HN Explorer

Ask HN: What drives comments on "Show HN" threads?

7 points by calgaryeng ↗ HN
Hi there,

I've mostly (/completely) been a lurker on this site. I posted a Show HN the other day for my app, and I only got one comment (it was very useful though).

I've looked at other Show HN's that make it to the 1st or 2nd page, and couldn't discern any noticiable difference between theirs and mine.

Just looking for some advice as to what works if you want input from the HN community.

Thanks!

6 comments

[ 0.24 ms ] story [ 28.3 ms ] thread
eli
Some of it is probably just random luck. Stories that don't make it to the first page don't get many comments, and there are way too many new posts for them all to make the front page.

But I think that the fact that your site is about retirement planning (a decidedly unsexy topic -- no offense!) probably also plays a role.

calgaryeng
LOL! I do understand that my site topic is "decidedly unsexy" (maybe that should be my tagline!).

Maybe I can create a landing page talking about Retirement Planning meets Bigdata/NoSQL and I'll make it up there :)

shanelja
I agree, at the moment, HN is being dominated by Apple versus Samsung, a large amount of c and c++ and other general tech news.

Unfortunately for you I come here almost exclusively for tech news, so if I see something unrelated to technology, I tend to glance right past it. I think it is just a case of targeting the wrong audience in a way, or a mostly unsuited audience, in any case.

Sharma
Also I feel sometimes posting a link to a blog with some interesting story and features of your site can help too.But as eli said it is mostly luck!
sebg
Just as a note - it also helps if you put your contact email or information on your profile. That way people can reach out to you as well if they have questions or thoughts about what you are doing.

ps. - I went back and found your post and left you my thoughts. Good luck!

logn
So right now HN has Main, New, and Ask. I'd like to see a top-level "Show". I think that would help us all a lot. I've experienced the same thing.

Sometimes I'm in the mood to read tech articles so I visit the main page. Sometimes I like freeform discussions so I visit Ask. And if I were ever in the mood to review people's sites I'd certainly like a top-level menu button.