19 Traction Channels for Startups: Which to Test First [Bullseye Framework]
Growth Marketing
Bastiaan van Mastrigt
12 mins
November 13, 2025
You're doing everything. LinkedIn posts every day. Instagram Stories. Cold emails. SEO content. Facebook ads. Partnership outreach. Community building. Product Hunt launches. And nothing's working.
Your customer acquisition cost is sky-high. Your conversion rates are pathetic. And your co-founder keeps suggesting "we should try TikTok." Here's the truth: Most startups die from distraction, not lack of effort. They spread themselves across 10 marketing channels. They do each one poorly. And they wonder why nothing sticks.
But there's a better way. Gabriel Weinberg created the Bullseye Framework. It's a simple system that helps you find your one high-impact channel. The channel that actually drives growth. Not eventually. Not someday. Now.
This post breaks down all 19 traction channels. Then shows you exactly which ones to test first. And how to find your bullseye before you burn through your runway.
The Bullseye Framework Explained (In Plain English)
Imagine a dartboard. The outer ring holds all possible channels. All 19 ways you could acquire customers. The middle ring holds the probable winners. The 3-5 channels worth testing right now. And the inner ring, the bullseye, is your core channel. The one that actually drives growth.
Most founders skip the testing part. They pick channels based on gut feeling. Or because their competitor is "crushing it on Instagram." That's gambling, not strategy.
Here's what makes this framework brilliant: It assumes you don't know which channel will work. Because you don't. Nobody does until they test. Your job isn't to guess right. Your job is to test fast, measure honestly, and scale what performs.
The 19 Traction Channels Every Startup Should Know
Let me walk you through all 19 channels. Some will feel obvious. Others will surprise you. But understanding each one helps you make smarter testing decisions.
Targeting blogs means getting your product featured on industry blogs and publications. If you're building project management software, you want mentions on productivity blogs. Simple. Direct. And if those readers match your ideal customer, the traffic converts.
Publicity is getting media coverage in newspapers, magazines, and major online publications. TechCrunch. Forbes. Industry trade publications. This works when you have a compelling story. A unique angle. Or data worth sharing. But here's the catch: publicity is hard to control and harder to scale.
Unconventional PR takes a creative approach. Stunts. Controversial opinions. Data-driven research that news outlets can't ignore. Dollar Shave Club's viral video cost $4,500 to make and generated millions in sales. That's unconventional PR done right.
Search engine marketing means buying ads on Google, Bing, and other search engines. Someone searches "best CRM for startups" and your ad appears. You pay per click. The beauty? You're targeting people actively looking for solutions. High intent. Fast results.
Social and display ads cover Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and banner ads across websites. These channels work when you can target specific demographics. LinkedIn ads crush it for B2B. Instagram works for visual products. But the costs add up fast, so test small before scaling.
Offline ads include billboards, radio, TV, and print. Most startups ignore this channel because it feels old-school. But if your customers commute, listen to podcasts, or read local papers, offline ads still work. Just harder to track than digital.
Search engine optimization means ranking organically on Google. You create content targeting keywords your customers search for. Then you optimize until you rank on page one.
Content marketing means creating valuable content that attracts your ideal customers. Blog posts. Videos. Podcasts. Guides. Tools. The goal isn't to sell directly. The goal is to build trust and authority.
Email marketing lets you nurture leads and convert them into customers. You build an email list. You send valuable content. You make offers. Email still has the highest ROI of any marketing channel. But only if people actually open your emails.
Engineering as marketing means building free tools that attract customers. HubSpot's Website Grader. Ahrefs' free backlink checker. These tools provide instant value.
Viral marketing happens when your customers bring you more customers. Dropbox gave free storage for referrals. Hotmail added "Get your free email at Hotmail" to every message.
Business development means forming strategic partnerships with other companies. If you're building accounting software, you partner with bookkeepers who recommend you to clients.
Sales is the most direct channel. You identify prospects. You reach out. You book calls. You close deals. For B2B startups selling high-ticket products, sales often wins. But it doesn't scale until you hire a team.
Affiliate programs let other people sell your product for a commission. They promote. You pay per sale. This works when you have a product affiliates want to recommend and margins that support commissions.
Existing platforms means building on top of Shopify, WordPress, Salesforce, or other ecosystems. You create a plugin. An integration. An app. And you tap into their existing user base. Dropbox grew by integrating everywhere. Calendly spread through Zoom integrations.
Trade shows and conferences put you in front of hundreds of potential customers in one place. You demo your product. You collect leads. You build relationships.
Offline events include meetups, workshops, and local gatherings you host yourself. Product Hunt started as a simple email list and in-person gatherings.
Speaking engagements position you as an authority. You speak at conferences. Webinars. Podcasts. Industry events. The audience learns from you.
Community building means creating a space where your customers gather. A Slack group. A forum. A subreddit. A Discord server.
How to Test Your First Channel in 30 Days
Now you know all 19 channels. But where do you start? Here's your testing framework. Follow this and you'll find your bullseye faster than 90% of startups.
First, list every channel where your ideal customers actually spend time. Be honest. If your customers don't use TikTok, cross it off. If they don't attend trade shows, skip it. This becomes your outer ring.
Second, pick three channels that feel most promising. Consider your product, your budget, and your skills. If you're great at writing, test content marketing.
Third, run a cheap test on each channel for one week. Not a month. Not a quarter. One week. Spend $100 on ads. Write three blog posts.
Fourth, double down on the winner. The channel that delivers customers fastest and cheapest becomes your bullseye. Pour 80% of your effort there. Keep the other two channels running at 10% each. This is how you build momentum without spreading thin.
Fifth, measure everything religiously. Use the traction funnel framework to understand how customers move from awareness to purchase. Track the metrics that actually matter. And adjust based on data, not hunches.
Why Search Marketing Usually Wins
Here's what I've seen after working with dozens of startups. Search marketing, both SEO and paid search, wins more often than any other channel. Especially for B2B companies. Especially for SaaS products. Especially for anything people actively search for solutions to.
Why? Because search captures intent. Someone typing "best invoicing software for freelancers" isn't browsing. They're buying. They have a problem right now. And they want a solution today.
Compare that to social media. Someone scrolling Instagram isn't looking for your product. You're interrupting them. You have to convince them they have a problem. Then convince them your solution is best. That's two hard sells instead of one.
Find Your Bullseye, Build Your Traction
Every startup's bullseye looks different. For Dropbox, it was viral marketing. For HubSpot, it was content marketing and SEO. For Salesforce, it was enterprise sales and events. For DuckDuckGo, it was community building and publicity.
Your bullseye depends on your product, your market, and your skills. But the testing mindset stays the same. Brainstorm all possible channels. Test the most promising ones. Measure everything. Double down on what works.
Want help identifying which traction channels to test first for your specific startup? Book a free 30-minute traction audit. We'll analyze your market, evaluate your options, and create a custom testing roadmap. Because your bullseye is out there. You just need to find it.
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