Directory Submission for Mobile App
Get listed on 100+ directories to boost SEO, build backlinks, and attract customers
Your mobile app needs directory submission to rank on Google. Without getting listed on directories, you're competing with established mobile apps who have years of directory listings advantage.
The mobile app market is incredibly competitive. New mobile apps start with zero directory listings, making it nearly impossible to rank for competitive keywords like '[problem] app' or 'best [category] mobile app' without directory submission first.
Directory submission is critical for mobile app SEO. Getting listed on authoritative directories signals to Google that your app is trustworthy and valuable. This directly improves your landing page rankings, drives organic traffic to your app store listings, and establishes the domain authority needed to compete with established mobile apps.
What is Directory Submission?
Directory submission is the process of getting your mobile app listed on startup directories, launch platforms, and product discovery sites. These directories are curated platforms where founders, early adopters, and potential customers actively browse to discover new products and services.
When you submit your mobile app to directories, you get:
- High-quality backlinks that boost your domain authority and improve your search rankings
- Immediate visibility to early adopters and potential customers browsing directories
- SEO benefits that help you rank for competitive keywords and improve your overall search presence
- Permanent listings that keep working for you long-term, unlike paid ads that stop when your budget runs out
- AI Assistant visibility - directories are crawled by AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, making your product discoverable in AI recommendations
Directory submission is one of the fastest and most effective ways to build your backlink profile, establish domain authority, and get your mobile app in front of the right audience. The best part? These listings stay live forever and keep improving your SEO for years to come.
Directory Submission Strategies for Your Mobile App
1. Submit to App Directories & Launch Platforms
App directories are platforms where users actively browse to discover new mobile apps. Think Product Hunt (excellent for app launches), app directories, mobile app aggregators, and startup platforms.
Why directory submission is essential for mobile apps:
Immediate domain authority boost: When you're listed on 100+ directories, your domain rating jumps from zero to 30+ within weeks. Higher domain authority means better rankings for searches like '[problem] app' and '[category] mobile app.'
Landing page SEO: Many users research apps on Google before downloading. Directory backlinks help your landing page rank for app-related searches, driving more traffic to your app store listings.
Permanent backlink value: These directory listings stay live forever. Unlike paid ads, they keep improving your SEO and driving organic traffic for years without ongoing costs.
This is the single best way to start directory submission for your mobile app. LaunchDirectories maintains a comprehensive database of 100+ best platforms for directory submission. We also offer a done-for-you directory submission service where we handle all the manual submissions, save you 70+ hours, and get your app listed across the most impactful directories in just 4-6 days.
Example Directories for Mobile App Submission
| Directory | Domain Rating | Category | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
 Shipybara | 53 | Free + Paid | View Directory → |
 SaaSHub | 77 | Free | View Directory → |
 TinyLaunch | 71 | Free + Paid | View Directory → |
 Firsto | 57 | Free | View Directory → |
 Open Launch | 65 | Free | View Directory → |
2. Submit to App Review Sites
3. Submit to App Aggregators
4. Submit to Startup Launch Platforms
Submission Tips for Mobile Apps
- 1
Always include both your App Store and Google Play Store links in every directory listing. Some directories only support one platform, but when both are accepted, listing both doubles your download opportunities.
- 2
Use your app's landing page URL as the primary link, not just the app store URL. Landing pages give you control over the conversion experience and let you capture email addresses for remarketing.
- 3
Include your app's rating and download count if they're strong. '4.8 stars with 50K+ downloads' provides immediate social proof that directory browsers respond to.
- 4
Submit to app review sites and blogs, not just traditional directories. Sites like AppAdvice, 148Apps, and niche app review blogs drive downloads and provide valuable backlinks to your landing page.
- 5
Mention your app's unique offline capabilities or device features if relevant. Mobile apps that leverage camera, GPS, or offline mode stand out in directories full of web-app-wrappers.
Best Directories for Mobile Apps
While submitting to 100+ directories is ideal for maximum domain authority, these are the directories that deliver the most value specifically for mobile app products:
| Directory | Why It's Great for Mobile Apps |
|---|---|
| Product Hunt | Mobile app launches perform exceptionally well on Product Hunt, especially with polished demo videos. The audience is eager to download and try new apps. |
| AppAdvice | Dedicated mobile app review site with strong SEO. App profiles rank for '[app type] iPhone app' and similar searches. |
| AlternativeTo | Users searching for alternatives to popular mobile apps find new options here. High-intent traffic from people actively looking to switch apps. |
| BetaList | Great for pre-launch mobile apps looking for beta testers. The audience is willing to try early versions and provide feedback. |
| SaaSHub | Increasingly popular for mobile apps, especially those with subscription models. Profiles rank for '[app] alternatives' searches. |
| PreApps | App-specific pre-launch platform where users discover and sign up for upcoming mobile apps. Builds your launch list before you hit the app stores. |
These are just the top picks. For comprehensive coverage, our done-for-you service submits your mobile app to 100+ directories including all of these.
Quick Wins After Submitting Your Mobile App
Reply to every directory review or comment within 24 hours. App users leave feedback publicly, and fast responses signal an active, responsive developer - which drives more downloads.
Create a short App Store preview video and embed it in your directory profiles. Mobile users are visual, and a 15-second video showing your app in action dramatically boosts installs.
Cross-post your directory listings to mobile app subreddits (r/apps, r/androidapps, r/iphone) with a 'just launched' angle. These communities actively seek new apps to try.
Add deep links to specific app features in your directory descriptions. Instead of linking to a generic app store page, link to a feature-specific landing page that matches the directory's audience.
Why Directory Submission Works for Mobile Apps
Mobile app directory submission requires a fundamentally different strategy than web-based products because you're optimizing two discovery channels simultaneously: Google search and app store search. Your landing page needs backlinks from directories to rank in Google for queries like 'best [category] app,' while your app store listing needs its own ASO optimization. The smartest approach is using directory submission to build your landing page's domain authority, then funneling that Google traffic to your app store pages. This creates a flywheel - better Google rankings drive more app store downloads, which improves your app store ranking, which drives more organic installs.
The mobile app review ecosystem is mature and highly specialized compared to other product categories. Sites like AppAdvice, 148Apps, and dozens of niche app review blogs have audiences that specifically browse for new apps to download. These aren't general startup directories - they're mobile-first platforms where every visitor is a potential install. For mobile app founders, submitting to these app-specific directories often delivers better conversion rates than general startup platforms, even though the general platforms may have higher domain ratings. The ideal strategy combines both: use general directories for backlinks and domain authority, and use app-specific directories for targeted downloads.
Directory submission for your mobile app is essential for SEO success. Without getting listed on directories, you can't compete with established mobile apps for app-related searches. The mobile apps that succeed combine directory submission for immediate domain authority with content marketing, comparison pages, and strategic partnerships for long-term link building. Start with foundational tactics like directory submission to build your backlink profile, then expand into content marketing and relationship building.
Ready to get directory submission for your mobile app? LaunchDirectories can get you listed on 100+ directories in 4-6 days, providing the backlinks you need to start ranking for app-related searches and driving downloads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hey, I'm Krzysztof 👋
I'm the founder of LaunchDirectories, a directory submission service that helps startups, SaaS products, job boards, and AI tools get listed on 100+ directories. With years of experience in SEO and link building, I've helped hundreds of companies improve their domain authority and search rankings through strategic directory submission. You can follow me on X (Twitter) if you want to chat about directory submission or SEO.