21 channels to grow your product: a practical checklist for bootstrapped and venture-backed teams
This article compiles the firsthand insights of founders who built products without heavy marketing budgets. It outlines 21 channels you can leverage to launch and scale a product, organized into two phases: Launch and Grow.
Launch channels
– Product Hunt
– Hacker News
– MicroLaunch
– Uneed
– Peerlist
– Dev Hunt
– Indie Hackers
– Fazier
– Tinylaunch
– TinyStartups
Grow channels
– X (formerly Twitter)
– LinkedIn
– TikTok
– Instagram (Reels)
– YouTube (Shorts)
– Substack (newsletters)
– Medium (long-form content)
– Reddit (posts)
– Reddit (meaningful replies)
– Influencers across all social platforms
– Communities across platforms
– YouTube (video content)
– Google (search engine optimization)
Key takeaways
– These channels emphasize organic growth rather than paid marketing.
– They are suitable for both bootstrap and VC-backed products.
– They’re effective for teams as well as solo builders.
– The overarching goal is word-of-mouth (WoM) growth and sustainable momentum.
– With consistent effort across these channels, reaching the first 100,000 users is a realistic milestone.
Note: The emphasis here is on practical, budget-friendly strategies that can be implemented by individuals or small teams aiming to validate product-market fit and cultivate durable, organic growth. If you’d like, I can tailor this list to your specific product category, audience, or stage.
