Product Launch Checklist: 47 Things Before Submitting to Directories
Most launch checklists tell you to "build hype" and "post on social media." This one is different — it's the exact checklist we run before submitting any product to directories. 47 items, organized by phase, with the stuff that actually matters.
The short version: You need 5 assets (logo, tagline, descriptions, screenshots, product URL), a tracking spreadsheet, and 48 hours. Everything else is optional.
Phase 1 — Assets (Do This First)
You can't submit to directories without these. Prepare them before you touch a single form.
Required Assets
- [ ] Logo — Square, minimum 512×512px, PNG format. Transparent background preferred. If you don't have one, make one in Canva in 10 minutes.
- [ ] Square logo variant — Some directories specifically require square logos even if your main logo is horizontal.
- [ ] Tagline — Under 60 characters. Specific, not generic. "InvoiceKit — invoicing for freelancers in India" not "The future of invoicing."
- [ ] Short description — Under 160 characters. Problem + outcome. "Create GST-compliant invoices in 30 seconds. Auto-reminders and payment tracking included."
- [ ] Long description — Under 500 characters. Two sentences max. Lead with the problem you solve.
- [ ] Product URL — Must be live and working. If you're pre-launch, use a waitlist page or "coming soon" page.
- [ ] Screenshots — 2–3 real UI screenshots showing the product in action. Not marketing mockups.
- [ ] Founding date — Some directories ask for this. Have it ready.
- [ ] Company info — Legal name, country, industry, employee count, funding stage. Have these in a doc.
Nice-to-Have Assets
- [ ] Demo video — 30–60 seconds, under 50MB. Some directories accept video.
- [ ] Social proof — One testimonial or user quote if you have it.
- [ ] Press kit — One-page PDF with logo, screenshots, description, founder bio.
Phase 2 — Tracking Setup (Do This Before Submitting)
You will submit to 15–50 directories. Without tracking, you'll lose submissions and never know which ones approved.
Spreadsheet Columns
Create a Google Sheet with these columns:
| Column | What goes here |
|---|---|
| Directory | Name (e.g., "Product Hunt", "BetaList") |
| URL | Submission URL or listing URL |
| Tier | 1 (high-DR), 2 (SaaS), 3 (general), 4 (niche) |
| Date submitted | When you submitted |
| Status | Pending / Approved / Rejected / Live |
| Live URL | The actual listing URL once approved |
| Dofollow | Yes / No / Unknown |
| Notes | Rejection reason, follow-up date, etc. |
Tracking Rules
- Update daily — check pending submissions every morning.
- Follow up at 7 days — if a directory says "under review," check back after 7 days.
- Screenshot approvals — save screenshots of live listings for your records.
- Check links monthly — some directories remove listings that don't get engagement.
Phase 3 — Submission Order (Critical)
Submit in this order. Tier 1 first because they take longest to approve.
Tier 1 — High-DR Launch Platforms (Day 0–1)
Submit these on launch day or the day before. They have slow review queues.
- [ ] Product Hunt (prepare 48h ahead — this is a launch, not a submission)
- [ ] BetaList
- [ ] AlternativeTo
- [ ] SaaSHub
- [ ] G2
- [ ] Capterra
- [ ] Trustpilot
- [ ] Crunchbase
- [ ] F6S
- [ ] AngelList / Wellfound
Tier 2 — SaaS & Tool Directories (Day 1–3)
Fast approval, good backlinks, real referral traffic.
- [ ] There's An AI For That (if AI-powered)
- [ ] Futurepedia (if AI-powered)
- [ ] Toolify (if AI-powered)
- [ ] TopAI.tools (if AI-powered)
- [ ] SaaS Genius
- [ ] StackShare
- [ ] Slant
- [ ] SourceForge
- [ ] GetApp
- [ ] Software Advice
- [ ] Crozdesk
- [ ] Serchen
- [ ] SaaS Frame
Tier 3 — General & India-Specific (Day 3–5)
Quick wins, batch-submit these.
- [ ] Startup India
- [ ] IndiaMART
- [ ] Sulekha
- [ ] Justdial
- [ ] MouthShut
- [ ] GoodFirms
- [ ] Clutch
- [ ] Sortlist
- [ ] DesignRush
- [ ] The Manifest
- [ ] SiteJabber
- [ ] Reviews.io
- [ ] Glassdoor (company page)
- [ ] LinkedIn Company Page
- [ ] Twitter/X Profile
Tier 4 — Niche & Emerging (Day 5–7)
Submit if relevant to your category.
- [ ] Uneed
- [ ] Toolpilot
- [ ] Fazier
- [ ] Tiny Startups
- [ ] Startup Ranking
- [ ] Indie Hackers
- [ ] Dev.to launch post
- [ ] Hashnode launch post
Phase 4 — Post-Submission (Ongoing)
Directory submission isn't one-and-done. Here's what happens after you submit.
Week 1
- [ ] Check all pending submissions daily
- [ ] Follow up on anything "under review" after 7 days
- [ ] Fix and resubmit any rejections within 24 hours
- [ ] Update tracking sheet with live URLs
Week 2–4
- [ ] Check for new approvals
- [ ] Verify all live listings are correct (no broken images, wrong descriptions)
- [ ] Check if any directories removed your listing
- [ ] Update your "directories" page on your website with live links
Month 2+
- [ ] Re-check all listings quarterly
- [ ] Look for new directories to submit to
- [ ] Monitor referral traffic from directories in Google Analytics
- [ ] Update your tracking sheet with traffic data per directory
Phase 5 — Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting without tracking — you'll lose track of what's pending and never know what approved.
- Generic descriptions — "We're a platform that helps businesses" gets rejected. Be specific.
- Wrong image sizes — check each directory's specs. Most require square logos.
- Duplicate content — some directories reject copy-pasted text. Rewrite slightly.
- Submitting too early — if your product isn't live, don't submit to directories requiring a working URL.
- No follow-up — if a directory says "under review," check back in 7 days.
- Ignoring rejections — most rejections are fixable. Read the reason, fix it, resubmit.
- Submitting to irrelevant directories — a design tool directory won't help a fintech product. Be selective.
The Math on DIY vs. Done-for-You
DIY: 47 directories × ~15 minutes each = 11.75 hours of form-filling, plus tracking rejections and resubmitting. During launch week, that's time you don't have.
Done-for-you (karobarsaathi): ₹999 for 15 directories, ₹2,999 for 40+. We handle submissions, fix rejections, chase approvals, and send you a live tracking sheet. Most orders complete in 48 hours.
FAQ
How long does the whole process take?
If you DIY: 2–3 weeks from start to most listings live. If you use a service: 48 hours for submissions, 1–2 weeks for all approvals.
Do I need to submit to all 47?
No — minimum viable is 15 (Tier 1 + Tier 2). Ideal is 40+. Focus on directories that send actual traffic or have high DR, not just any listing.
Can I submit to directories before launch?
Yes — BetaList, Product Hunt (pre-launch page), and several others support pre-launch submissions. This is recommended for Tier 1 platforms since approval queues are slow.
What if a directory rejects my listing?
Most rejections are for formatting issues (wrong image size, description too long, missing field). Fix the issue and resubmit — it usually gets approved on the second try.
Should I pay for directory submissions?
Some directories charge for featured placement or expedited review. For most indie founders, free submissions are enough. The time cost of DIY is the real expense.
How do I know which directories are sending traffic?
Set up UTM parameters on your listing URLs, or check referral traffic in Google Analytics. Most directories send minimal traffic — the value is the backlink, not the click.
Get the Checklist
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