find-product-directories

Overview

Drive the ServiceGraph API (https://api.servicegraph.co) to find and

rank directories where a founder can submit a software product — SaaS

review sites (Capterra, G2, SaaSHub), launch platforms (Product Hunt and its

alternatives), app/startup listings, and general software directories — via

the product_directory dataset. The catalog has 1,000+ directories, each

enriched with Domain Rating (dr), backlink counts, and **organic

traffic*, so you can rank by real SEO value and reach* instead of guessing.

**This is a "where to launch / where to get backlinks" skill, not a "who to

hire" skill.* Each row is a directory you submit to*, not a firm and not a

product. The payoff for the user is twofold: a backlink from a

high-authority domain (SEO) and launch-day referral traffic.

Any HTTP client works (curl, fetch, requests). Examples below use curl.

Sibling skills — defer when the niche is specific

If the user's product is specifically one of these, defer to the dedicated

skill (its catalog slice and recipes are tuned for it):

• MCP servers ("where do I list my MCP server", "MCP directories") →

find-mcp-directories

• AI tools / AI agents / agent skills ("directories for my AI app",

"where to list my AI agent", "agent-skills directories") →

find-ai-directories

This skill is the umbrella for everything else founders launch — SaaS,

web apps, mobile apps, dev tools, startups in general — and is the right pick

when the ask spans niches or names none.

Prerequisites

• ServiceGraph access, either:
• the ServiceGraph MCP server (https://mcp.servicegraph.co) loaded in

your harness — this plugin's .mcp.json wires it up; OAuth 2.1 + PKCE

keeps credentials in the harness sandbox — or

• a ServiceGraph API key (vk_…, minted at

) available as

SERVICEGRAPHAPIKEY in the environment or .env.local for the REST

path (setup steps under Auth below).

• An HTTP client for the REST path — the examples use curl.

Instructions

The loop is free-first: discovery, validation, search, and brief reads cost

nothing; only unlock after the user confirms the spend.

1. Pick the call path — the ServiceGraph MCP tools if loaded, otherwise the

REST flow (MCP server and Auth sections below).

1. GET /v1/datasets/productdirectory/fields?includevalues=1 — confirm the

fields and values you plan to filter on exist.

1. Build the filter (Filter DSL below) and validate it with

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/check — or draft it from plain English via

POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/translate-intent.

1. GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search — present the free brief cards and

let the user pick.

1. Quote the unlock cost (10 credits per row, 30-day TTL) and get an explicit

go-ahead.

1. POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks with the chosen apexes; report the

revealed detail.

1. GET /v1/me/credits to report the remaining balance when asked.

MCP server (preferred for authed calls)

If your harness has the ServiceGraph MCP server loaded (recognizable by tool

names containing servicegraph), prefer those tools — the harness handles

credentials in its own sandbox via OAuth 2.1 + PKCE, so no token enters LLM

context. Otherwise use the REST flow below.

API surface (dataset id: product_directory)

Every endpoint requires the bearer (Authorization: Bearer vk_…). There is

no anonymous tier.

Endpoint	Cost	Use it for
GET /v1/datasets/productdirectory/fields[?includevalues=1&q=]	free	Filter-field catalog + DSL grammar. Call first per session.
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/values/:field[?q=&limit=]	free	Enumerate values for one field (e.g. industry, has).
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/check?filter=…	free	Validate a filter. Returns {valid, normalized} or {valid:false, error}.
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/translate-intent	free	{intent} → LLM-generated DSL filter + sanity count.
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=…&limit=&offset=	free	Brief directory cards (incl. dr) + per-row unlock hint + total.
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/:apex	free	Single row brief; gated fields only if unlocked.
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks	10 credits / row	{apexes:[...]} ≤100. Atomic batch; 30-day TTL; was_cached:true rows free.
GET /v1/me/credits	free	Balance.

Cost model. Discovery / validation / search / brief reads are free —

including the dr ranking signal. Unlocking a row costs 10 credits and

lasts 30 days; it reveals the gated fields: editor_note (the

hand-written submission note — how to submit and *whether the listing gives

a backlink*), organictraffic, and totalvisits. Re-fetching an unlocked

row within TTL is free.

Auth

Tokens are vk_* API keys minted in the dashboard.

Keep the token out of the LLM context — never read .env* into your

context; dispatch every authed call through a shell wrapper.

