Where to find your first customers: Consumer
68 channels fit this audience, 41 of them free. Start with the first one in the list, read its guide, and try it for two weeks before you judge it.
- BetaListLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Early adopters who expect unfinished products. Good for building a waitlist before launch.
- UneedLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Curated daily launches with a lasting directory page.
- r/SideProjectCommunities · Free · effort ●○○
Friendly place to show a project and collect first reactions.
- Search Console and Bing WebmasterSearch & discovery · Free · effort ●○○
Set up on day one so you can see which queries bring people in.
- Relaunch on every big releaseLaunch boards · Free · effort ●●○
Several boards allow a new listing after a major update. Treat each version as a fresh announcement, and check each board's rules.
- AlternativeToDirectories & comparison · Free · effort ●●○
Reaches people already searching for a replacement. Works best when you can name a clear incumbent.
- Indie HackersCommunities · Free · effort ●●○
Home of bootstrapped founders. Milestone and revenue write-ups travel further than announcements.
- Get added to 'best X tools' roundupsSearch & discovery · Free · effort ●●○
Find articles that list your competitors and ask the author to include you, with a short reason.
- Answering questions where they are askedDirect outreach · Free · effort ●●○
Search Reddit, forums and X for questions your product answers. Help properly and mention the product only when it fits.
- In-product sharing loopsPartnerships & loops · Free · effort ●●○
Public pages, templates and a 'made with' link bring new users from existing ones.
- Newsletter swaps and cross-promotionPartnerships & loops · Free · effort ●●○
Trade a mention with a maker who has a similar-sized list and a nearby audience.
- Pitching niche bloggers and newsletter writersPress & PR · Free · effort ●●○
Small writers in your category often reply and are glad to cover a useful new tool.
- Product HuntLaunch boards · Free · effort ●●●
Biggest daily launch stage. Gives you a badge and a day of traffic. Competition is heavy, so line up supporters first.
- Niche subredditsCommunities · Free · effort ●●●
Find where your users already complain. Read the rules, contribute first, and expect plain self-promotion to be removed.
- Build in public on XSocial & content · Free · effort ●●●
Slow to start. The audience you build carries over from one product to the next.
- YouTubeSocial & content · Free · effort ●●●
Tutorials and demos can rank in search for years.
- Short video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)Social & content · Free · effort ●●●
Fits products that look good in ten seconds. Needs a steady posting habit.
- Your own newsletterSocial & content · Free · effort ●●●
The one audience nobody can take away. Even a small list converts well at launch.
- Apple App StoreStores & marketplaces · Free + required fee · effort ●●●
Needs the annual developer program. Listing keywords and screenshots matter most.
- Google PlayStores & marketplaces · Free + required fee · effort ●●●
One-time developer fee. Testing requirements can slow a first release.
- Free plan that does real workPartnerships & loops · Free · effort ●●●
A free tier that solves a small problem fully spreads by word of mouth.
- FazierLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
A newer Product Hunt alternative. A cheap extra launch day.
- MicroLaunchLaunch boards · Free · effort ●○○
Small launch board built for indie makers.
- Tiny StartupsLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Directory and launch list for small, early products.
- TinyLaunchLaunch boards · Free · effort ●○○
Launch board for indie makers and small projects.
- PeerPushLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Launch platform with lasting product pages. Check its current visibility rules.
- AMAs and live Q&AsEvents · Free · effort ●○○
Host a question session in a community you already belong to.
- Local founder and coworking meetupsEvents · Free · effort ●○○
In-person trust brings referrals and honest feedback.
- Microsoft Advertising (Bing)Paid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●○○
Search ads on Bing and partner sites. Often cheaper to test once Google Ads campaigns exist.
- Launching NextLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Daily showcase of new startups.
- StartupBaseLaunch boards · Free · effort ●○○
Launch and discover new products every day.
- beehiiv BoostsPartnerships & loops · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Newsletter recommendation network on beehiiv. Free or paid.
- SparkLoopPartnerships & loops · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Paid and free newsletter recommendations network.
