# directory-submissions

> A Claude Code skill that plans directory submissions for SaaS, AI, MCP, and no-code products — sequenced for backlinks, domain rating, and discovery, not vanity link-count.

**Use case**: Build a backlink layer that produces leads, not vanity links

**Canonical URL**: https://agentcookbooks.com/skills/directory-submissions/

**Topics**: claude-code, skills, marketing, growth

**Trigger phrases**: "directory submissions", "submit to directories", "Product Hunt", "BetaList", "AI directories"

**Source**: [Corey Haines](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/tree/main/skills/directory-submissions)

**License**: MIT

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## What it does

`directory-submissions` is a Claude Code skill from Corey Haines's [marketing-skills repo](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills). It turns Claude into a directory-distribution planner who sequences submissions across general SaaS directories (Product Hunt, BetaList, SaaSHub), category lists (G2, Capterra, AlternativeTo), and emerging registries (TAAFT, Futurepedia, MCP/agent registries) — sorted by domain rating, dofollow status, and acceptance probability. The skill activates when you mention "directory submissions", "submit to directories", "list my product", or "MCP registry".

The output of a session is a sequenced submission plan: directories ranked by DR + dofollow + relevance, copy templates per directory format (description, tagline, screenshots), a tracker spreadsheet schema, and a launch-week vs ongoing-campaign split.

## When to use it

Reach for it when:

- You're prepping a launch and want directory submissions sequenced, not random
- You're in an emerging category (AI agents, MCP servers) and want the whole registry map
- You want a backlink campaign that produces leads, not just DR points

When *not* to reach for it:

- Your product page isn't ready — directory submissions hit before you have a working narrative is wasted reputation
- You're a service business; most directories optimize for product/SaaS

## Install

The skill is distributed via Corey Haines's [marketing-skills repo](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills). Install via the repo's recommended path — copy the [`directory-submissions` SKILL.md](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/tree/main/skills/directory-submissions) into your project's `.claude/skills/directory-submissions/` directory, or use the repo's plugin install if you've set it up.

Once installed, the skill activates on the trigger phrases above. The first time it runs, it will check for `.agents/product-marketing-context.md` (or `.claude/product-marketing-context.md`) — populating that file with your product context first dramatically improves output quality across all of Haines's marketing skills.

## What a session looks like

A typical session has three phases:

1. **Category mapping.** SaaS, AI, MCP, no-code, agent, vertical-specific. Different categories pull from different registries; the skill picks the right shelf.
2. **Sequencing.** Highest DR + dofollow first, then category-relevant, then long-tail. A tracker schema with status, link, screenshot URL, copy variant.
3. **Copy templates.** Description per character limit, tagline variations, screenshot specs, launch-day timing for the directories that gate on dates (Product Hunt, BetaList).

The discipline that makes it work: backlinks without leads is vanity. Each directory gets evaluated on whether its visitors actually convert, not just whether it passes link juice.

## Receipts

Honest reporting on what `directory-submissions` produces and where it has limits:

**Where it works well:**
- Sequencing by DR + dofollow saves you from spraying low-quality directories that hurt more than help
- The tracker schema turns submissions into a measurable program, not a random list
- For emerging categories (MCP, agents) the registry map is genuinely current

**Where it backfires:**
- Some directories require manual steps (founder photo, video) that the skill can't automate
- Lead quality varies wildly — Product Hunt traffic looks different than Capterra traffic

**Pattern that works:** start with the top-five highest-DR dofollow directories before sweeping the long tail. The first five do most of the work; everything after is incremental.

## Source and attribution

Originally written by [Corey Haines](https://corey.co). The canonical SKILL.md and any supporting files live in the [`directory-submissions` folder](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/tree/main/skills/directory-submissions) of his [marketing-skills repository](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills).

License: MIT. You can install, adapt, and redistribute the skill, with attribution preserved.

This page documents the skill from a practitioner's perspective. For the formal spec and any updates, defer to the source repo.