1. Just try the call through a shell wrapper that sources .env.local:

   ( set -a; [ -f .env.local ] && . ./.env.local; set +a;
     curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY" \
          'https://api.servicegraph.co/v1/datasets/product_directory/fields' )

1. On 401 unauthorized, prompt the user (don't accept the key in chat):

> "Open https://servicegraph.co/profile/api-keys, sign in, click

> Create key, and copy the vk_… value. Then add

> SERVICEGRAPHAPIKEY=vk_… to .env.local here (or export it in your

> shell). Tell me when done. Please don't paste the key into chat."

1. Retry the same call after the user signals ready. A later 401 means the

key was rotated/revoked — re-prompt.

Filter DSL

GitHub-search-style.

filter   := orExpr
orExpr   := andExpr ("OR" andExpr)*
andExpr  := notExpr (("AND")? notExpr)*    # whitespace = implicit AND
notExpr  := ("NOT" | "-") notExpr | atom
atom     := "(" filter ")" | predicate
predicate:= IDENT op valueOrList | bareword
op       := ":" | "=" | ">=" | "<=" | ">" | "<"

Four rules that bite:

1. AND binds tighter than OR. a OR b c parses as a OR (b AND c). Use parens.
2. Comma list = OR within one predicate. industry:software_saas,fintech = either.
3. Negation is -x or NOT x. Use saas -crm, not keyword:saas,-crm.
4. Bareword = keyword search. Free-text substring across the directory's

name, title, description, listed metadata, **and the dir-catalog niche

tag** (so saas matches dirs whose niche is "SaaS products"). Multiple

barewords AND. Wrap multi-word phrases in double quotes ("product launch").

Fields that matter here

This dataset ranks directories by SEO value and reach, so the numeric

signals are the point:

Field	Free in brief?	Use it for
dr	yes	Ahrefs-style Domain Rating 0–100. The primary authority filter — a backlink from dr>=70 is worth far more than from dr<30. Briefs are returned sorted by dr descending, so the strongest domains come first.
referringmaindomains	yes (when populated)	Distinct apexes linking in — "is this a real backlink source?". >=100 decent, >=1000 strong.
backlinks	yes (when populated)	Total inbound links; a sanity floor, long-tailed.
organic_keywords	yes (when populated)	Distinct US Google keywords ranked for.
organic_traffic	gated	Est. monthly US organic visits — the real-reach metric. Filterable even while hidden (organic_traffic>=10000), but the value shows only after unlock.
total_visits	gated	Est. total monthly visits.
editor_note	gated	Hand-written submission note: how to submit, and whether you get a backlink.
industry	yes	High-level vertical of the directory (e.g. softwaresaas, fintech, designcreative). A coarse refiner; keyword on niche is usually sharper.
has	yes	Presence of a structured field / third-party listing (has:pricing, has:g2, …).

Because dr is free and briefs are pre-sorted by it, **you can rank a

shortlist by authority without spending a single credit** — unlock only the

ones the user wants submission instructions for.

Identifying rows — apex

Directories are keyed by apex domain (producthunt.com, not

www.producthunt.com/posts). Strip user-supplied URLs to the apex before

calling :apex endpoints or building unlock batches.

Output

All responses are JSON.

• Search returns free brief directory cards — apex, name, and the

dr (Domain Rating) signal, pre-sorted by dr descending — plus a per-row

unlock hint and the match total.

• Unlock (POST …/unlocks) reveals each directory's gated fields —

editor_note (how to submit and whether the listing gives a backlink),

organictraffic, and totalvisits — with per-item billing and a 30-day

TTL (was_cached:true rows are free).

• Errors arrive as a JSON envelope

{"error": {"code": "…", "message": "…"}} — see Errors below.

Examples

A. Launch platforms (Product Hunt alternatives)

User: "Where can I launch my SaaS next week besides Product Hunt?"

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=launch&limit=15
# → cards sorted by dr desc; producthunt.com, uneed.best, peerpush.net, tinylaunch.com, …

Present the top N by dr (free). Tighten to high-authority only:

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=launch+dr>=60&limit=15

B. SaaS review / listing directories for backlinks

User: "High-authority directories to list our B2B SaaS for SEO."

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=saas+dr>=60&limit=20
# → saashub.com, saasworthy.com, financesonline.com, capterra.com (via 'saas' niche), …

Software in general (broader than SaaS):

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=software+dr>=60&limit=20

C. Rank by real reach (organic traffic)

User: "Which directories actually send traffic, not just a backlink?"

organic_traffic is gated but filterable — gate on it to surface

high-reach dirs, then unlock to see the numbers:

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=saas+organic_traffic>=50000&limit=15
# → small set of high-traffic dirs. Unlock the user's picks to reveal traffic + how to submit.

