The Ultimate Startup Launch Checklist: 50 Places to Announce Your Product

Why Your Launch Strategy Matters

You've spent months building your product. The code is polished, the landing page looks great, and you're ready to show the world.

But here's the thing: a great product with a bad launch is just a secret.

I've seen amazing products fail because founders didn't put enough effort into distribution. And I've seen mediocre products succeed because they nailed their launch.

This checklist covers 50 places to announce your startup, organized by category and impact level. I've also included templates where relevant so you can move fast.

Before You Launch: The Foundation

Before announcing anywhere, make sure you have these ready:

Essential Assets Checklist

• Landing page with clear value proposition
• Product screenshots (high-res, showing key features)
• Logo in multiple formats (square, landscape, favicon)
• Product video/GIF (optional but powerful)
• Founder photo (people connect with faces)
• Press kit with descriptions in multiple lengths

Description Templates

Prepare these in advance:

One-liner (10 words or less):

"Task management for remote engineering teams"

Tweet-length (280 characters):

"We built [Product] to help [audience] do [outcome]. After months of development, we're live! Check it out: [link]"

Short description (50-100 words):

Detailed explanation of what you do, who it's for, and the main benefit.

Long description (200-500 words):

Full story including problem, solution, features, and differentiators.

Part 1: Launch Platforms (High Impact)

These platforms are specifically designed for product launches. They can drive significant traffic on launch day.

Product Hunt

Impact: Very High | Effort: Medium-High

The 800-pound gorilla of startup launches. A successful Product Hunt launch can drive thousands of visitors and establish credibility.

Tips:

• Launch on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
• Get a Hunter with followers if possible
• Engage with every comment
• Prepare your network to support (authentically)

What to include:

• Catchy tagline
• High-quality thumbnail
• First comment explaining your story
• Maker video (optional but recommended)

Hacker News (Show HN)

Impact: Very High | Effort: Low

If your product is technical or interesting to developers/entrepreneurs, HN can drive massive traffic.

Template:

Show HN: [Product Name] – [One-line description]

Hey HN, I built [Product] because [personal story/problem].

[Brief explanation of what it does]

[What makes it different]

Would love feedback: [URL]

Warning: HN is notoriously picky. Don't be salesy. Be genuine and interesting.

BetaList

Impact: High | Effort: Low

Great for pre-launch and early-stage startups. Captures beta signups from early adopter audience.

Submit at: betalist.com/submit

Launching Next

Impact: Medium | Effort: Low

Curated startup launches with a smaller but engaged audience.

MicroLaunch

Impact: Medium | Effort: Low

Good for indie products. Daily featured launches with a supportive community.

TinyLaunch

Impact: Medium | Effort: Low

Another launch platform with active community engagement.

Part 2: Startup Directories (SEO & Ongoing Traffic)

Unlike launch platforms, directories provide ongoing backlinks and occasional referral traffic. This is the foundation of your SEO.

Tier 1 Directories (Submit Immediately)

These high-DR directories should be your priority:

Tier 2-3 Directories (Week 2-3)

Work through these systematically. There are 100+ quality directories worth submitting to.

Rather not spend 50+ hours on submissions? Our done-for-you service handles all directory submissions while you focus on your launch.

View our full directory list →

Part 3: Communities & Forums

Communities provide engaged audiences who actually discuss and use products.

Reddit

Relevant subreddits:

• r/startups (general startup discussion)
• r/SideProject (side projects)
• r/EntrepreneurRideAlong (building in public)
• r/SaaS (SaaS products)
• r/indiehackers (indie makers)
• r/[your niche] (find your specific community)

Template:

Title: I built [Product] to solve [Problem] - would love feedback

Hey everyone,

After [timeframe] of building, I just launched [Product Name].

**The problem:** [What problem you're solving]

**The solution:** [What your product does]

**What makes it different:** [Your unique angle]

I'm offering [discount/free trial] for Redditors: [code/link]

Would love honest feedback – what do you think?

Warning: Reddit hates self-promotion. Be a community member first. Provide value in comments before posting your product.

Indie Hackers

Impact: High | Effort: Medium

One of the best communities for founders. Post in:

• Product section (list your product)
• Community (launch announcement)
• Milestones (if you have traction)

Hacker News Comments

Beyond Show HN posts, participate in relevant threads. When your product is genuinely relevant, mention it.

Niche Forums

Every niche has forums. If you're building for:

• Designers → Dribbble, Designer News
• Developers → DEV.to, specific tech forums
• Marketers → GrowthHackers, Inbound.org
• Agencies → Agency-specific Slack groups

Part 4: Social Media

Twitter/X

Launch day thread template:

🚀 Just launched [Product Name]!

After [X months] of building, it's finally live.

Here's the story of why I built it and what it does 🧵

---

1/ The problem I kept hitting:
[Describe the pain point]

---

2/ Existing solutions fell short because:
[Why alternatives don't work]

---

3/ So I built [Product]:
[Screenshot/video]

[Explain what it does]

---

4/ Key features:
✅ Feature 1
✅ Feature 2
✅ Feature 3

---

5/ Here's an early win:
[Customer quote or metric]

---

6/ Try it free: [link]

RT appreciated if you think this could help someone!

