Build hype before you launch
You've been working on something new. A course, a template pack, a coaching program, maybe a digital product you're excited about. You're ready to share it with the world.
Then launch day comes. You hit publish. And... crickets.
This happens more often than creators admit. The issue isn't the quality of what you created. It's that you launched without an audience waiting for it.
The most successful launches don't happen by accident. They're built through pre-launch hype.
The proof: creators who built buzz first
Some of the most successful creator launches started with building anticipation.
Ali Abdaal regularly teases his courses weeks before launch, sharing behind the scenes content and collecting waitlist signups. By launch day, thousands of people are ready to buy.
Amy Porterfield built her digital course empire by nurturing waitlists. She treats pre-launch as seriously as the launch itself, warming up her audience before the cart ever opens.
Pat Flynn has talked openly about how his best launches came from building anticipation first. Email lists, sneak peeks, and genuine engagement with his community turned followers into buyers.
The pattern is clear: creators who build hype before they launch consistently outperform those who don't.
What does success look like?
Before you start, it helps to know what you're aiming for.
100 signups is your first signal. People are interested. Your idea resonates with someone beyond your friends and family.
500 signups means you've found something real. This is strong validation that your idea has legs.
1,000+ signups and you're ready to launch with confidence. You have an audience waiting, eager to buy on day one.
These numbers aren't arbitrary. Each milestone tells you something about demand and gives you momentum to keep going.
The mental shift: hype first, build later
Most creators follow the traditional path: spend weeks or months creating a course or product, then launch and hope people show up.
There's a better approach. Build hype first. Validate that people want what you're making. Then create it knowing you already have customers waiting.
This isn't about being lazy or cutting corners. It's about being smart with your time. Why spend months recording a course nobody wants when you could test demand in days?
How to create a pre-launch page
You have options. The right choice depends on your skills, budget, and how quickly you want to move.
1. LaunchSoon: built for content creators
We built LaunchSoon specifically for creators who want to capture leads from social media.
Create in seconds. Describe your idea, and AI generates a beautiful, conversion-focused page instantly. No design skills needed. No templates to customize. Just your idea turned into a waitlist page.
Mobile-first design. Your audience is on their phones, scrolling Instagram and TikTok. LaunchSoon pages are designed for mobile from the start, like a Linktree for your next launch.
High-converting UX. We've researched what makes people sign up. Clean design, clear messaging, minimal friction. Everything is optimized to turn visitors into signups.
Free to start. No credit card required. Create your first page and start collecting signups without paying anything.
2. AI website builders like Lovable
Tools like Lovable and v0 let you build custom landing pages with AI assistance. They're powerful and give you full control over the design.
The tradeoff: you need some technical comfort. These tools are great for fast prototyping if you have a sense of UI/UX, but they come with decisions about hosting, domains, and design choices that can slow you down.
Good for: Creators with technical skills who want full customization.
More than you need for: A quick waitlist to test an idea.
3. Website builders like Wix or Squarespace
Wix and Squarespace are established platforms with drag-and-drop builders and professional templates.
They're feature-rich and reliable, but they're built for businesses that need full websites. You'll spend time picking templates, customizing layouts, and setting up pages. The learning curve is gentle, but it's still there.
Good for: Creators who need a complete website with multiple pages.
More than you need for: A simple pre-launch waitlist.
4. Course platforms with built-in landing pages
Platforms like Kajabi, Teachable, and Thinkific offer landing page builders as part of their course hosting.
If you're already paying for one of these platforms, using their landing page makes sense. But if you just want to test an idea before committing to a monthly subscription, you're paying for features you don't need yet.
Good for: Creators already invested in a course platform.
Overkill for: Validating an idea before you build it.
| LaunchSoon | Lovable | Wix | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Creators | Developers | Businesses | Course creators |
| Skills required | None | Some technical | Design basics | Design basics |
| Time to launch | Seconds | Minutes | Hours | Hours |
| Mobile-first | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Cost | Free | $20/mo | $17/mo | $69/mo |
Tips for building buzz
A landing page alone won't generate signups. You need to put it in front of your audience.
Where to share
Instagram is where many creators have their strongest following. Use Stories to tease what's coming. Put your LaunchFlow link in your bio. Share the journey in your posts and Reels.
TikTok is a discovery machine. Short videos about the problem you're solving can reach people who've never heard of you. One good video can fill your waitlist.
YouTube lets you go deeper. Mention your upcoming project in videos, add the link in descriptions, create a dedicated video about what you're building.
X and Threads reward creators who share their journey. Post updates, celebrate milestones, ask questions. Both platforms love authentic "building in public" content that invites conversation.
What to share
You don't need polished content. Share:
- The problem that inspired you to create this
- Behind the scenes of your process
- Questions that invite your audience to participate
- Signup milestones ("Just hit 100 signups!")
- Sneak peeks of what you're building
Authenticity beats polish. People sign up because they believe in you, not because your graphics are perfect.
Start building hype today
Every day you wait is a day of potential signups lost.
You don't need a finished course. You don't need a complete template pack. You need a clear idea and a simple page to capture interest.
The hype you build now determines the launch you'll have later.