> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://peeklaunch.gitbook.io/peeklaunch-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://peeklaunch.gitbook.io/peeklaunch-docs/how-to-pick-launch-platforms-for-your-side-project.md). # How to Pick Launch Platforms for Your Side Project There are hundreds of launch platforms now. Launch boards, directories, maker forums. It's easy to spend a whole week filling in forms that send you almost no visitors. This short guide shows you how to pick launch platforms that are worth your time, and in what order to use them. ## Start with what you want Before you open any form, write down what you want from your launch. Pick one main goal. * **Feedback:** go where people leave comments, like maker forums. * **First users:** go where the visitors care about your type of product. * **Being found later:** go where your page stays online and shows up on Google. Each goal points to different sites. If you skip this step, you end up everywhere and nowhere. ## Four questions to ask before you choose launch platforms ### 1. Is the audience right? Look at the products already listed. If most of them are in a very different field, or look dead, your launch won't reach the people you want. ### 2. Do you get a page that stays? Some boards hide you after one day. You get a small spike, then nothing. A page that stays online keeps sending a few visitors every week. It also helps Google and AI tools learn what your product does. ### 3. How long is the wait? Some free queues are months long. If the date is far away, save it for later. Start with sites that publish your product within two weeks. ### 4. How much time does it take? A five-minute form is worth it almost anywhere. A long form plus a video plus emails back and forth? Save that for big sites with real reach. ## A simple launch order Here's an order that works well for small teams. 1. **Week 1:** Show the product to people who already know you. Fix the big problems they find. 2. **Week 2:** Post it on a weekly launch board. [PeekLaunch](https://peeklaunch.com/) is a free Product Hunt alternative. You launch on a weekly board, get upvotes and reviews, and keep a product page with a link back to your site. Weekly boards are kinder to small teams, since you only compete with that week's launches. 3. **Weeks 3 and 4:** Add your product to a few good directories that are kept up to date. Small ones like [PeerPush](https://peerpush.com/p/peeklaunch) take a few minutes. Founder journals like [IndieLogs](https://www.indielogs.com/peeklaunch) let you post short updates next to your project. 4. **Later:** Keep a list of bigger launches for when you ship a big update. That way you always have a reason to come back. ## Make a launch kit once Almost every site asks for the same things. Write them once in one document: * Product name * A tagline under 60 characters * A short description of about 160 characters * A longer description of two short paragraphs * A square logo * A cover image (1200 x 630) * Three or four screenshots Then copy and paste from that document. Also keep a simple sheet with each site, the date you sent it, the status and the live link. It takes two minutes per site. It stops you from sending the same product twice or forgetting to check if a page went live. ## Mistakes to avoid * **Don't post everywhere on the same day.** You won't have time to reply to comments, and you lose the chance to improve your text between launches. * **Don't pay before you try the free options.** Many paid plans just move you up a queue. * **Don't forget your pages once they're live.** Reply to reviews, update screenshots when the product changes, and fix broken links. A page that looks cared for builds trust. ## The short version Choose launch platforms that fit your audience, give you a page that stays, and publish soon. Launch in steps, track everything in one sheet, and treat each page as a small door to your product, not a one-day event. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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