The launch week playbook from Best Launch Directories
Every launch is different, but the same few steps come up again and again. Best Launch Directories sets them out here in order.
Prepare first
Finish the profile
Read your page as a stranger would. If something is missing or vague, fix it, and complete the founder profile so the person behind the product is clear.
Line up screenshots
Screenshots of the product in use explain more than a paragraph. Add a clean logo, and a short demo video if you have one.
Pick your launch week
Look for a quiet week in your own schedule. Being there to answer questions is part of the launch.
Let people know early
Draft your launch post and a short email before the day. Let the people who already know the product hear about it first.
Going live
Share it on social
Use your own accounts: a post on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky with the link, pinned to the top of your profile, and the link in your bio.
Take it to communities
Share in groups where your product is on topic and promotion is allowed by the rules. A Show HN post should link to something people can try.
Mail the people who know you
Your mailing list knows you already. Email them the link on launch day, and mention the launch in your welcome email this week.
Be there to reply
Check your listing and your posts through the day and reply to everyone, including the critical comments.
Ask real users for honest feedback, not for votes from several accounts. Each person gets one vote, and no one can buy votes.
Launch week
Pick more places to launch
Spread your launch over the directories that match your product. Compare them before you pay for any of them.
Edit as you learn
Questions from launch day show what the page is missing. Add those answers and update anything out of date.
Give people a second chance to see it
Share a second LinkedIn post during the week built around something new: feedback, a change or a number from your own analytics.
Place the badge on your site
Add the badge to your site: it shows where you launched and links to your listing page.
When the week is over
Relaunch when there is news
Keep a note of your next big update. A relaunch with a clear story about what changed works better than a reminder.
Review the results
Use your own analytics to see where sign-ups came from. Add tracking tags to the links you share so each place is counted separately.
Look after your listing
Keep the listing accurate over time. Fresh screenshots and current pricing help anyone who finds it later.
Launch directories, compared
Every launch directory on this site shows its Domain Rating by Ahrefs, its pricing and its link type. Start with the lists below, then compare the ones that fit your product.
If you want more
The steps above cost nothing. These extras from Best Launch Directories are there if you want them, priced as shown.
- Featured directory (permanent) $19
Your directory stays in the Featured spots at the top of the lists for good, with a followed link.
Prices are in US dollars; VAT is added where it is due.
Questions
- Should I launch in more than one directory?
- Usually a handful that suit your product. Check each directory's terms, pricing and link type, and write each listing properly.
- When do I announce my launch?
- On the day you launch, then once more in the same week with fresh news, so people who missed it can catch up.
- May I ask for votes?
- Invite people to look and vote if they like it. Votes can never be bought, and using extra accounts or vote-trading groups is not allowed.
- What comes after launch week?
- Measure, update and plan the next one: your analytics show what worked, and a big update is the time to relaunch.
That is the playbook. Questions about launching on Best Launch Directories are answered in the help centre. Open the help centre