difficult technical decision-making process. Real, vivid stories are always popular.

3. Unique personal experiences or observations:

   • 'I spent 10 years building this product, and it ultimately failed; here are my lessons learned': Far more valuable than success stories; people appreciate genuine reflection.
   • 'The most important things I learned during my 5 years at Google': Internal, unofficial, and sincere sharing.

4. Valuable data and analysis:

   • 'We analyzed 100,000 GitHub projects and discovered...': Using data to speak, presenting surprising conclusions.

Conversely, what's guaranteed to 'die' (fail)?

• Pure marketing fluff: "Our revolutionary AI platform will change the world!" — No one will click.
• Press releases without substantial content.
• Clickbait titles with mediocre content.

Practical tips to boost your success rate

Now that you understand the direction, here are some concrete 'level-up' tips:

• The title is the soul: Titles should be straightforward and sincere, not flashy. For example, "I made an app that helped me break my phone addiction" is a thousand times better than "Redefining Productivity: A Revolutionary Time Management Application."
• Timing is crucial: HN's core users are in North America. So the best time to post is Monday to Thursday mornings, US time (roughly 9 PM to midnight Beijing time). This is when they're just starting work, drinking coffee, and browsing news.
• Engage personally: If your post takes off, the comment section will be very lively. As the author (OP), you must appear in the comments section immediately to answer questions, accept criticism, and participate in discussions. Your sincere engagement will keep the post's momentum going longer. If challenged, accept it humbly; don't argue stubbornly.
• Don't game the system!: Don't think about getting a bunch of friends to upvote you. HN's system is smart and can detect such behavior; your post will be 'penalized' or even banned. Let it grow organically. You can share it with one or two genuinely interested friends, but don't make it a team effort.

Finally, keep a calm mindset

Sometimes, you might think something is amazing, but it gets no traction after posting. This is normal; luck plays a part. Maybe it coincided with bigger news, or your title wasn't good, or perhaps people were just in a bad mood that day.

Don't get discouraged if it fails; analyze the reasons and try again next time. Gaining attention on HN is itself a process of continuous learning and providing value.

So, back to your question: "Can I go viral on Hacker News?"

Yes. As long as you forget the goal of 'going viral' and focus on serving the smart people in that 'tech bar' a 'fine drink' they will savor and nod in approval at.

Good luck!