Product Launch Platforms

Launch directories are platforms where founders can list their products to reach new audiences. The most popular one is Product Hunt, but there are hundreds of other directories that serve different communities and industries. To find all available directories, LaunchDirectories.com is the largest and most popular site that lists them all in one place.

These platforms have real users - technical people, other founders, creators, and regular users looking for new tools and products. When you list your startup on these directories, you're putting it in front of people who are actively searching for solutions like yours.

Getting listed brings two main benefits: more customers and better SEO. Many directories provide valuable backlinks that help your website rank higher in Google search results. Plus, you'll reach users who might never find you otherwise.

The best strategy is to submit to as many relevant directories as possible. Each listing gives you another backlink and exposes your product to a new audience. Some founders see hundreds of new users within days of getting featured on popular directories.

Domain Rating (DR) is a metric created by Ahrefs that measures website authority on a scale from 0 to 100. It's based on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a website. Higher DR usually means the site has more backlinks from other websites.

Here's the important part: DR doesn't directly affect your Google rankings. Google doesn't use Ahrefs' DR score in their algorithm. However, websites with higher DR often rank better because they tend to have more quality backlinks, which Google does care about.

Why does DR matter then? Many clients, investors, and marketing agencies use DR as a quick way to judge website quality. If you're pitching to investors or working with marketing partners, they might ask about your domain rating or the DR of sites linking to you. It's become a common shorthand for "website authority" in business conversations.

When choosing directories, don't focus only on DR. A directory with DR 40 that has engaged users in your industry might bring more customers than a DR 80 directory with irrelevant traffic. Focus on getting real users first, then worry about the DR score.

When directories link to your website, they can use two types of links: dofollow and nofollow. This might sound technical, but it's actually simple to understand and can make a big difference for your Google rankings.

Dofollow links are the good ones for SEO. When a directory uses a dofollow link to your site, it tells Google "this website is worth checking out." Google sees this as a vote of confidence and may rank your site higher in search results. These links can really help improve your position on Google.

Nofollow links have a special code (rel="nofollow") that tells Google "don't count this as a vote." They won't help your Google rankings directly, but they can still bring visitors to your site. Many big directories use nofollow links to prevent spam, but the traffic they send can still be valuable.

When choosing directories, look for ones that give dofollow links - they'll help boost your Google rankings. But don't ignore popular directories just because they use nofollow links. Getting listed on directories can significantly help increase your position in Google search results, especially when you get multiple quality backlinks.