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Grow & market

How do I pick which paid channel to start with?

Match the channel to how people already look for what you sell: intent-driven search for problem-aware buyers, feed-based social for discovery and impulse. Use Traction's Bullseye method: brainstorm every channel, cheaply test three, then double down on the one that works. Don't spread a small budget across five channels.

Go deeper

2 resources, 2 link-checked.

📖 Book
✓ Link checked Paid Intermediate

The definitive playbook on distribution, it catalogs all 19 channels and gives you the Bullseye framework to systematically find the one that works. Essential for anyone thinking channel-first.

Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth

From Portfolio / Penguin by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares book (~240 pages)

  • There are 19 traction channels; most startups win on just one.
  • Bullseye framework: brainstorm all channels, test 3, focus on the winner.
  • The 50% rule: split your time evenly between product and traction.
  • Draws on 40+ founder interviews (Wikipedia, reddit, HubSpot, Kayak).
Open amazon.com →
📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Beginner

A blunt, practical guide from Demand Curve's founder on which paid and organic channels fit which business, and why most startups can't profitably buy ads early on.

Startup Handbook: Customer Acquisition Channels

From julian.com by Julian Shapiro Long-form guide

  • Most companies cannot profitably acquire on Meta/Google without high margins or strong referrals.
  • Match the channel to your product's format, targeting, audience, and device.
  • Great creative and a promise-keeping landing page beat obsessive targeting.
Open julian.com →

People also ask

Should I even be running paid ads at this stage? 2 → How do I know if my paid ads are actually profitable? 2 → What makes a paid ad actually convert? 2 → How much budget do I need to test a paid channel properly? 2 → How do Indian D2C brands keep paid acquisition sustainable as CACs rise? 2 → How do I calculate my target CAC before I've made a single sale? 3 →

Also in D2C

The same ground, over in Run paid ads, our D2C track.

What actually makes an ad creative convert in 2025? 4 → How is Google Ads different from Meta ads for my D2C brand? 3 →

Also in D2C

The same ground, over in Grow organically & retain, our D2C track.

How do I build a referral program that people actually use, not one that just sits unused in my Shopify admin? 4 → Should I be on Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and Pinterest, or just pick one? Where do I actually put my limited time? 4 →

Also in How Founders Use AI

How founders actually use AI for this, over in Ads & Performance Marketing.

How do founders use AI to generate and test ad creatives at scale? 18 → Why use AI for audience research, copy variants, and campaign analysis? 19 →

Also in GTM

The same ground, over in Let the product sell, our GTM track.

What does product-led growth actually mean, and how is it different from just having a free trial? 6 → Everyone says find your aha moment. What is it actually, and how do I find ours? 5 →

Also in GTM

The same ground, over in Keep and grow the customers you win, our GTM track.

When should I hire my first customer success person? 5 → What is net revenue retention and why does every investor keep asking me for it? 5 →
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