Guide · 6 min read
Where to list a new AI app in its first 30 days
By MarketPup ·
Posting about your app brings likes. Listings bring visitors who are already looking for something like it. That's why we list an app before we post about it. Here's how to plan the first 30 days.
Before you list anywhere
- One name and one line. Write a one-sentence pitch that says who the app is for and what it does, and use the same wording everywhere.
- A landing page that works without sign-in. Listings send people to your site. If the first thing they see is a login wall, most leave.
- Screenshots and a short demo. Three or four clear screenshots and a 30 to 60 second video cover most listing forms.
- Tracked links. Add UTM tags to each listing's link (for example utm_source=producthunt) so your analytics show which listings bring sign-ups.
- Basic search fixes. Run through our SEO checklist for AI-built apps so visitors and crawlers land on a page that explains itself.
Week 1: launch communities
Launch communities are where early adopters look for new products. Well-known ones include Product Hunt, Hacker News (with a "Show HN" post), Indie Hackers and BetaList. Each has its own rules about timing, self-promotion and what counts as a launch, so read them before you post, and plan to be around to answer comments on the day.
Weeks 1 to 2: AI tool directories
AI tool directories, such as There's An AI For That and Futurepedia, are browsed by people searching for a tool to do a specific job. Pick the category that matches the job your app does, not just "AI". Some directories offer paid placement or faster review. Decide whether that's worth it after you've seen what free listings bring.
Weeks 2 to 3: software and alternatives sites
If your app replaces or competes with a known product, list it on alternatives sites such as AlternativeTo, where people search for "alternatives to" that product. If you sell to businesses, review sites such as G2 and Capterra become worth the setup once you have a few real customers who can leave honest reviews.
Weeks 3 to 4: communities where your users already talk
Find the forums, subreddits, Discord servers and newsletters your users read. Share something useful, like a guide or a lesson from building, and follow each community's self-promotion rules. One helpful post in the right place can beat ten generic ones.
Keep a simple tracking sheet
For each listing, note the date, the link, the UTM tag, and the visits and sign-ups it brought after two weeks. By day 30 you'll know which two or three places are worth your time, and you can drop the rest.
What not to do
- Don't buy upvotes, reviews or followers. Communities and search engines spot it, and it can get you removed.
- Don't paste the same post into dozens of places on the same day.
- Don't list a page that isn't ready. A broken first impression is hard to undo.
Need a hand? See how our AI app marketing works, or ask for a free Mini Sniff below.