sales-launchcaster

What this skill does

# LaunchCaster Platform Help

Helps with everything related to using LaunchCaster — a Web3 project discovery platform built on Farcaster, positioning itself as "Product Hunt for Web3." Backed by Y Combinator (W21) and a16z crypto.

## Step 1 — Gather context


If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge.

Ask the user:

1. **What are you trying to do on LaunchCaster?**
   - A) Submit / launch my Web3 project
   - B) Get more votes on an existing launch
   - C) Understand how LaunchCaster works
   - D) Compare LaunchCaster to other launch platforms
   - E) Something else — describe it

2. **What type of Web3 project is it?**
   - A) DeFi protocol or token
   - B) NFT collection or marketplace
   - C) Farcaster Frame or client
   - D) Developer tool or API (onchain)
   - E) DAO tooling or governance
   - F) Consumer crypto app
   - G) Something else — describe it

3. **Do you have a Farcaster account?**
   - A) Yes — active Farcaster user
   - B) No — need to set one up first
   - C) Not sure what Farcaster is

**If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step.** Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

If the request maps to a different skill, route:
- Multi-directory launch strategy → `/sales-launch-directory`
- Product Hunt launch → `/sales-producthunt`
- General audience growth → `/sales-audience-growth`
- Email marketing for Web3 → `/sales-email-marketing`
- Landing page optimization → `/sales-checkout`

Otherwise, answer directly from the platform knowledge below.

## Step 3 — LaunchCaster platform reference

### How LaunchCaster works

LaunchCaster is a curated discovery platform for Web3 projects, tightly integrated with the Farcaster social protocol. Key mechanics:

**Submitting a launch:**
1. You must have a **Farcaster account** (requires an invite or onboarding via Warpcast)
2. Start a new Farcaster cast or reply to one, mentioning **`@launch`**
3. The LaunchCaster bot automatically picks up the cast and creates a launch listing
4. Your launch appears on launchcaster.xyz with its own page, vote count, and comment thread

**There is no web form or dashboard for submitting.** Everything flows through Farcaster casts. This is both the platform's strength (native to the Farcaster community) and its main barrier (you must be on Farcaster first).

**Voting:**
- Anyone can view launches on launchcaster.xyz
- To vote, connect a crypto wallet (wallet connect)
- Votes determine trending/top rankings
- Average LaunchCaster launch reportedly gets more upvotes than the average Product Hunt launch (smaller but more engaged community)

**Discovery:**
- Browse by: Trending, Top, New
- Newsletter: "LaunchCaster Weekly" delivers curated launches to subscribers
- Farcaster Frame launches get additional visibility within the Farcaster feed

### Platform data model

| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Launch | A project listing, created from a Farcaster cast mentioning @launch |
| Vote | Wallet-connected upvote on a launch |
| Comment | Discussion on a launch page (mirrors Farcaster thread) |
| Frame | Interactive Farcaster mini-app — launches that are Frames get enhanced display |
| LaunchPass | NFT-based access pass (ERC721 on Base) |

### Who uses LaunchCaster

- **Builders**: Farcaster developers, crypto/DeFi teams, NFT creators, onchain app builders
- **Audience**: 9,000+ builders, 1,000+ project launches, concentrated in the Farcaster/Base ecosystem
- **Niche**: Web3-only. Traditional SaaS, mobile apps, or non-crypto products are not a fit.

### Pricing

| Tier | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Free | Full launch listing, voting, comments, newsletter eligibility |

There are no paid tiers. LaunchCaster is described as a "public good" for Web3 builders.

### Backlink value

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Domain | launchcaster.xyz |
| DR/DA | Unconfirmed (.xyz domain, niche Web3 audience) |
| Dofollow | Unconfirmed — check your listing's HTML after submission |
| Traffic | Niche — primarily Farcaster community traffic |

**Backlink expectation**: LaunchCaster is not an SEO play. The value is community visibility within the Farcaster/Web3 ecosystem, not domain authority or search traffic.

### Tech stack (for developers)

- Frontend: NextJS (Vercel), GraphQL Apollo, RainbowKit (wallet auth)
- Backend: MongoDB, Redis, Neynar API (Farcaster Hub), Lens Protocol
- Smart contracts: ERC721 LaunchPass on Base (Hardhat)
- Storage: IPFS via Pinata
- Email: Customer.io
- Analytics: Segment

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

### Optimizing your LaunchCaster listing

Since launches are created from Farcaster casts, your cast IS your listing. Optimize it:

| Element | Best practice |
|---|---|
| Cast text | Lead with what the project does, not what it is. "Find the best new DeFi yields across L2s" > "Introducing YieldFinder Protocol" |
| Link | Include a working URL to your project — this becomes the listing link |
| Visual | Attach an image or video showing the product in action. Farcaster supports rich media |
| Timing | Post when the Farcaster community is most active (US morning/early afternoon ET) |
| Frame | If your project is a Farcaster Frame, include the Frame URL — Frame launches get enhanced display |
| Thread | Reply to your own cast with additional context, screenshots, or demo links |

### Getting votes

- **Engage on Farcaster before launching** — build relationships in the community first. Cold launches from new accounts get minimal traction.
- **Share your launch cast** — recast it, mention it in relevant Farcaster channels
- **Ask for honest feedback** — the Web3 community responds to builders who are transparent about what they're building and why
- **Don't vote-brigade** — the community is small enough that inauthentic voting is noticed

### Prerequisites: Getting on Farcaster

If the user doesn't have a Farcaster account:
1. Download **Warpcast** (the primary Farcaster client) — warpcast.com
2. Create an account (requires a small onchain registration fee on Optimism)
3. Set up your profile — real name/project name, bio, avatar
4. Engage for at least a few days before launching — follow relevant accounts, cast about your project development, join conversations
5. When ready, cast mentioning `@launch` to submit your project

## Gotchas

*Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about platform status and Farcaster requirements that may have changed.*

- **Farcaster account required.** You cannot submit a project without a Farcaster account. This is the biggest barrier — if you're not already in the Farcaster ecosystem, there's onboarding friction (wallet, registration fee, community norms).
- **Company status: Inactive.** Launcher Labs (the company behind LaunchCaster) is marked as inactive on Y Combinator and was acquired by Orange DAO. The platform may still function, but active development and support are uncertain. Verify the platform is still accepting submissions before investing time.
- **Web3 projects only.** Traditional SaaS, mobile apps, or non-crypto products will not resonate with this audience. The entire community is crypto-native.
- **Small but engaged community.** 9,000 builders is much smaller than Product Hunt's millions. Set expectations accordingly — this is a niche community play, not a mass-market launch.
- **No editorial queue.** Launches are instant (via cast), but visibility depends entirely on community engagement. There's no curation team featuring your project.
- **Backlink value uncertain.** DR/DA for launchcaster.xyz is unconfirmed. Don't rely on this for SEO — the value is community discovery.

- **Self-improving**: If you discover something not covered here, append it to `references/learnings.md` with today's date.

## Related skills

- `/sales-launch-dire