# Launch Guide
> Indie and side project launch playbook — Sidehunt strategy, SEO, AEO, and distribution.

```yaml
url: "https://sidehunt.io/launch-guide"
markdown: "https://sidehunt.io/launch-guide.md"
title: Launch Guide
description: "Indie and side project launch playbook — Sidehunt strategy, SEO, AEO, and distribution."
site: Sidehunt
```

## Overview

Actionable launch playbook for indie founders: weekly competition strategy, distribution, SEO, and AEO.

## Launch phases

### 1. Build a launch-ready product page

Launch platforms send traffic to your listing first. If your Sidehunt page and website are vague, visitors bounce before they try the product.

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- Lead with the outcome, not the tech stack (“Cut invoice chasing from 2 hours to 5 minutes”).
- Use your short description as ad copy—it appears on homepage cards and search snippets.
- End your full description with a single CTA: start free trial, book demo, or join waitlist.

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- Logo: clear at 96×96px, no excessive padding.
- Screenshots: show the core workflow, not empty states.
- Optional video: under 90 seconds, captions on, problem-first hook in first 5 seconds.

### 2. Optimize for search and AI discovery

SEO brings Google traffic over months. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) shapes how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude describe your product when users ask for recommendations.

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- Target one primary keyword in your H1 and first paragraph (e.g. “AI invoice reminder for freelancers”).
- Internal link from your blog to your product page with descriptive anchor text.
- Earn listings on directories—each quality backlink reinforces category relevance.

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- Publish clear, factual copy: what it does, who it’s for, pricing, and how it differs from alternatives.
- Keep your Sidehunt project page updated—AI tools increasingly cite structured product pages.
- Use the “Ask AI about this project” links on your listing to seed accurate summaries in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.
- Maintain a public llms.txt / about page so crawlers understand your positioning.

### 3. Stack weekly launches, not a single spike

One Product Hunt day is not a strategy. Founders who compound distribution submit to weekly hunts plus evergreen directories in the same cycle.

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- Anchor week: Sidehunt (homepage + votes + optional dofollow via Premium or top 3).
- Same week: Aura++, Earlyhunt, IndieHunt, or MakerHunt—aligned audience, extra backlinks.
- Evergreen: Uno Directory, SaaS directories, and AI tool lists from our 90+ places guide.
- Optional spike: Product Hunt or Hacker News Show when you have social proof ready.

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- Free: best when you can add the Sidehunt badge and want a shot at top-3 dofollow.
- Nofollow: badge-free; still compete for winner badges and visibility.
- Premium ($19): guaranteed dofollow, launch blog post, homepage sidebar spotlight while live.
- Relaunch ($19, once): if you completed a week without top 3—upgrades to Premium, keeps votes.

### 4. Run launch week like a campaign

Sidehunt competitions run Monday 8:00 UTC through the following Monday 7:59 UTC. Traffic and votes in days 1–3 heavily influence final rankings.

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- Share your /project/[slug] URL—votes happen on Sidehunt, not your homepage.
- Ask your network to vote once (authentic accounts; no incentive spam).
- Respond to comments on your project page—engagement signals quality.

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- X / Twitter: thread with problem, demo GIF, and link to your Sidehunt listing.
- LinkedIn: founder story angle for B2B tools.
- Indie Hackers: milestone post with metrics, not a bare link drop.
- Newsletter swaps: offer a paragraph to complementary newsletters in your niche.

### 5. Measure, learn, and relaunch smarter

A launch is successful if you learn where buyers come from—not only if you hit #1. Track the full funnel and decide whether to iterate, relaunch, or double down on directories.

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- Sidehunt: votes, website clicks, and total engagement (dashboard → Stats & performance).
- Site: signups, activations, and revenue by UTM source.
- SEO: indexed pages, referral domains, and branded search volume after 30 days.

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- Your project page stays live permanently—continue driving links to it.
- Top 3 winners enter the Hall of Fame with badges and dofollow (Free/Premium).
- Eligible non-winners: one Premium relaunch from the dashboard.
- Queue the next directory batch from /places-to-launch for long-tail traffic.

