--- name: marketplace-launch description: "Launch and rank a SaaS/app/tool on marketplaces, review sites, and directories — Product Hunt, AppSumo, G2, Capterra, indie/AI directories — for visibility, reviews, and acquisition. Use when running a Product Hunt launch, an AppSumo lifetime deal, a G2/Capterra review campaign, a directory push, or a multi-channel launch calendar." --- # Marketplace Launch Launch products across marketplaces and directories for maximum visibility, backlinks, and customer acquisition. ## 1. Product Hunt Launch Playbook ### Pre-Launch (2-4 Weeks Before) **Hunter selection:** - Top hunters get more visibility but are flooded with requests - Self-hunting is fine now — PH algorithm no longer heavily favors known hunters - If using a hunter: reach out 3-4 weeks early with a personal pitch, not a template - Provide them: one-liner, tagline, description, media assets, your availability on launch day **Asset preparation checklist** (field limits change — confirm against the live submit form / Product Hunt's launch guide before finalizing): - [ ] Tagline: ~60 characters, benefit-focused (not feature-focused) - [ ] Description: up to ~500 characters — lead with the outcome, then the differentiator - [ ] Thumbnail: 240×240px logo/GIF, under ~3MB, clear on white; this is the icon people see in the feed — make value legible in 3 seconds - [ ] Gallery: 2+ images required, aim for 4-6 at 1270×760px (first image is the most important — treat it as the hero) - [ ] Video: YouTube link only (PH does not host uploads). A 30-90s demo lifts engagement; embed the YouTube URL in the video field - [ ] Interactive demo (optional, 2026): PH supports embedded interactive demos (e.g. via tools like Arcade/Storylane) — strong for letting people try before they leave the page - [ ] Launch tags/topics: pick up to 3 relevant topics. In 2026 the high-traffic dev/SaaS topics include AI, AI Agents, Developer Tools, Productivity, and "vibe coding"-adjacent tags — choose the topic where you can realistically rank, not just the biggest - [ ] Launch URL: use your clean canonical homepage. Do NOT use a shortened or UTM-tagged link in the launch URL field — PH strips/penalizes these and it breaks the redirect. Track attribution via a referrer-based view or a dedicated `/ph` landing route instead - [ ] Account: launch from a personal maker account. Company/brand accounts as the submitter are not allowed — add the company as the product's maker/team - [ ] Maker comment: draft your first comment (see launch day section) **Community warm-up:** - Build a launch list: email subscribers, Twitter followers, community members - Aim for 200+ people who'll show up on launch day - Notify them 1 week before: "We're launching on PH next [day]. Here's what we built and why." - Reminder the night before: "We go live at 12:01 AM PT. Here's the link." - Do NOT ask for upvotes — ask them to "check it out and share feedback" - Engage on PH discussions 2-3 weeks before (build profile karma) **Teaser campaign (optional but effective):** - PH "Upcoming" page: list your product, collect followers - Twitter/LinkedIn teaser posts: "Building something new. Launching on PH [date]." - Behind-the-scenes content: share the build process, challenges, decisions ### Launch Day **Timing:** - The leaderboard day runs on Pacific Time and resets at 12:00 AM PT; a launch competes against everything posted in that same PT day - Posting at/near 12:01 AM PT maximizes hours on the board, but PH itself says timing should match your goals and team constraints — it is not mandatory - For non-US teams: midnight PT is brutal. Pragmatic options: (a) schedule the launch in advance so it goes live at 12:01 AM PT without you staying up, then be active during your own working hours; (b) deliberately pick a slower PT day where ranking #1-3 is achievable in your awake window. Sustained maker presence across the day matters more than the exact minute you post - Whatever you choose, block 8-12 focused hours to reply to comments while the post is live **First maker comment (post immediately after launch):** ``` Hey PH! 👋 I'm [Name], [role] at [Product]. Here's the backstory: [2-3 sentences: what problem you noticed, why existing solutions fail] So we built [Product] — [one sentence value prop]. Here's what makes it different: • [Differentiator 1] • [Differentiator 2] • [Differentiator 3] [Special offer for PH community — discount, extended trial, etc.] Would love your feedback. I'm here all day answering questions! 