--- name: sales-firsto description: "Firsto platform help — fair product launch platform for indie makers, devs, and startups with sustained SEO discovery. Covers free submission (5 slots/day, ~180-day queue, dofollow backlink for Top 3 only + badge required), Premium launch ($19.90 for 24-hour launch with guaranteed DR59+ dofollow backlink), Pro launch ($59.90 — 30-day homepage feature, mini review, star ratings in search), SEO Growth ($149 for 800-1200 word review article), daily 8:00 UTC launches, 72 categories, permanent SEO-optimized product pages, and alternatives pages. Use when you want your product listed on Firsto, wondering if the paid tiers are worth it for the backlink, not sure how long the free queue takes, or deciding between Firsto and Open Launch. Do NOT use for general launch strategy across multiple directories (use /sales-launch-directory), email marketing (use /sales-email-marketing), or audience growth (use /sales-audience-growth)." argument-hint: "[describe what you need help with on Firsto]" license: MIT version: 1.0.0 tags: [sales, product-launch, startup, discovery, platform] --- # Firsto Platform Help Helps the user with Firsto platform questions — from submitting a product and understanding the tiered backlink system through premium launch options, SEO-optimized pages, and editorial reviews. ## Step 1 — Gather context If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge. Ask the user: 1. **What do you need help with?** - A) Launching a product — submitting, writing a listing - B) Getting a backlink — understanding free vs paid backlink conditions - C) Premium/Pro/SEO Growth — evaluating paid tiers - D) SEO value — long-term discovery via permanent product pages - E) Comparing Firsto with Open Launch or other directories - F) Something else — describe it 2. **What stage is your product?** - A) Idea stage — haven't built anything yet - B) MVP / prototype — working but early - C) Launched — live product with users - D) Growing — looking for more visibility 3. **What's your goal?** - A) First users and feedback - B) SEO backlinks (DR59+ dofollow) - C) Long-term organic discovery via product pages - D) All of the above **If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step.** Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end. ## Step 2 — Route or answer directly If the request maps to a specialized skill, route: - Launch strategy across multiple directories → `/sales-launch-directory` - Product launch strategy and funnels → `/sales-funnel` - Email list building / audience growth → `/sales-audience-growth` - Email marketing to subscribers → `/sales-email-marketing` - Landing page / checkout optimization → `/sales-checkout` - Open Launch-specific questions → `/sales-openlaunch` - CtrlAlt.cc-specific questions → `/sales-ctrlaltcc` - ProductBurst-specific questions → `/sales-productburst` - MicroLaunch-specific questions → `/sales-microlaunch` - LaunchingNext-specific questions → `/sales-launchingnext` - SoloPush-specific questions → `/sales-solopush` - SideProjectors buy/sell questions → `/sales-sideprojectors` - Huzzler-specific questions → `/sales-huzzler` Otherwise, answer directly from platform knowledge below. ## Step 3 — Firsto platform reference **Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for detailed module documentation, pricing, integrations, and data model. *You no longer need the platform guide details — focus on the user's specific situation.* ## Step 4 — Actionable guidance ### Submission checklist | Step | What to do | Why it matters | |---|---|---| | 1. Prepare your listing | Clear name, problem-focused description, screenshots | First impression + permanent SEO page | | 2. Choose your tier | Free (patient), Premium ($19.90), Pro ($59.90), or SEO Growth ($149) | Determines backlink guarantee and visibility | | 3. Optimize for SEO | Write description with keywords your product should rank for | Product page becomes a permanent search asset | | 4. Time your network | Launches happen at 8:00 UTC — coordinate supporters | Early engagement drives daily ranking | | 5. Display badge (free tier) | Add Firsto badge to your site if aiming for free backlink | Required for free-tier dofollow backlink | | 6. Share externally | Post your Firsto listing on Twitter, communities | External traffic drives rankings | ### Which tier to choose **Free ($0) when:** - Budget is zero AND you can wait ~180 days - You're confident you can reach Top 3 daily - You're willing to display the Firsto badge on your site **Premium ($19.90) when:** - You want the DR59+ backlink guaranteed — no conditions - You need to launch within 24 hours - You want direct site links on all product cards **Pro ($59.90) when:** - You want 30-day homepage featured placement (~3K impressions) - A mini editorial review adds credibility - Star ratings in Google search results matter for your brand **SEO Growth ($149) when:** - You want a dedicated "[Product] review" article (800-1200 words) - Long-term Google ranking for "[Your Product] review" keywords - You're investing seriously in SEO and want content assets **Private Review ($249) when:** - You want honest UI/UX feedback before a major launch - Bug findings prioritized by severity (P0-P3) - Confidential — not published publicly ### Multi-platform launch strategy Firsto works best as one platform in a broader launch: 1. **SoloPush + ProductBurst** — instant listings (Day 1) 2. **Huzzler Launch Arena** — submit Monday for weekly competition 3. **Open Launch Premium ($12)** — next-day launch with DR65 backlink (cheapest guaranteed backlink) 4. **Firsto Premium ($19.90)** — 24-hour launch with DR59+ backlink + permanent SEO page 5. **MicroLaunch** — 30-day leaderboard cycle 6. **CtrlAlt.cc + LaunchingNext** — curated directories (queue or pay to skip) 7. **Product Hunt** — save for main launch event ## Gotchas *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about plan-gated features and integration gotchas that may be outdated.