HN influences. It makes a wide and deeply technical circle aware. Maybe a week, month, year they suggest [or recommend to peers], etc. organic growth business like Plausible is about surviving long enough to keep growing your network effect. All these mentions and discussions add up. People remember.

exactly! our first "viral" moment was on HN too and we only got a few direct signups that day but we would never have made it to this point without being on the top of HN that time