Find Product Directories

find-product-directories

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.

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/product_directory/fields[?include_values=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), organic_traffic, and total_visits. 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:

``bash ( 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 > SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY=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       := ":" | "=" | ">=" | "" | "=70` is worth far more than from `dr=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. `software_saas`, `fintech`, `design_creative`). 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.

## Recipes

### 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/productdirectory/search?filter=saas+organictraffic>=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/productdirectory/search?filter=fintech&limit=15 GET /v1/datasets/productdirectory/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", "..."] }

→ editornote + organictraffic + 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`.
2. User picks N to fully enrich. `POST /unlocks` with all of them = **10×N
   credits**, single atomic charge; reveals submission notes + traffic.
3. 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 | `filter_parse_error` | `position` included; fix and re-validate with `/check`. |
| 400 | `kind_in_filter` | Strip any `kind:` from filter — URL is authoritative. |
| 400 | `field_not_in_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 | `not_found` / `not_in_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/productdirectory/fields?includevalues=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.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [nostrband](https://github.com/nostrband)
- **Source:** [nostrband/ServiceGraph](https://github.com/nostrband/ServiceGraph)
- **License:** MIT
- **Homepage:** https://servicegraph.co

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.