* - **Free backlink is NOT automatic.** Same model as Open Launch — only Top 3 daily get a dofollow backlink, and you must display the Firsto badge. Regular listings get nofollow links. - **~180 day free queue is extremely long.** This is the longest free queue of any launch directory. If timing matters at all, the $19.90 Premium is your only option. - **DR varies wildly by source.** LaunchDirectories reports DR57, other sources report DR29. The platform claims "DR59+ backlinks." Don't rely on exact numbers — verify current metrics before purchasing. - **Forked from Open Launch but more expensive.** Premium is $19.90 vs Open Launch's $12. SEO article is $149 vs $59. Open Launch also has higher confirmed DR (65). Evaluate whether Firsto's extras (mini reviews, homepage features, alternatives pages) justify the price difference. - **Small platform.** 15K monthly visitors and 2K+ projects is modest. Don't expect significant direct traffic — the value is SEO and the permanent product page. - **No public API.** Everything is manual through the web interface. - **5 free slots per day.** Combined with the ~180 day queue, getting a free launch slot is very competitive. - **Self-improving**: If you discover something not covered here, append it to `references/learnings.md` with today's date. ## Related skills - `/sales-launch-directory` — Launch strategy across multiple startup directories - `/sales-openlaunch` — Open Launch platform help (open-source PH alternative, DR65 backlinks — Firsto's parent project) - `/sales-huzzler` — Huzzler platform help (founder community, weekly Launch Arena competition) - `/sales-ctrlaltcc` — CtrlAlt.cc platform help (curated tool directory) - `/sales-productburst` — ProductBurst platform help (daily/weekly rankings, badges) - `/sales-microlaunch` — MicroLaunch platform help (30-day leaderboard, deals marketplace) - `/sales-launchingnext` — LaunchingNext platform help (curated startup directory) - `/sales-solopush` — SoloPush platform help (indie maker community, no-pressure launch) - `/sales-sideprojectors` — SideProjectors platform help (buy/sell side projects) - `/sales-funnel` — Build and optimize sales funnels for conversion - `/sales-audience-growth` — Grow your email list and subscriber base - `/sales-checkout` — Optimize landing pages and checkout for conversion - `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do` ## Examples ### Example 1: Launch a product on Firsto for SEO **User says**: "I want to launch my SaaS tool on Firsto to get long-term search visibility" **Skill does**: 1. Walks through submission checklist: name, description optimized for keywords, screenshots 2. Recommends Pro tier ($59.90) for mini review + star ratings in Google search results 3. Explains permanent product page becomes a rankable SEO asset 4. Advises coordinating network for 8:00 UTC launch to maximize daily ranking 5. Suggests pairing with Open Launch ($12) for a second guaranteed backlink **Result**: SEO-optimized listing with tier recommendation and long-term discovery strategy ### Example 2: Firsto vs Open Launch — which to choose **User says**: "Firsto is forked from Open Launch — should I use both or just one?" **Skill does**: 1. Compares pricing: Open Launch Premium $12 vs Firsto Premium $19.90 2. Notes Open Launch has higher DR (65 vs 57) and is cheaper 3. Highlights Firsto extras: mini reviews, 30-day homepage feature, alternatives pages, star ratings 4. Recommends using both — Open Launch for the cheapest DR65 backlink, Firsto Pro for the editorial review and SEO features 5. Notes both have the same conditional free backlink model (Top 3 + badge) **Result**: Clear comparison with recommendation to use both for complementary value ### Example 3: Evaluate if the paid tiers are worth it **User says**: "Is Firsto's $149 SEO Growth package worth it compared to the $19.90 Premium?" **Skill does**: 1. Breaks down what each tier includes: Premium gets the backlink, SEO Growth adds an 800-1200 word review article 2. Notes the article targets "[Product] review" keywords for long-term Google traffic 3. Compares to Open Launch's SEO Growth at $59 for a similar article 4. Recommends $19.90 Premium if backlink is the only goal, $149 SEO Growth if you're investing in content marketing 5. Suggests the $59.90 Pro as a middle ground: backlink + mini review + homepage feature **Result**: Tier-by-tier ROI analysis with clear recommendation ## Troubleshooting ### Stuck in the ~180 day free queue **Symptom**: Submitted for free weeks ago, product hasn't launched **Cause**: Firsto limits free launches to 5 slots/day. With a ~180 day queue, free submissions wait approximately 6 months. **Solution**: Upgrade to Premium ($19.90) for 24-hour launch. If budget is tight, consider Open Launch's $12 Premium instead — it's cheaper and has higher DR. If you're committed to free, use the wait time to polish your listing and prepare other directory submissions. ### Free listing but no dofollow backlink **Symptom**: Product is listed on Firsto but backlink is nofollow **Cause**: Free-tier dofollow backlinks require BOTH conditions: (1) finishing Top 3 in daily ranking, and (2) displaying the Firsto badge on your website. Default free listings get nofollow links. **Solution**: If the backlink matters, upgrade to Premium ($19.90) for guaranteed DR59+ dofollow. Or submit to directories with automatic dofollow backlinks: ProductBurst (DR46), SoloPush (DR46-47), LaunchingNext (DR51). ### Unsure if Firsto's DR claims are accurate **Symptom**: Different sources show different DR numbers (29, 57, 59+) **Cause**: DR changes over time and varies by measurement tool. Firsto is a newer platform whose authority is still growing. **Solution**: Use Ahrefs' free Website Authority Checker to check current DR before purchasing. The paid tier guarantees "DR59+ backlinks" but verify independently. For a confirmed DR65 backlink, Open Launch Premium ($12) is a safer bet.