The Only 5 Distribution Channels That Worked for My Startups

after years of building saas products, i learned that distribution is not about posting more, replying to bigger accounts, or shipping endless features. the channels that consistently brought users, traffic, and revenue were seo, building in public on twitter, launch platforms, public accountability, and email.

search has been the most powerful because it compounds over time. a single article, chatgpt citation, or backlink can keep sending users for months. building in public helped me attract attention, validate ideas, and get my first users, while launch platforms and directories generated valuable backlinks and exposure.

the biggest lesson is that rented platforms help you find attention, but owned channels help you keep it. twitter, instagram, and youtube can drive reach, while seo, email, websites, and directories build long term assets. pick two channels, master them, let them compound, and expand from there.