Why launching a product well is like conducting an invisible orchestra — and why most innovators have no clue what’s happening backstage

“When will we launch?”

The question every excited founder asks, usually followed by “How hard can it be to get this online?”

If they only knew.

Recently my team spent almost 50 hours just on the technical plumbing for one product launch.

Google Search Console verification.

Product GTINs for shopping feeds.

DNS records for email authentication on a multitude of connected apps.

Meta Shops integration.

Ad account setups across multiple platforms.

That’s before we even touch creative, copy, or strategy.

Most innovators think launching means uploading product photos and hitting “publish.”

The Shopify ads say you can launch your business in minutes.

The reality:

There are literally thousands of interconnected details that have to work perfectly or your beautiful product sits in digital limbo.

DKIM connections for transactional emails.

2FA authentication for every platform integration.

Pixel tracking codes that fire in the right sequence.

Catalog feed specifications that change without warning.

All the back-end connectivity, cross-linking, alt tags and meta info that makes things functional, compliant and findable.

And the lengthy support calls when stuff just … doesn’t work the way it should.

My team works frenetically behind the scenes so founders can focus on what they do best — creating amazing products.

But occasionally we have to drag clients into the technical weeds when two-factor authentication locks us out of their accounts, when their credit card needs verification (yet again) or when platform policies require business owner validation.

“Why do you need my phone for Google Ads again?”

Because Google’s algorithm decided your account needs SMS verification to connect to Merchant Center, which is required for Shopping campaigns, which drive 60% of e-commerce traffic.

The complexity is staggering, and it’s only getting worse.

New privacy regulations.

Platform policy changes.

Integration requirements that didn’t exist six months ago.

iOS updates that break tracking.

Cookie deprecation affecting attribution.

API changes that unhook previously functioning automations without warning.

In I Need That, I write about how successful products require obsessive attention to the customer experience.

But there’s an invisible layer underneath — the technical infrastructure that makes that experience possible.

Most founders never see this complexity because good agencies shield them from it.

We handle the digital plumbing so you can focus on product development, customer feedback, and strategic decisions.

But here’s what every innovator oughta know: 

Launching well is so much more than having a great product. It means building the technical foundation that lets customers find, buy, and love that product.

Today’s reality check: If you’re planning a product launch, budget for technical complexity.

It’s part of the reality, and skipping the time-consuming steps will hurt you in the long run.

Good marketing these days includes lots of unglamorous infrastructure work that happens in the background.

Find partners who understand both sides of the equation.

What’s the worst technical challenge YOU have run into launching a product?

Slap that reply arrow and share your behind-the-scenes launch stories — the tech nightmares that robbed your time and kept you on never-ending support calls.

Or reach out to my team of product marketing strategists at Graphos Product.