[Originally posted on zerotorevenue.io]
Directory submissions still have a place in B2B SaaS marketing, but only on platforms that influence how buyers discover, compare or evaluate products.
Where directory profiles create value
Buyer discovery: buyers use review platforms and specialist directories to build product shortlists.
Search and AI visibility: directory category, comparison and alternatives pages appear in Google results and AI-generated answers.
Backlinks: some directory profiles include relevant links from established domains.
A profile can still send buyers or influence AI answers even when its website link is nofollow.
Step 1: Find the most relevant directories
Start by searching for the terms a serious buyer would use:
best [product category] software[competitor] alternatives[product category] for [target market][product category] reviewscompare [competitor A] and [competitor B]
Run these searches through Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc. Record which review sites, directories, marketplaces and industry publications keep appearing.
Search for each leading competitor alongside reviews, alternatives and compare.
Also look for directories with a natural reason to include your product:
industry and vertical directories
integration marketplaces
developer-tool directories
AI-product directories
open-source directories
geographic or trade-association listings
Prioritise active directories that serve your target market, offer a relevant category and create a permanent public profile. Give extra weight to directories that already appear in buyer searches or AI answers.
Step 2: Claim the three core platforms
My default starting point for most B2B SaaS companies is:
Capterra — submit to Capterra, then add GetApp and Software Advice.
Three submission workflows can give you five public profiles.
Step 3: Create your submission pack
Most directories ask for the same information. Prepare it once:
product and company names
a one-line product tagline
a short product description (under 50 words) and a longer version (250+ words)
website and contact details
primary and secondary categories
product and category tags
target customers and use cases
competitors and alternatives
pricing, trial and demo details
integrations, platforms and deployment options
verifiable security and compliance information
support, documentation and social links
square and horizontal logo files
product screenshots and a short demo video, where available
Keep the core positioning consistent, but adapt the category, use cases and examples to the context of each platform.
Step 4: Build a repeatable review process
Make review requests part of your customer process:
Ask after a customer reaches a clear success point.
Send the customer directly to the relevant review form.
Ask for an honest review rather than a positive one.
Do not write or heavily script the customer’s response.
Respond to the published review.
Capture recurring praise, objections and problems.
Use the feedback to improve the product, positioning and profile, then repeat.
Check each platform’s policy before offering a review incentive.
Step 5: Measure what happens
Treat directory submissions as an experiment, not a guaranteed acquisition channel. Measure the results by tracking:
referral traffic from each listing
signups, demos and assisted conversions
review volume and recency
visibility in category pages, alternatives searches and AI-generated answers
Use the five-minute AI search visibility check to repeat the same queries and compare which brands and sources now appear.
Check the results monthly. Focus your profile updates and review requests on directories that send referral traffic, assist conversions or keep appearing in buyer searches.
In a nutshell…
Find the directories that influence how buyers discover and compare products, prepare your submission materials once, complete the strongest profiles, ask customers for honest reviews after they reach a clear success point, and track which listings improve visibility, traffic or conversions.
PS: You can grab a database of 55 B2B SaaS directories here