A directory submission checklist for startups

Directory submissions go faster, and get approved more often, when you prepare a single "listing kit" before you start. Copy and paste from it every time and your listings stay consistent.

Copy

• Product name, exactly as you want it written.
• A one-line tagline (under 80 characters).
• A short description (150 to 160 characters).
• A long description (400 to 600 characters) that states who it is for.
• Three to five category and tag choices.

Assets

• Square logo, 512×512 PNG with a transparent background.
• A 1200×630 social image.
• Two or three clean screenshots.
• A short product video link, if you have one.

Links and contact details

• Canonical product URL, with https and no tracking parameters.
• Pricing page, docs and social profiles.
• A founder email that you check.

On your own site

• A footer where badges can live.
• A crawlable page: directory bots read the HTML, so avoid hiding the footer behind client-only rendering.
• A clear description above the fold so reviewers understand the product in seconds.

After you submit

Keep a log of every submission, the date, the status and the listing URL. Follow up on anything pending after a few weeks, and re-check live links so you notice if a listing disappears.