🙏 ``` **Engagement strategy:** - Reply to EVERY comment within 15 minutes - Be genuine, helpful, and transparent (PH community values authenticity) - Share additional context, roadmap items, and honest limitations - Post 2-3 additional maker comments throughout the day with updates - Thank supporters publicly **Upvote ethics:** - NEVER buy upvotes or use upvote services (PH detects and penalizes) - NEVER directly ask for upvotes — ask people to "check it out" - Don't send direct links to the upvote button - Don't use VPNs or fake accounts - PH penalizes products that get suspicious vote patterns - Organic engagement (comments, reviews) matters more than raw upvotes **Social amplification on launch day:** - Tweet at launch with the PH link - LinkedIn post: personal story angle, not just "we launched" - Email your launch list with the link - Post in relevant Slack/Discord communities (where allowed) - Ask team members to share from personal accounts (not just company) ### Post-Launch **Follow-up (days 1-7):** - Thank everyone who commented and supported (DMs and public) - Publish a launch retrospective blog post with real numbers - Share results on social: "We hit #X on Product Hunt. Here's what we learned." - Respond to all PH reviews within 48 hours - Add PH badge to your website (social proof) **Content repurposing:** - Blog post: "How we launched on Product Hunt and got X upvotes" - Twitter thread: launch lessons and tactics - LinkedIn post: the founder story angle - Newsletter: share with your subscriber base - Case study: if results are strong, use for sales **Product Hunt Orbit Awards:** - PH sunset the annual Golden Kitty Awards and replaced them with the quarterly Orbit Awards (traction-focused, first edition December 2025) - Winners are selected from verified reviews, with extra weight on detailed reviews and founder reviews, so there is no vote campaign to run - Categories are dynamic and follow emerging spaces (AI dictation, vibecoding tools, coding agents, etc.), refreshed quarterly - Practical play: keep a steady stream of detailed verified reviews flowing to your PH product page all year; that is what feeds Orbit eligibility - Being Product of the Day/Week/Month still helps visibility; add any earned award badge to your site ## 2. AppSumo Launch ### Deal Structure **Lifetime deal (LTD) tiers — standard model:** | Tier | Price | What's included | Code stacking | |------|-------|----------------|---------------| | Tier 1 | $49 | Single user, core features | 1 code | | Tier 2 | $99 | 3 users, advanced features | 2 codes | | Tier 3 | $149 | 10 users, all features | 3 codes | **Pricing strategy:** - Tier 1 should be roughly 1-2x your monthly price (perceived 10-20x value) - Include features from your mid/pro plan (not just basic) - Cap heavy usage features (API calls, storage, team seats) to manage costs - Set a clear "LTD includes" scope to avoid future feature expectation creep **Revenue split — do not assume a fixed number:** - The "AppSumo always takes 70%" framing is a myth AppSumo itself pushes back on. Revenue share is set per deal and varies by program (Select vs Marketplace), negotiated terms, deal performance, and refund volume — get YOUR number in writing before signing - Model the deal with the actual share in your contract, not a rule of thumb. Worked example, share assumed at X% to AppSumo: `your_revenue = codes_sold × avg_price × (1 − X)`. At 2,000 codes × $49 avg, that's ~$98K gross; your take depends entirely on X and on refunds - Refunds eat into this — AppSumo's standard buyer refund window (often ~60 days) means a chunk of "sold" codes can reverse. Budget for it - Volume is the point of an LTD, not margin: you're buying users, reviews, and cash now in exchange for giving up recurring revenue from those seats forever **Due-diligence questions before signing (get answers in writing):** - Program & share: Select or Marketplace? What is the exact revenue-share % to AppSumo, and does it change after the first promotion? - Refund window: how long, and who eats refunded codes' costs (hosting/support already consumed)? - Feature entitlement: exactly which features/limits are locked to LTD buyers "for life" — and what can you ethically gate to future paid tiers? - Support load: who handles support volume, and what's the expected ticket spike? LTD audiences are demanding - Exclusivity & duration: any exclusivity clause, deal length, code stacking rules, and ability to sunset the deal later - Unit economics: model worst-case LTD margin (heavy usage tier maxed out) to confirm you don't lose money per redeemed code ### Listing Optimization - **Title**: Clear benefit, not just product name - **Hero image**: Show the product in action (not abstract graphics) - **Video**: 2-3 min demo covering top 3 use cases - **Description**: Problem → solution → proof → deal details → FAQ - **Bullet points**: 5-7 key features with benefit-oriented language - **Comparison**: Before/after or vs. alternatives table ### Review Management & Taco Rewards - AppSumo uses "Taco" ratings (1-5 tacos) - Reviews heavily influence future buyers — aim for 4.5+ average - Respond to every review, especially negative ones, within 24 hours - For negative