30 Ways to Promote your Web App with Little or No Money

FWIW, if I was starting a web app, I would focus on polishing the product based on the feedback of the users I have, to try and maximize conversion/retention rather than exposure.

In my first round of customers I'd look for feedback. I'd make more of a personal introduction; for example, post (with my real name and full disclosure) in some forums that have the demographics I want. Customers you get from press releases are less likely to bother and tell you what made them discard you.

When the time comes to scale up, I would still spend as much of my time improving/polishing the app (p.s.: and the overall experience around it) as I have feedback to act upon. Word of mouth will make you or kill you.

Perhaps I'm too simple-minded, but paying bloggers to talk about your site just sits wrong with me. I thought that part of the reason blogging has become so popular is because the traditional media outlets were getting to be too influenced by money and politics, so blogs were inherently more honest and interesting. To see some of the same practices occurring in blogs spells decline in my opinion; if enough of them succumb to these mechanisms, blogging will lose its credibility or honesty just as other media outlets have.

</rant>

I still thought the article had some good suggestions, and I'll be sure to keep it in mind when launching my own site.

It's a damn good list to use when you're jump starting your user base. I could have really used this recently.

FWIW, here's a contradictory take, also seen on YC news recently: http://blog.tomevslin.com/2007/01/web_20_greater_.html

31. complete step 13 then submit to demomyapp.com