## Timeline

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## Pre-launch checklist

- [ ] Working product URL with HTTPS
- [ ] Short description (10–200 characters) tested on mobile
- [ ] Full description ≥400 words, structured with headings
- [ ] Logo + preview image uploaded
- [ ] At least one category selected (max 3)
- [ ] Launch week chosen on Sidehunt
- [ ] UTM parameters ready for social posts
- [ ] Launch day content drafted (X, LinkedIn, email)
- [ ] 3+ platforms queued from launch places list
- [ ] Analytics confirming traffic and conversion events

## Compared platforms

- [Sidehunt](https://sidehunt.io): Weekly hunt for side projects, indie SaaS, and digital tools with community voting. — best for Indie founders, side projects, and SaaS shipping weekly
- [Aura++](https://auraplusplus.com): Launch platform with backlinks, badges, and launch blog coverage. — best for Products wanting launch badges and blog mentions
- [Earlyhunt](https://earlyhunt.com): Early-stage discovery for products still finding product-market fit. — best for MVPs and teams validating before a big launch
- [IndieHunt](https://indiehunt.io): Weekly launches for AI tools and indie products with builder audience. — best for AI wrappers, dev tools, and indie SaaS
- [Uno Directory](https://uno.directory): Evergreen directory for productivity and creativity tools. — best for Productivity apps, design tools, and creative software
- [MakerHunt](https://makerhunt.io): Weekly spotlight for AI tools and maker-built products. — best for Technical products and AI-native tools

## FAQ

### When does a Sidehunt launch week start and end?

Every competition runs Monday 8:00 AM UTC through the following Monday 7:59 AM UTC. All projects scheduled for that week go live together at the start. Voting is open the entire week; rankings lock when the period ends.

### How many free launches are available each week?

Sidehunt reserves 15 combined slots per week for Free and Nofollow launches. Premium launches are unlimited and do not count toward that cap—useful if you need a guaranteed slot during busy weeks.

### Should I launch on Sidehunt before or after Product Hunt?

Many founders anchor on Sidehunt’s weekly rhythm first because it’s lower friction and builds a permanent project page with votes and backlinks. Product Hunt works best when you already have social proof, a hunter, and a coordinated audience. You can run both in the same month—just avoid splitting attention on the same day.

### What’s the difference between SEO and AEO?

SEO optimizes for Google and Bing rankings over weeks and months. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) optimizes for AI assistants—clear product facts, structured pages, and citations from directories—so tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity recommend you accurately. Do both: directories and launch pages help SEO; detailed descriptions and Ask-AI links help AEO.

### Which Sidehunt launch type should I choose?

Choose Free if you can add the Sidehunt badge and want a path to dofollow via top 3. Choose Nofollow if you need a badge-free free launch. Choose Premium ($19) if SEO is a priority now—you get immediate dofollow, a launch blog post, and homepage sidebar spotlight while your week is live.

### Can I relaunch if I don’t win?

Yes, once. After a completed week without a top-3 finish, eligible projects can relaunch as Premium for $19 from the dashboard. Votes are preserved, links become dofollow, and you pick a new launch week.

### How many platforms should I submit to?

A focused stack beats spray-and-pray. Aim for 1 weekly anchor (Sidehunt), 2–4 sister launch sites in the same week, and 5–10 evergreen directories over the following month. Our /places-to-launch page lists 90+ vetted options by category.

### What makes a listing get approved?

Submissions need a real, working website, accurate descriptions, appropriate categories, and original assets. We review for quality and fit. AI autofill on the submit form can speed things up—always edit for accuracy before sending.

### Do backlinks last after launch week?

Yes. Your Sidehunt project page remains public with your website link. Premium and top-3 Free launches keep dofollow benefits per our launch-type rules. Nofollow listings stay nofollow unless you win top 3 (Free) or upgrade via relaunch.

### What should I do on launch day vs. the rest of the week?

Launch day: announce widely, drive votes to your Sidehunt URL, reply to comments. Days 2–7: daily check-ins, one mid-week update post, and directory submissions you queued. Rankings can shift until the final hour—stay active.

[100+ launch places](https://sidehunt.io/places-to-launch.md)

## Links

- [HTML version](https://sidehunt.io/launch-guide)
- [AI-friendly Markdown](https://sidehunt.io/launch-guide.md)
- [llms.txt index](https://sidehunt.io/llms.txt)

_HTML version: https://sidehunt.io/launch-guide_