reviews: apologize, offer direct support, update when resolved - Happy customers: ask them to leave a review in your follow-up email - Taco average affects your placement on AppSumo's featured page ### Post-Deal Customer Retention - LTD customers are high-churn risk (bought on deal, not on value) - Onboard them aggressively: welcome email sequence, setup wizard - Set expectations early: what's included in LTD vs. what's future paid - Build a community (Facebook group or Discord) for LTD users - Convert LTD users to paid: offer annual upgrade with additional features - Track LTD customer NPS separately from regular customers ## 3. G2 / Capterra / TrustRadius ### Profile Optimization **G2:** - Complete every profile section (description, media, integrations, pricing) - Add 10+ screenshots and 1-2 videos - List all relevant categories (primary + secondary) - Add comparison alternatives (helps you show up in vs. pages) - Update quarterly with new features and screenshots **Capterra:** - Detailed product description with keyword optimization - Feature list matching Capterra's taxonomy - Accurate pricing (buyers filter by price) - High-res screenshots of key workflows **TrustRadius:** - Vendor profile with complete product information - TrustMap positioning (based on reviews) - Buyer intent data (TrustRadius shares this with vendors) ### Optimizing for 2026 Buyer Intent & AI-Answer Visibility Review sites are now both a buyer-intent funnel and a training/citation source for AI buyer assistants (G2's own AI, plus ChatGPT/Perplexity/Gemini that cite G2/Capterra/TrustRadius). Optimize for being *quoted*, not just listed: - **Review recency & velocity**: most platforms weight recent reviews heavily, and AI summaries pull from the latest ones. A steady trickle (5-10/month) beats a one-time burst that goes stale. Keep at least a few reviews from the last 90 days at all times. - **Specific, structured reviews**: coach reviewers to name the use case, the alternative they switched from, a quantified result, and one honest drawback. These get surfaced in generated pros/cons summaries and "what users say" snippets. Vague "great product!" reviews are filtered out of summaries. - **Comparison & alternatives coverage**: ensure your profile is attached to the right "vs." and "alternatives to [competitor]" pages — these are exactly the queries buyers (and their AI assistants) run. Accurate feature checklists feed the auto-generated comparison tables. - **Category taxonomy hygiene**: be in the precise sub-categories buyers filter by. AI assistants map a need ("HIPAA-compliant scheduling for clinics") to category + feature tags, so missing tags = invisible to that query. - **Citation-friendly profile content**: complete pricing, integrations, supported platforms, security/compliance (SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA), and a crisp one-line positioning statement. These structured fields are what AI answers extract and cite — gaps mean the assistant says "pricing not listed" or skips you. - **Respond to reviews**: vendor responses are indexed and signal active support; they also give the model your framing on criticism. ### Review Generation Campaigns (Ethical) **Email campaign template (send to happy customers):** ``` Subject: Quick favor — 2 min review on G2? Hi [Name], You mentioned [specific positive result] with [Product]. Would you mind sharing that experience on G2? It takes ~2 minutes: [direct review link] Honest feedback only — good or bad, we genuinely want it. [If using an incentive, use the platform's own incentive program where possible, and disclose it: "G2 will send a $X gift card for completing a review — this is for an honest review, regardless of rating."] [Signature] ``` > Do not route this only to fans, and do not promise more for a higher score — that's review gating and is against platform + FTC rules. **Rules (review solicitation — legal/ethical guardrails):** - Reach out broadly to real users; do NOT screen so that only happy customers can review (review gating). It's fine to time outreach to engaged users (active in-app, support CSAT 4+), but the ask must be open to honest feedback of any rating. Gating to suppress negatives violates platform policy and FTC guidance - Never condition an incentive on a positive (or 5-star) review, and never offer more for a higher rating. Incentivize the act of leaving an *honest* review only - Prefer platform-run incentive programs over DIY gift cards. G2's own incentivized-review program (G2-managed gift cards) is the safe path: G2 controls the reward, moderates the review, and labels it as incentivized. Incentive eligibility, amount, payout method, and geography are set and can change by G2 — don't hardcode a "$25 max" rule; confirm current terms in your G2 vendor dashboard. Capterra/Gartner Digital Markets runs its own visa-gift-card