Struggling to get attention? If it feels like no one’s seeing your product, service, or company—sometimes the most effective move is to step back and scan the full universe of how people actually discover things. This list is built for that: a strategic overview of every major channel where attention can be earned, borrowed, or built.
How to use this list: Move through each section one by one. For each channel, ask: “Is there a smart way I can show up here?” Treat it as a rapid-fire brainstorming engine, not a to-do list.
If you want a second brain on it—we’re available for consulting.
Digital Organic Discovery
Search & SEO-Based Discovery
• Google Search results (SERPs)
• Google Images (optimized visuals, charts, headshots)
• Google News (press releases or coverage)
• Google Scholar (if academic/whitepaper content involved)
• Google Discover / Chrome Mobile Feed
• Bing / DuckDuckGo / AI-native search platforms
• YouTube SEO (titles, tags, transcripts)
• Podcast SEO (Spotify, Apple, YouTube indexing)
• Reddit search visibility (subreddits + indexed comments)
• Forum threads (Quora, StackOverflow, niche forums)
Social Platform Discovery
• Instagram (posts, reels, stories, lives, explore page)
• Facebook (pages, groups, shared posts, events)
• LinkedIn (posts, comments, article publishing, newsletters)
• TikTok (FYP, hashtags, reposts)
• Twitter/X (threads, mentions, retweets, hashtag feeds)
• Threads (Instagram’s text-based twin)
• Pinterest (infographics, how-tos, visuals)
• Snapchat (stories, geotags, spotlight)
• Clubhouse/Spaces (voice-first discovery)
Influence via Participation
• Commenting on high-visibility posts (LinkedIn, Twitter, IG)
• Guest blogging or commenting on Medium, Substack
• Speaking on Twitter Spaces, LinkedIn Live, IG Live
• Answering questions on Quora, Reddit AMA, or niche forums
• Hosting/joining webinars or livestreams
Digital Paid & Performance Discovery
Paid Ads + Retargeting
• Google Search Ads (intent capture)
• Google Display Network
• Facebook/IG Ads (cold interest + retargeting)
• LinkedIn Ads (sponsored posts, InMail, lead gen)
• Twitter/X Ads (timeline + follower lookalikes)
• TikTok Ads (creative performance)
• Pinterest Ads (especially for products or visual brands)
• YouTube Pre-Roll or In-Feed Ads
• Podcast ads / sponsorships
• Programmatic ad buys (via DSPs)
• Reddit Ads (niche community targeting)
• Spotify Ads (via Ad Studio)
• Native ads (Outbrain, Taboola)
Direct Sharing & Leveraging Personal Networks
Owned List Distribution
• Email list (weekly/biweekly newsletters)
• SMS list (flash updates, VIP drops)
• WhatsApp Broadcast Lists / Groups
• Discord server
• Telegram channel
Manual Network Activation
• DMing past clients, leads, or power users
• Texting high-value contacts directly
• Asking people to share a post or announcement
• Launching a private beta with high-signal contacts
• Personalized Loom videos or voice notes
• LinkedIn voice messages or native video intros
• Hosting a live Zoom preview/demo for close network
Third Party Validation & Earned Media
PR + Press
• Syndicated press release (PRWeb, EIN, APNews)
• Targeted journalist outreach (HARO, MuckRack)
• Podcast guest appearances
• Interview features (Substack interviews, IG Lives, Clubhouse)
• Awards or recognitions (best-of lists, local press)
• Guest articles or op-eds in trade media
• High-authority backlinks (guest posts, expert roundups) TV/radio segments (local or niche channels)
• Industry newsletter features
Affiliate & Influencer Discovery
• Influencers mentioning your brand
• Affiliates promoting your product/service
• Micro-influencers doing unboxing, demo, or testimonial
• Niche authority blogs listing your product
• YouTube reviews or tutorials by content creators
• Influencer seeding (gifted product or early access)
Physical World & Events
In-Person Brand Exposure
• Events: conferences, trade shows, pop-ups, meetups
• Panels, fireside chats, or roundtables
• Stickers, apparel, or merch worn publicly
• Branded physical assets: notebooks, postcards, posters
• Direct mail campaigns
• Printed QR codes on materials/business cards
• Billboards, signage, or wrapped vehicles
• Partner booths or co-branded swag
• Cafes, coworking spaces, or gyms with flyers
Partnerships & Embedded Distribution
Distribution via Other Platforms
• Bundled offers with other products (SaaS, newsletters)
• App directory listings (Shopify, Zapier, etc.)
• Marketplace listings (Gumroad, Product Hunt, AppSumo)
• SaaS integrations that surface your brand
• API integrations that create co-branding opportunities
• Co-marketing campaigns (webinars, case studies)
Cross-Promotion & Strategic Allies
• Referral programs
• Affiliate portals (automated discovery)
• Joint ventures
• Licensing agreements that showcase your product
• Nonprofit collaborations (mission-aligned)
• Alumni groups or business schools featuring your work
• White-labeled use in another brand’s ecosystem
Indirect & Contextual Spread
Passive Mentions
• Mentioned in case studies by others
• Listed as a tool or reference inside a course
• Featured in someone’s stack or tech comparison
• Mentioned in a Reddit thread or blog roundup
• Included in a Notion template or Airtable base
• Name-dropped in a podcast or YouTube walkthrough
Platform-Level Discovery
• Recommended or featured by algorithm (LinkedIn newsletter suggestions, IG suggested follows)
• Added to someone’s Twitter/X List
• Search autocomplete (for branded terms)
• Appearing in Google’s “People Also Ask”
• Mentioned in AI outputs (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc.)
• Featured in public templates or swipe files
Community Driven Spread
• User-generated content (e.g., someone posts a win using your product)
• Word-of-mouth inside masterminds or Slack groups
• Reddit upvoting / virality
• Viral screenshots or LinkedIn posts
• Raving review on G2, Capterra, Yelp, etc.
• Facebook Group threads (“what do you use for X?”)
• Slack / Discord mentions
• Twitter/X quote tweets or endorsements
• Memes or satire formats using your brand
Automated Reach
• Drip email sequences
• Retargeting flows (ads or on-platform)
• Marketing automation (Hubspot, Klaviyo, etc.)
• Lifecycle campaigns (customer onboarding)
• RSS feed integrations (Substack, YouTube, Podcast)
• Triggered notifications (web push, browser alerts)
• Embedded content in Chrome extensions or apps
• Zapier flows that share updates to external platforms
• RSS + IFTTT cross-posting
Unconventional
• Posting on job boards as “hiring” for your project
• Craigslist creative listings
• Posting on adult platforms or underground forums for fringe attention
• Sticker bombing in urban areas
• Hacker News launch post or teardown
• Medium post titled “Why I Quit X to Start Y”
• Building in public (transparently sharing journey)
• Releasing “leaked decks” or previews
• Creating an “enemies list” or competitive teardown (attention magnet)
• Running a Twitter poll that leads to your work
• Launching a fake competitor or parody site
Inception-Level Brand Discovery
• Someone talks about a solution and gets your brand suggested by an AI agent (GPT, Claude, etc.)
• You become the “default” answer to a niche query (“Best ____ for X”)
• A student finds you via a course or curriculum
• You’re mentioned in a lawsuit or court record that becomes public
• You’re cited in a research paper
• Government or regulatory listing of your product/company
• Included in a top-10 ranking scraped by a major aggregator
• Listed in a public procurement database (B2G)
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