What are AI catalogs and why are they important?
AI product catalogs are the new big trend in the tech AI industry, reminiscent of the internet’s development in the 2000s.
We’ve seen this a hundred times before, and here we go again. The rise of AI startup catalogs mirrors the 2000s and 2010s of the web: Elon Musk’s Zip2 moved local businesses from paper to web and put them on the map.
Mobile era: Smartphones opened the era of app stores such as AppStore & Google Play. Try to find a mobile app on Google.
Travel: Flight booking aggregators transformed how we find flights.
Now comes the era of AI catalogs.
Why should AI catalogs play such a huge role in marketing?
First reason: Budgets. Most venture capital deals in 2023-2024 are focused on AI products. This means these AI startups need somewhere to direct their marketing budgets, beyond traditional solutions like Instagram, Google, and Facebook. AI catalogs are becoming one of the best solutions, offering an easier way to get initial traffic and sales.
Second reason: It’s still a blue ocean. Only indie hackers with small budgets have arrived here so far. That means it’s super easy to promote your product and get real sales while spending minimal budgets. It’s like finding a gold mine before the rush!
Google can’t cover search of AI products at all
AI catalogs cover the main discovery scenario for users. They are more specialized and user-friendly than Google when it comes to finding AI tools. It’s much easier for new AI products to get listed and rank high in these catalogs. Unlike Google, these platforms attract a highly targeted audience interested in AI solutions. Marketing budgets required for promotion in AI catalogs are significantly lower compared to Google or Facebook. Honestly, just as Google couldn’t dominate e-commerce, it’s likely to struggle in the AI tools market too.
Try to find any mobile app on Google.
User-friendliness is key
AI catalogs offer a quick and convenient way for users to find AI tools for any task. They’re more user-friendly than general search engines when it comes to discovering and comparing AI products. Users can easily locate the specific AI solutions they need without wading through irrelevant search results.
Case study: How Askpot got 3800% ROI using code.market AI catalog with PPC cost of $0.3
Askpot.com creator Vlad, a solopreneur and indie hacker, has a main skill of creating small products, and it’s extremely important for him to do quick and effective marketing with minimal effort. His latest product is ASKpot – an AI tool that allows competitive analysis 5 times faster. His marketing strategy is to use AI directories for product promotion because it doesn’t require special marketing knowledge.
This is a real case that he shared with us. Vlad submitted his AI product to code.market and bought PPC advertising. One click cost $0.3, and this was for hot traffic. Here are the reach the goals he got:
- Listing Cost on code.market: $0
- PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Cost: $0.30 per click
- Daily Trials Registered: 40
- Trial to Subscription Conversion: ~50% conversion rate
- Trial to Sales converted: 17 x $79 = $1422
- Average Subscription Lifetime: 4 months
- Targeted Traffic from code.market: 660 clicks
ROI calculations:
- Total Cost: $0 (code.market listing is free) + (660 clicks * $0.30 per click) = $198
- Revenue from Sales: $158 x 10 days = $1,580
- Possible Revenue from Subscriptions with 0 churn rate: 17 subscriptions * 4 months * $79 = $5,372
- Total Revenue: $1422 (sales) + $5,372 (subscriptions) = $6794
- ROI = (Revenue – Cost) / Cost * 100 = ($6794 – $198) / $198 * 100 = 3,331%
Not only positive ROI effect
- Sales correlation: When his product drops off the featured list in catalogs, sales plummet dramatically. When it returns to being featured, sales skyrocket.
- SEO boost: There’s a direct connection between visibility in catalogs and SEO performance. Users see the product in a catalog -> Google it by name -> This increases branded SEO traffic. The power of AI catalogs for startups is not only to provide direct visibility but also boost overall online presence and searchability.
- Enhanced credibility: Being featured in reputable catalogs can boost your brand’s reputation and instill trust in potential customers.
- Huge Domain Rating impact: to the services because you can receive DoFollow backlinks.
- User feedback and reviews: These platforms provide opportunities for users to leave feedback, which can improve your service and credibility.
How to choose directories to listing
List everywhere, and we recommend:
- Pay attention to the possibility of adding products for free. If they want to charge you money before you get results, it’s worth refusing.
- Pay attention to product management options so you can change the description, avatar, etc.
- The ability to manage advertising campaigns.
- The starting click price.