incentive program with similar moderation; TrustRadius likewise manages incentives - Disclose any incentive. If you run your own thank-you (swag, charity donation), reviewers should state they were incentivized, and you must still accept negative reviews. This is an FTC endorsement-disclosure requirement, not just a platform rule - Don't post reviews from employees, family, or yourself, and don't bulk-ask the same week (moderation flags spikes). Space requests out - Target: ~10 reviews/month until you hit 50+, then ~5/month for freshness (recency is itself a ranking and trust signal) **Review generation funnel:** 1. Identify happy customers (NPS 8+, CSAT 4+, active users) 2. Personal email from their account manager (not marketing blast) 3. Follow up once after 5 days if no review 4. Thank them personally when review appears 5. Track who's reviewed where to avoid duplicate asks ### Category Selection Strategy - **Primary category**: Where your closest competitors are (even if it's competitive) - **Secondary categories**: Adjacent categories with less competition - Check each category: how many competitors, review volume, leader quadrant positions - Smaller categories = easier to become a "Leader" badge holder - Leader/High Performer badges are powerful sales tools (add to website, email signatures, sales decks) ### Comparison Page Optimization - G2 auto-generates comparison pages ("Product A vs Product B") - You can influence these with: more reviews, complete profile, feature checklist accuracy - Create your own comparison pages on your website targeting "[Competitor] vs [You]" keywords - Link to your G2 profile from comparison pages for authority ## 4. Indie Directories & Niche Listings ### Directory List > **All numbers below are unverified as of Jun 2026 and drift constantly.** Domain Rating (DR/DA) moves, listing fees change, and link treatment (dofollow vs nofollow/ugc/redirect) is frequently changed by the platform. Treat this as a *starting shortlist*, not a fact sheet — run the verification workflow below before submitting, and re-check anything load-bearing to your SEO plan with a live SEO tool (Ahrefs/Moz) and your own eyes on the rendered profile. **High-priority shortlist (verify each before submitting):** | Directory | Authority (≈, verify) | Cost (verify) | Notes | |-----------|-----------|------|-------| | Product Hunt | very high | Free | Huge launch-day traffic; profile links are often `rel="nofollow"`/`ugc` — value is referral + brand, not raw link juice | | AlternativeTo | high | Free | Strong for "alternative to X" intent | | G2 | very high | Free (paid tiers exist) | Buyer-intent + AI-citation value (see §3) | | Capterra / GetApp | very high | Free (PPC options) | Gartner Digital Markets network | | SaaSHub | medium | Free | | | BetaList | medium | Free or paid skip-the-line | Pre/early-launch audience | | IndieHackers | high | Free | Community post, not a passive listing | | Hacker News (Show HN) | very high | Free | Links typically `nofollow`; value is the audience, not SEO | | dev.to | high | Free | Article links commonly `nofollow`; value is reach | **Medium-priority (verify each):** ToolFinder, SaaSWorthy, Crozdesk, SourceForge, Slant, StackShare, There's An AI For That, Futurepedia. Costs and link treatment vary and several offer paid "featured" placement — confirm before paying. **Niche directories (submit based on your category):** - AI tools: There's An AI For That, Futurepedia, AI Tool Directory - Developer tools: StackShare, LibHunt, Awesome lists (GitHub) - No-code: NoCodeList, NocodeHQ (this niche churns fast: confirm each site is still live and still accepts listings before spending time on it) - Remote work: RemoteTools, Remote.tools - Startups: Crunchbase, AngelList, StartupBase ### Submission Template ``` Product name: [Name] Tagline: [One-line benefit statement, under 60 chars] URL: https://[product].com Description (short): [150-200 chars — what it does + for whom] Description (long): [500-800 chars — problem, solution, key features, differentiator] Category: [Primary category] Pricing: [Free/Freemium/Paid — starting price] Alternative to: [Competitor 1], [Competitor 2] Platforms: [Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux] Screenshots: [3-5 key workflow screenshots] Logo: [Square logo, 512×512 minimum] Founder: [Name, title] Launch date: [Date] ``` ### Directory Submission: Verification Workflow (do this per directory, before submitting) Don't assume SEO value — most large marketplaces use `nofollow`/`ugc` links, JS-rendered or redirected profile links, or gate the listing behind moderation. A directory can still be worth it for referral traffic and brand, but verify before you spend time or money: 1. **Link treatment**: open a live listing on that directory, View Source, and check the outbound link to the vendor site. Is it `dofollow`, `nofollow`, `ugc`, a `/redirect?url=` wrapper, or JS-injected (won't pass equity)? Don't trust a 2024 blog claim. 