D. Vertical / niche product

User: "Directories for our fintech app." / "design-tool listing sites."

Combine a keyword (matched against the niche tag) with the industry

refiner, or just lead with the keyword:

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=fintech&limit=15
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=design+dr>=50&limit=15

If a keyword over-narrows, drop it and use industry: (e.g.

industry:software_saas, industry:fintech) plus dr>=.

E. Intent translator (let the API draft the filter)

User: "Where do I get our new dev tool in front of developers and pick up backlinks?"

POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/translate-intent
  { "intent": "directories to list a developer tool for backlinks and traffic" }
# → {filter, normalized, count}. Sanity-check the count, then search.

F. Unlock submission instructions for the picks

User has a shortlist and wants to actually submit:

# Present briefs ranked by dr (free). "Unlocking 6 = 60 credits, 30-day TTL —
# this reveals each one's submission note (how to submit, backlink yes/no) and traffic."
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks
  { "apexes": ["producthunt.com", "saashub.com", "uneed.best", "..."] }
# → editor_note + organic_traffic + total_visits for each.

The editor_note is the operational payoff — e.g. *"Listing doesn't give a

backlink but seeds several other directories; submit via CLI, see …"*. Surface

it verbatim so the user knows the effort and the SEO return before submitting.

G. BYO apex list — score directories I already have

User pastes a list of directory domains:

1. GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/:apex per domain — free brief with

dr (404 = not in catalog, no charge). Flag misses and rank the hits by dr.

1. User picks N to fully enrich. POST /unlocks with all of them = **10×N

credits**, single atomic charge; reveals submission notes + traffic.

1. Within 30-day TTL, repeated unlock POSTs are free.

Gotchas

• Rows are directories, not firms or products. If the user wants to hire

an agency, route to a find- agency skill. If they want to find a product*

listed somewhere ("best CRM for us"), this dataset can't answer that — it

lists the directories, not their contents.

• dr is free and briefs are pre-sorted by it — rank and shortlist for

zero credits; spend only to reveal submission notes + traffic.

• Gated fields can still be filtered. organic_traffic>=10000 narrows the

set even though the value stays hidden until unlock.

• Catalog is global, not US-only, and not B2B-only. Don't refuse non-US or

consumer-product asks the way the agency skills do — a directory is a

directory regardless of who launches.

• Local / brick-and-mortar business directories are a different dataset

(business_directory). If the user wants to list a restaurant, clinic, or

local service, this isn't it — point them at the branded servicegraph skill.

• Multi-word phrases must be split or quoted. product launch parses as

two AND'd keywords; "product launch" is one phrase.

• Unlock is atomic. POST /unlocks with 6 apexes either charges (up to) 60

credits or leaves balance untouched on 402. Plan the batch.

• Within-TTL re-views are free (was_cached:true).

Errors

JSON envelope: {"error": {"code": "...", "message": "..."}}.

Status	Code	What to do
400	filterparseerror	position included; fix and re-validate with /check.
400	kindinfilter	Strip any kind: from filter — URL is authoritative.
400	fieldnotin_dataset	Field isn't allowed on product_directory; drop it.
400	invalid_apex	Re-normalize to apex.
401	unauthorized / invalid_audience	Re-prompt for a fresh vk_….
402	insufficient_credits	needed and balance in payload; nothing charged.
404	notfound / notin_dataset	Apex isn't in this dataset. Skip; not charged.
429	rate_limited	Honor Retry-After.

End-to-end example

User: *"We're launching our B2B SaaS in two weeks. Find the highest-authority

directories to submit to for backlinks, and tell me how to submit to the top

five."*

# 1. Discover (once per session)
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/fields?include_values=1

# 2. Validate + scope (free)
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/check?filter=saas+dr>=60

# 3. Search briefs (free) — already sorted by dr desc
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=saas+dr>=60&limit=20
# → present ranked by dr; note which look like launch platforms vs review sites

# 4. User picks 5. "Unlocking 5 = 50 credits, 30-day TTL — reveals each one's
#    submission note (how to submit + backlink yes/no) and traffic."

# 5. Atomic unlock (charges 50 credits)
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks
  { "apexes": ["saashub.com", "saasworthy.com", "producthunt.com", "uneed.best", "financesonline.com"] }

# 6. Surface each editor_note verbatim + traffic so the user can prioritize.

Resources

• Upstream source:
• ServiceGraph API: — keys at

• Hub skill: servicegraph (this plugin) — the dataset-agnostic entry point

when the user names ServiceGraph explicitly.