A running log of what I actually try to get candidtools.com noticed, updated as things happen - including what doesn't work.
July 22, 2026
Bought candidtools.com and moved the tools over from an older domain. Starting from zero backlinks and zero history.
July 25, 2026
Posted on r/SideProject. Zero comments.
Same day, viberank.dev emailed asking to list the site. Added it - a free backlink.
July 26, 2026
Commented with a link on a "share what you're building" thread on r/indiehackers. Thread itself was popular; my comment picked up a couple upvotes, nothing more.
Found TinyLaunch mentioned in one of these threads and scheduled a free launch for August 24, 2026.
July 31, 2026
Saw a thread on r/saasinvestors about struggling SaaS products. A commenter mentioned SeoLoupe; ran its backlink profile through Ahrefs and found neeed.directory as a source - free tier trades a dofollow link for adding their badge. Added the badge to the footer and submitted for verification.