2. **Indexability**: is the profile page itself indexed? Search `site:directory.com "your competitor"`. If their profiles aren't in Google's index, yours won't be either — SEO value ≈ 0. 3. **Cost & ROI**: what's the real fee today (free / one-time / "featured" upsell)? For any paid directory, estimate referral value (their traffic × plausible CTR to you × your conversion) before paying. Paid "featured" slots on low-traffic AI-tool directories are usually poor ROI. 4. **Category relevance**: is there a category/tag that actually matches you and has real traffic? An off-category listing is dead weight. 5. **Moderation requirements**: manual review? Required fields, screenshots, founder verification, waiting period? Note turnaround so it fits your launch calendar. 6. **Referral value, not just links**: the durable wins are (a) referral traffic from category pages, (b) "alternative to [competitor]" pages that capture competitor intent, and (c) brand presence. Treat any dofollow link as a bonus, not the goal. **Quality over quantity**: a focused set of relevant, indexed, on-category listings beats 30 thin, duplicate submissions. Reusing the exact same description across dozens of low-quality directories creates duplicate boilerplate and adds little; vary copy and prioritize directories your buyers actually use. Track which listings are indexed and which actually send signups (UTMs, §6) and drop the dead ones. ## 5. Launch Timing & Sequencing ### Recommended Sequence | Week | Platform | Why this order | |------|----------|---------------| | 1-2 | Indie directories (a curated 8-15, not a spray of 30) | Initial visibility + referral; quality-filter via the §4 workflow first | | 3 | BetaList | Early adopter audience, momentum | | 4 | Product Hunt | Peak visibility, biggest audience | | 5 | Hacker News (Show HN) | Technical audience, if relevant | | 6-7 | G2/Capterra/TrustRadius profiles | Start review collection | | 8-10 | AppSumo (if applicable) | Revenue spike, user acquisition | | 11-12 | Review campaigns | Build social proof on G2/Capterra | ### Seasonal Considerations - **Best months for PH**: January-March (new year energy, high engagement), September-October (post-summer) - **Avoid**: Late December (low traffic), major holidays, big Apple/Google events - **Best day for PH**: Tuesday-Thursday (highest engagement). Avoid Friday-Sunday. - **AppSumo**: Best in Q1 and Q4 (deal-buying season) - **G2 reviews**: Best to collect in Q1/Q3 (before G2's quarterly report cycles) ### Avoiding Launch Fatigue - Don't launch everywhere in the same week — spread over 8-12 weeks - Each launch should have a slightly different angle or message - Rotate your launch list: don't email the same supporters for every platform - Save your biggest push for Product Hunt (most competitive, most reward) - Track engagement per channel — if a community stops responding, take a break ## 6. Metrics & Tracking ### What to Track Per Platform | Platform | Key Metrics | |----------|-------------| | Product Hunt | Upvotes, comments, rank (#X of day), website traffic spike, signups from PH, referral traffic (30 days) | | AppSumo | Codes sold, revenue, refund rate, taco rating, review count, LTD-to-paid conversion | | G2 | Review count, average rating, category rank, comparison page views, buyer intent leads | | Capterra | Review count, rating, clicks to website, lead form submissions | | Directories | Referral traffic per directory, backlink status (indexed?), signup attribution | ### Attribution Setup **UTM convention for marketplace launches:** ``` # Use these on links YOU control (your tweets, LinkedIn, launch email, partner posts): https://yourproduct.com/?utm_source=producthunt&utm_medium=marketplace&utm_campaign=launch-2026-q1 https://yourproduct.com/?utm_source=appsumo&utm_medium=marketplace&utm_campaign=ltd-feb-2026 https://yourproduct.com/?utm_source=g2&utm_medium=review-site&utm_campaign=profile https://yourproduct.com/?utm_source=betalist&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=launch-2026 https://yourproduct.com/?utm_source=saashub&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=listing ``` - Use unique UTMs for every link you control pointing at directories/marketplaces - **Exception:** do NOT put a UTM (or shortened) URL in the Product Hunt *launch URL field* — keep it clean (see §1). To attribute the traffic PH sends directly, use a referrer-based GA4 segment or a dedicated `/ph` landing route instead - Track in GA4: create a "Marketplace" channel group - Set up conversion events: signup, trial start, purchase - Monitor 30-day post-launch cohort (marketplace users vs. organic) ### ROI Calculation Per Channel ``` Channel ROI = (Revenue from channel - Cost of channel) / Cost of