LinkedIn

Good for B2B products. Post your launch story focusing on the professional angle.

Template:

Excited to announce: after [X] months, [Product] is live.

I started building this because [professional pain point].

[What it does and who it helps]

Early customers include [social proof if available].

Check it out: [link]

#startup #launch #[relevant hashtags]

Facebook Groups

Find groups relevant to your niche. Same rules as Reddit: provide value, don't just spam links.

Part 5: Newsletters & Publications

Getting featured in newsletters puts your product in front of engaged audiences.

Newsletters to Pitch

Email Pitch Template

Subject: [Product] – [One-line hook]

Hi [Name],

I'm [Your Name], founder of [Product]. We just launched and I think your readers would find it interesting because [specific reason relevant to their audience].

Quick summary: [One paragraph on what you do]

What makes us different: [Your angle]

[Link to product]

Happy to provide more info or a discount code for your readers.

Best,
[Your Name]

Part 6: Press & Media

Press coverage provides high-authority backlinks and credibility.

Tech Publications to Pitch

• Tier 1: TechCrunch, The Verge, Wired (very competitive)
• Tier 2: Product Hunt blog, Indie Hackers, The Hustle
• Tier 3: Niche publications in your industry

Press Pitch Template

Subject: [Newsworthy angle] – [Product Name]

Hi [Journalist Name],

I noticed you cover [topic they write about]. I thought you might be interested in [Product Name] – [one-line description].

**The hook:** [Why this is newsworthy – data, trend, unique angle]

**What we do:** [Brief explanation]

**Traction:** [Any impressive metrics]

I can provide:
- Founder interview
- Exclusive data
- Demo access

Worth a look?

Best,
[Your Name]
[Contact info]

HARO/Connectively

Respond to journalist queries to get quoted with backlinks. This is a long-term strategy that pays off.

Part 7: Launch Day Timeline

Here's how I'd structure launch day:

Day Before

• Final landing page check
• All directories prepared (drafts saved)
• Social posts drafted
• Email to your list scheduled
• Support team ready (even if it's just you)

Launch Day (Hour by Hour)

12:00 AM PT (for Product Hunt)

• Product Hunt goes live (if using PH)
• Post first comment with your story

Morning

• Twitter launch thread
• LinkedIn post
• Email your list
• Reddit post(s)

Throughout the Day

• Engage with all comments and questions
• Share to relevant communities
• Submit to directories that don't require approval
• Monitor for issues/bugs

Evening

• Thank everyone who supported
• Share any early wins
• Note what worked for future reference

Day After

• Follow up with press/newsletter pitches
• Continue community engagement
• Start submitting to remaining directories
• Review analytics – what drove traffic?

Part 8: Post-Launch Directory Strategy

Launch day is just the beginning. In the weeks following:

Week 1

• Submit to all Tier 1 directories
• Continue engaging on launch platforms
• Pitch 5-10 newsletters

Week 2-3

• Complete Tier 2-3 directory submissions
• Follow up on pending submissions
• Collect and add testimonials

Week 4+

• Check submission statuses
• Re-submit to any rejections with improved materials
• Start planning content marketing

Time-saving option: Our service handles 100+ directory submissions so you can focus on customer feedback and iteration.

Launch Templates Summary

Here's a quick reference for all templates mentioned:

Twitter Launch Thread

See Part 4 above.

Reddit Post

See Part 3 above.

Newsletter Pitch

See Part 5 above.

Press Pitch

See Part 6 above.

Product Hunt First Comment

Hey everyone! 👋

I'm [Name], maker of [Product].

I built this because [personal story].

[Product] helps you [main benefit] by [how it works].

A few things that make us different:
• [Differentiator 1]
• [Differentiator 2]

I'd love your feedback – especially on [specific aspect].

Reply here or hit me up on Twitter [@handle].

Thanks for checking it out! 🙏

Final Checklist: Your Launch Countdown

T-7 Days

• Landing page finalized
• All assets ready
• Descriptions written
• Beta users ready to support

T-3 Days

• Product Hunt submission prepared
• Social posts drafted
• Email to list drafted
• Communities identified

T-1 Day

• Final tests complete
• Support ready
• Directory submissions queued
• Rest up!

Launch Day

• Execute timeline above
• Engage, engage, engage
• Celebrate wins!

T+7 Days

• Directory submissions in progress
• Community engagement continues
• Start collecting testimonials
• Plan next marketing push

Launching is a marathon, not a sprint. The initial day matters, but so does the consistent work afterward.

The directory submissions and SEO foundations you build in the weeks after launch will pay dividends for years. If you want to accelerate that process, check out our directory submission packages.

Good luck with your launch! 🚀

Launching soon? I'm happy to give feedback – DM me on Twitter.