The Evergreen Launch & Growth Checklist for Start-ups and Side-Projects

Keep this doc bookmarked.
Treat it like a punch-list: tick items off, add new tactics you discover, and iterate on the fly.

1. Tell a Human Story First 🗣️

POC Formula

Step	What to share	Example
Problem	The pain you felt	“I gained 15 kg while coding all day.”
Outcome	The positive win	“Built a calorie tracker, lost 5 kg, hit $2 k MRR.”
Challenge	The next quest	“Now: can AI help me lose the other 10 kg?”

Write the story once → slice it into:

280-char tweet
15 s Instagram/TikTok reel
1–2 min YouTube demo
Long-form IndieHackers post
Newsletter blurb

The narrative stays; only the container changes.

2. Launch Stack (Week 0)

Day	Channel	How-to
Day 0	`Show HN`	One-line pitch + link. Engage fast in comments.
Day 1	`r/SideProject`	“Feedback welcome” post. Reply to every comment.
Day 2	Product Hunt	Schedule (12:01 am PT). Prep maker comment, 3 visuals.
Day 3	Uneed, TinyLaunch, DevHunt	Same assets, staggered by a few hours.
Day 4	Short-form video blast	Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts. CTA → PH page.
Day 5/6	IndieHackers “Show & Tell”	Full build/metrics story.

Extra directories (20 fast backlinks)

Here are some high-DR startup directories you can submit to (pick ≥10):

(Pick those with good Domain Rating for best SEO impact.)

3. Two-Hour SEO Sprint (Week 1)

AnswerSocrates → dump every question around your seed topic.
One landing page per question (H1 = exact query, 500–700 words, internal links + CTA).
Google Search Console → Request indexing immediately.
Pull GSC CSV → sort by Position 8-20 → spin out dedicated pages (these are “almost ranking” wins).
Reddit keyword boost
- Grab niche subreddit URL
- Paste into WordStream Free Keyword Tool → export 500 terms
- Sprinkle top terms into titles, metas, H2s.

4. Relationship Growth (Week 2+)

Micro-Influencer Outreach

Shortlist creators < 50 k followers in your niche.
DM: (Personal hook) + (give product free) + (ask for feedback, not promo).
Once they reply, offer affiliate link or case-study angle for a natural shout-out.

Competitor Mentions Hack

Set Google Alerts for rival brands.
When a fresh thread appears, drop value-first comment:

“Curious—any reason you’re not using X? It covers Z + S automatically, so you don’t have to {pain}. Happy to send you a free code.”

No spam; only join when genuinely relevant.

5. Maintain & Iterate

Cadence	Task
Weekly	Answer 3 fresh questions on Quora/Reddit using your POC story.
Bi-weekly	Update GSC “almost-there” keyword sheet; ship 1–2 new pages.
Monthly	Record a metrics recap video (wins + fails). Publish everywhere.
Quarterly	Audit directory links—swap low-traffic sites for new alternatives (check threads like “directory of directories” on IH for updates). :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

6. Retention & Referral Flywheel

Welcome / Quick Win – help users hit their first “aha” in < 5 minutes.
Deeper Use-Case – short tutorial or template that expands value.
Social Proof – share a customer win + invite reply for feedback.

Ongoing Loops

In-app NPS (Day 14) → tag Promoters → auto-email a referral link.
Referral Mechanic – single-URL powered by Rewardful/LemonSqueezy; give 10 % credit or swag.
“Share Your Win” Wall – tiny form feeds a Notion sheet of testimonials you can reuse across PH, X, and newsletters.

7. Lifetime-Deal Pulse

Platform	Why use it	Key Tips
AppSumo	Massive early reach, reviewer culture	Cap usage clearly; record a crisp Loom demo; respond fast to reviews.
DealMirror / Dealify	Dev tools & AI utilities excel	Bundle minor add-ons (icons, template) to stand out.
PitchGround / StackSocial	Good for consumer-friendly SaaS	Cross-promo with complementary products for list-swap exposure.

Run 2-4 weeks max and avoid lifetime promises you can’t sustain.

8. Community Loops

Targeted Communities

Slack / Discord – join niche groups as a human first. Share a code snippet or insight, then soft-drop your tool.
Twitter Spaces / X Live – host a 20-min AMA (“How I built X in 7 days”); invite two micro-influencers as co-hosts.
Guest Newsletters – offer a 150-word founder story + exclusive code to curated lists (e.g., TLDR Dev, TheSlice). One aligned send can drive 5–10 k clicks.

Approach: value → context → ask. Earn trust before pitching.

Living Checklist Template

[ ] Story drafted (Problem → Outcome → Challenge)
[ ] Assets exported (tweet, reel, YT, IH post)
[ ] Launch week calendar filled
[ ] 10+ directories submitted
[ ] AnswerSocrates pages live & indexed
[ ] GSC almost-there keywords actioned
[ ] Reddit keyword list merged into site copy
[ ] 5 micro-influencers contacted
[ ] Google Alerts set for 3 competitors
[ ] Metrics recap video recorded
[ ] Retention drip set up
[ ] Referral mechanic live
[ ] Lifetime-deal pulse run
[ ] Community loops executed

A living, repeat-able playbook you can reuse (and expand) every time you ship something new.