channel × 100 Cost includes: - Listing fees (if any) - Time spent preparing and managing (value your hours) - Special discounts or deals offered - Creative/asset production costs Revenue includes: - Direct signups attributed to channel (UTM) - LTV of acquired customers (not just first purchase) - SEO value of links — count only links you've verified as dofollow + indexed (most marketplace links are nofollow/ugc; value those as referral traffic, not link equity) - Brand awareness (harder to quantify — use branded search volume as proxy) ``` **Tracking dashboard (update monthly — fill in your own verified numbers):** | Channel | Cost | Users Acquired | Paying Customers | Revenue | Verified dofollow links | ROI | |---------|------|---------------|-----------------|---------|-----------|-----| | Product Hunt | $0 + ~40h | — | — | — | (verify; often nofollow) | — | | AppSumo | rev share per contract + support h | — | — | — | (verify) | — | | G2 | $0 + ~10h | — | — | — | (verify) | — | | Directories (curated set) | fees + ~15h | — | — | — | (count indexed dofollow only) | — | | BetaList | fee + ~5h | — | — | — | (verify) | — | | Total | — | — | — | — | — | — | ## 7. Launch Asset & Readiness QA (run the day before) A great launch dies on a broken signup form or a 240px logo that looks like mush. Walk this list before you go live. **Creative assets (confirm exact specs against each platform's live form — see §1 for PH):** - [ ] Logo/thumbnail exported at the platform's required size (PH thumbnail 240×240, under ~3MB), legible at small size on a white AND dark feed - [ ] Gallery images at correct dimensions (PH 1270×760), first/hero image carries the value prop as text-on-image (many viewers never read the description) - [ ] Demo video uploaded to YouTube (PH only embeds YouTube), unlisted-or-public, captioned, 30-90s, links work - [ ] Filenames are descriptive, not `IMG_4821.png` (e.g. `productname-dashboard-1270x760.png`) — helps your own asset hygiene and any platform that uses the filename - [ ] Alt text written for every gallery image (accessibility + some platforms index it) - [ ] Copy proofed: tagline ≤ ~60 chars, description within the platform limit (PH ~500), no typos, no broken links **Launch content drafted & scheduled:** - [ ] First maker comment written and saved (paste-ready) — see §1 - [ ] Launch-day social posts drafted (X/Twitter, LinkedIn) with the *clean* product URL - [ ] Email to your launch list drafted (no "please upvote" — "we're live, take a look") - [ ] Internal note to team with do's/don'ts (no upvote-asking, reply from personal accounts) **Attribution / UTM plan:** - [ ] UTMs defined for every channel EXCEPT the platform field that forbids them (PH launch URL must stay clean — see §1). Use them on your own tweets/emails/landing links - [ ] GA4 (or your analytics) has a "Marketplace" channel grouping and conversion events (signup, trial, purchase) firing - [ ] A way to attribute the no-UTM PH traffic: referrer-based segment, or a dedicated `/ph` landing route **Product / infra readiness (the part most launches forget):** - [ ] Signup, OAuth, and payment flows tested end-to-end on a clean browser/incognito today - [ ] Onboarding works for a brand-new user with zero prior context (you are about to send your worst-case cold traffic) - [ ] Servers/quotas can take a traffic spike; rate limits, free-tier caps, and email-sending limits checked - [ ] Any special launch offer (PH discount code, AppSumo entitlement) is created, tested, and not expired - [ ] **Rollback plan**: if onboarding/checkout breaks mid-launch, who is on call, how do you hotfix or feature-flag the broken step, and what's the holding message? Decide this *before* launch day, not at 3am PT. **Staffing:** - [ ] Owner assigned to reply to every comment/review within ~15 min during the live window - [ ] Support coverage for the inbound spike (LTD/PH audiences ask a lot of questions fast) **Post-launch (day 1-30):** - [ ] Thank supporters; respond to all reviews/comments within 48h - [ ] Add the platform badge to your site once earned (PH "Product of the Day", G2 Leader/High Performer) - [ ] Run a 30-day cohort analysis: compare marketplace-acquired users vs organic on activation %, paid conversion %, and retention/churn. LTD and deal-site cohorts typically convert and retain worse — measure it so you know the channel's *real* LTV, not vanity signup counts - [ ] Publish a retrospective with real numbers (great content + credibility), and drop channels that didn't pay off --- > **Related skills:** for the overall go-to-market and MVP readiness see `mvp-launcher`; for ongoing acquisition loops see `product-led-growth`; for press/founder outreach around the launch see `pr-media-outreach`; for ranking the resulting pages (incl. AI-answer/GEO visibility) see `seo-geo`; for outbound/partnerships see `business-development`.