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Carpet-Bomb the Directories for Free Backlinks

Carpet-Bomb the Directories for Free Backlinks is a launches & ph/hn tactic for getting your first users: A systematic submission of your product to dozens or hundreds of niche listing sites and tool directories, treated as a repeatable checklist rather than a one-off launch event. The goal is link equity, not immediate traffic.

It's a strong fit for AI products, B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, and Newsletters / media teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, AI tools, dev tools. As a launches & ph/hn play, plan for low effort and expect results to build gradually over time, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

Launches & PH/HNLow effortSlow

Why does launches & ph/hn work for this?

Each live listing is an inbound link that slowly compounds your domain authority, giving fresh sites the early SEO signals they need before they can rank on their own.

The exact steps (5)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
AI productsB2B SaaSDev tools / technicalNewsletters / media

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Carpet-Bomb the Directories for Free Backlinks" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for AI products, B2B SaaS, Dev tools / technical, and Newsletters / media — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Carpet-Bomb the Directories for Free Backlinks" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 2 primary sources — real founder write-ups and interviews, not generic advice. They are linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original accounts yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is low effort, and results tend to be slow.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via Get your first 100 SaaS customers for $0 and Hacking growth as a solo SaaS founder, is in the paid library.

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