Growth Channels
Browse 19 growth channels in the Ponicorn database, each grouping small, profitable internet businesses by how it reached customers.
App Store
23 startupsSEO
17 startupsX / Twitter
11 startupsPaid ads
9 startupsProduct-led
8 startupsTikTok
8 startupsBuild in public
6 startupsCommunity
6 startupsInstagram
6 startupsWord of mouth
6 startupsAffiliates
5 startupsShort-form video
5 startupsYouTube
5 startupsReddit
4 startupsInfluencer marketing
3 startupsPartnerships
3 startupsProduct Hunt
3 startupsUser-generated content
2 startupsOutbound sales
1 startup
How this list works
A growth channel is where a business found its customers: search, a community, an app store, paid ads, or building in public. Each startup lists up to five, in no particular order.
Channels come from what the founder says, so they describe what worked for that business rather than what is generally advised. Nothing here is ranked, and a channel appearing often is not evidence it will work again.
Every figure on a profile carries its source, its date and a label saying whether anyone stands behind it. How figures work.