Ultimate list AI-Focused directories and marketplaces
- code.market AI tools – Digital goods Marketplace and AI tools catalog
- Able to edit and manage product
- Free submission
- DoFollow backlinks
- Managed PPC starting from $0.3
- AI Multiple – A comprehensive platform for AI tools and services
- Paid submission
- Can’t manage product
- Futurepedia – A directory of the best AI tools and software
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Expo – A platform for showcasing AI innovations and networking opportunities
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Tools Club – A community-driven platform for discovering and sharing AI tools
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Finder – A searchable directory of AI tools and services
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Resource – A platform dedicated to AI tools, resources, and community engagement
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- The AI List – A curated list of AI tools and startups
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Hub – A resource for discovering AI technologies and services
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Startups – A directory of AI startups and their products
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
- AI Landscape – A comprehensive map of the AI ecosystem
- No PPC
- Paid submission
- Paid product managing
More Ai tools directories.
- Frederick AI – Latest product information, prices, and options for 2024
- Ai Tool Hub – 2024 Most Popular AI Startup Tools
- AITools.fyi – Comparison of AI tools
- Product Hunt – Discover and promote new products, including AI tools
- Aitoolnet – AI tool alternatives
- AIStage – AI-powered website builders
- AI WITH.ME – Discover thousands of AI tools
- KI-TechLab – German AI tool directory
- howisthis.io – Top Startup Tools AI Services
- altern.ai – AI tool information and reviews
- SeekmeAI – AI tool directory
- AIGCLIST – AI tool reviews and pricing
- DokeyAI – Popular Research Assistant AI Tools
To save your time, we recommend adding your product to one or two major catalogs. The others will likely catch it from there because they often scrape each other’s content. This approach can significantly reduce your workload while still ensuring broad visibility for your AI product.
No time? Use this: one-click submit tool to all AI directories.
General software directories
- Product Hunt – A platform to discover and promote new products, including AI tools
- G2 – A peer-to-peer review site that helps businesses discover and promote software solutions
- Capterra – A free online resource that helps businesses find the right software
- GetApp – A platform for comparing business software and applications
- Software Advice – A service that helps businesses find the right software for their needs
- SaaS Directory – A comprehensive directory of SaaS applications, including AI tools
- AlternativeTo – A crowdsourced software recommendations platform
- StackShare – A community platform for discovering and discussing software tools
- SoftwareWorld – A directory of software solutions and reviews
- TrustRadius – A platform for software reviews and comparisons
AI company listings and rankings
- DesignRush – Ranking and listing of top AI companies and agencies
- Techasoft – Insights into leading AI companies and their services
- Clutch – A B2B ratings and reviews platform that includes AI and ML companies
- GoodFirms – A directory of top AI companies and their services
- Manifest – A directory of leading AI companies and their capabilities
- TopDevelopers – A listing of top AI development companies
- Sortlist – A platform for finding and comparing AI agencies
- Crunchbase – A platform for finding business information about private and public companies, including AI startups
- AngelList – A platform for startups to raise money and recruit, including AI-focused companies
- CB Insights – Insights into the top AI startups
Tech media and news platforms
Hard to be promoted here
- TechCrunch – A leading technology news site that covers startups and AI innovations
- VentureBeat – A media company that covers transformative technology and AI developments
- Wired – A magazine that reports on emerging technologies, including AI
- MIT Technology Review – A publication that focuses on the latest developments in AI and other technologies
- The Verge – A technology news site that covers AI and its impact on various industries
- Engadget – A tech news site that reports on consumer electronics and AI innovations
- Mashable – A digital media and entertainment company that covers AI and technology news
- Forbes – A business magazine that features articles on AI and its applications
- Harvard Business Review – A management magazine that publishes articles on AI and its impact on business
- The New York Times – A leading newspaper that covers AI news and its societal implications
Conclusion
The strategy is simple: use as many catalogs as possible to add your product. One of them will definitely bring you results. Many of them will close because they won’t be able to show financial success, leaving only a few of the biggest and top platforms. Choose wisely.
We recommend paying attention to the strategy of promotion through AI catalogs, because you can get maximum effect for a minimal budget. Right now, it’s a blue ocean. Don’t miss your chance to ride this wave!
Remember, the AI catalog landscape is dynamic and interconnected. By strategically placing your product in a few key directories, you can leverage the network effect to gain widespread exposure across multiple platforms. This efficient method allows you to focus more on developing.