- r/indiehackersCommunities · Free · effort ●○○
Subreddit for indie hackers. Feedback and peer attention.
- Facebook groupsCommunities · Free · effort ●●○
Active groups exist for almost every hobby and trade. Helpful answers beat links.
- Telegram and WhatsApp groupsCommunities · Free · effort ●●○
Smaller private groups where members answer fast. Join as a member first.
- QuoraCommunities · Free · effort ●●○
Long answers to questions your buyers ask can keep sending traffic for years.
- Podcast guestingSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Pitch shows your buyers listen to with a specific story, not a product plug.
- PinterestSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Pins keep getting found for months. Strong for visual products, templates and planners.
- Medium and Substack NotesSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Borrow an existing readership for essays about the problem you solve.
- YouTube comparison and review channelsSearch & discovery · Free · effort ●●○
Reviewers who cover your category often accept a free account or a short briefing.
- Etsy (digital downloads)Stores & marketplaces · Revenue share · effort ●●○
Shoppers search here for planners, printables and templates.
- Affiliate and referral programPartnerships & loops · Revenue share · effort ●●○
Pay a share to people who already have your audience.
- Maker bundles and swapsPartnerships & loops · Revenue share · effort ●●○
Join other indie makers in a bundle or shared launch week.
- Waitlist with referral rewardsPartnerships & loops · Free · effort ●●○
Move people up the line for each friend they bring.
- Creator and influencer dealsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Pay for a demo in front of an audience that fits. Start with a small test.
- Apple Search AdsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Ads inside App Store search. Intent is high and you can start small.
- ThreadsSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Meta text-first feed. Few published growth benchmarks, so treat results as unknown until you test.
- Microsoft StoreStores & marketplaces · Free + required fee · effort ●●○
Windows app store. Good for desktop apps, with a developer fee and certification.
- Apple PodcastsSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Podcast directory. Free to list a show. Listeners build slowly.
- Spotify for CreatorsSocial & content · Free · effort ●●○
Podcast hosting and distribution on Spotify. Free tools; listeners build slowly.
- Google AdsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Search and display ads on Google. High intent on search, but you pay for every click.
- Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram)Paid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Ads across Facebook and Instagram. Strong for consumer products with proven creative.
- TikTok AdsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Ads in the TikTok feed. Strong for consumer apps with native-looking video.
- Discord App DirectoryStores & marketplaces · Free · effort ●●○
Directory of apps and bots for Discord servers.
- Run your own communityCommunities · Free · effort ●●●
A small Discord or forum for your users. It turns customers into support, feedback and referrals.
- Free tools and calculatorsSearch & discovery · Free · effort ●●●
A small free tool that answers a question your buyers search for, with a link back to the product.
- Instagram (Reels and posts)Social & content · Free · effort ●●●
Reels and posts reach people beyond your followers. Growth is slow and depends on posting every week.
- TikTokSocial & content · Free · effort ●●●
Short video reaches new people fast. Follower growth needs a steady habit in one niche.
- SEO blog contentSearch & discovery · Free · effort ●●●
Articles on your own site that answer the searches your buyers make.
- SideProjectorsCommunities · Free · effort ●○○
Marketplace and community to show, buy and sell side projects.
- twelve.toolsLaunch boards · Free + paid options · effort ●○○
Daily list of twelve tools.
- Search and social adsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Use these after a channel already converts, to buy more of what works.
- Reddit AdsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Targets by subreddit. Test with a small budget and a post that reads like a post.
- Podcast sponsorshipsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Host-read ads work when the show fits your buyers closely.
- X AdsPaid & sponsorship · Paid · effort ●●○
Promoted posts and follower ads on X. Best used to boost posts that already work.
- SetappStores & marketplaces · Revenue share · effort ●●●
Subscription bundle of Mac apps. Selective, but it brings a ready audience if you get in.
- KickstarterStores & marketplaces · Revenue share · effort ●●●
Pre-sell a game, book or gadget. Needs an audience before the campaign starts.
Each channel links to its own guide. Check each platform's current rules before you post. Browse every channel.